For spring break, Cameron and I headed back to the Oregon Coast.
We have been here so many times now that I’ve lost count. At least once, if not twice a year, for the past six years. Somehow, with all those trips, we had never really spent any time in Bandon, Oregon. It is one of the most famous beach areas on the Oregon Coast, and we had driven through it before on our way farther south, but we had never actually stopped and made it the focus of a trip.
This trip had a simple plan. We would spend the first half of the week in Bandon, then make the drive up to Newport. Newport is a town we have been to on almost every Oregon trip we have taken, and it has become one of those places that Cameron truly loves.
We flew into Seattle, and yes, it is a heck of a drive down I-5, into Oregon, over the mountains, and then down 101 to get to Bandon. We could have flown somewhere closer, but that would have meant a layover. We chose the pain of the longer drive over the pain of the layover.
We found a lovely Best Western hotel right on the beach in Bandon. Maybe not quite as nice as the Agate Beach Best Western in Newport, but honestly a very close second. It had a wonderful outdoor area, and we had a great room. They are also known for their free breakfast buffet, and we made sure to take advantage of that every day. Honestly, it was better than most Hiltons I’ve stayed at in the past few years, and I stay at a lot of Hiltons.
I had to work during the week, so the days all started much the same. Since I was working East Coast hours, I would get up early, drive to one of the little drive-thru coffee stands in town, grab coffee, and then work for a few hours. When Cami got up, we would head down for breakfast and then later go out for lunch. We spent the afternoons exploring the town and the surrounding area.
Each evening, we would end up on the beach for sunset. Bandon has a massive beach with a number of different access points. There are parking areas that lead down to different sections of beach, all filled with massive sea stacks, many of them named. For the three nights we were there, the tide was going out around sunset, which made things a little better from a photography standpoint.
The weather was a bit rough. We had lots of rain and lots of wind, but I still managed to come away with a handful of really nice images despite the adverse conditions.
We also explored much of the area surrounding the beach. I think our favorite find was the Coquille River Lighthouse. We drove over the bridge across the Coquille River and made our way into Bullards Beach State Park, where the lighthouse sits. We hiked around it for a while, and with different conditions, you could likely make some really stunning photographs of the lighthouse from right in front of it. The weather that day, however, was not exactly working in my favor.
I did find a lovely spot on the Bandon side of the river, looking across the water toward the lighthouse. I was able to spend some time there and wait for the light to be just right, and I created a truly wonderful photo of the lighthouse. I do wish the light was still functioning, but even as it stands today, it is a beautiful subject.
We were there in early spring, and it was very much still the off-season. I can only imagine how packed this town must be in the summer. Between the old downtown, all the restaurants, the beaches, and the massive number of golf courses in the surrounding area, I assume Bandon is a very different place once the weather warms up.
Of all the places where we ate or stopped for food, two really stood out.
The first was Billy Smoothboars. We went in for lunch, and it was very quiet, but we had a truly lovely time. The food was great, and the waitress was incredibly kind. It was sort of the perfect dining experience you could want in a small coastal town.
The second was Face Rock Creamery, an ice cream shop that also happens to make its own cheese. We stopped by, and even though it was cold, it is never too cold for ice cream.
I had to work during the day, but we spent every evening exploring the area: the lighthouse, the state parks, the beaches, and the bluffs. One dark and stormy night, we spent sunset up on the bluffs overlooking the ocean. The other three nights, we were down on the beach itself. The beach is massive, filled with sea stacks, caves, and all manner of interesting scenes.
Midway through the week, we made the drive back to what now feels like a home away from home: Newport, Oregon.
We stayed at the Agate Beach Best Western, as always. I again had to spend the weekdays working, but this gave Cami some time to relax and work on some of her own projects.
The first evening we were in Newport, we headed down to Seal Rock. I did not have high hopes. The sky was totally overcast and full of storm clouds, but Seal Rock is not far, and even if I don’t come away with a photo, it is still a wonderful place to watch the ocean.
I headed up onto the bluffs on the far side. I had been there before and knew it could be a good location. Maybe 30 minutes before sunset, a tiny break opened between the layers of clouds, and light rays came spilling down onto the ocean and the beach. I was able to make a great photo, but after that it just got darker, and we headed back to the hotel.
The second evening, we headed to Thor’s Well, another favorite of ours and a place we have been a few times now. It was not the ideal situation. The tide was coming in, and it was much too dangerous to go down onto the lava rocks right in front of Thor’s Well. I was able to make some interesting photos of the Spouting Horn, however, which still made the stop worthwhile.
On our final full day, we drove north on 101. It was a total bluebird day, not a cloud in the sky. I was fairly confident I was not going to get any photos that day, so instead I focused on scouting locations for the next trip, because I am very sure this will not be the last time we are in Newport. While I was correct and did not come away with any real photos, we found some lovely areas and truly enjoyed our time.
Later that evening, with all the “photography work” finished, we went to Cameron’s favorite restaurant: Pelican Brewing. It is a small Oregon Coast brewery and restaurant group, and Cameron once again had one of her favorite meals, crab mac and cheese.
The next day, it was time to drive back to Seattle. It is a long drive, and there always seems to be traffic. We had one night in Seattle before our early morning flight home the following day. We used the time to drive up to Gas Works Park, and while I have been to Seattle many times, I had never visited this area.
It was lovely and packed full of people. Some locals told us it was the first nice day of the year, and it brought everyone out. The sunset was average and again lacking clouds, but I was still able to create a very nice VAST panorama photo of the city.
All in all, it was a great trip, and one I am sure we will repeat. The Oregon Coast is truly a special place for us.
