Posted June 5, 2018 by travelaroundthegalaxy united states

Portland & The Oregon Coast

It’s hard not to fall in love with Oregon when you first visit. Tall evergreen forests, wild coastlines, and hip cities make this a destination worth exploring. Driving the Pacific Coast Highway from Astoria to San Francisco or further south to Los Angeles has always been high on my bucket list, and after spending a few days along the Oregon Coast, my desire to spent a few weeks here has only increased.

Growing up in Vancouver (Canada) it has always been at the tip of my fingertips, but it wasn’t until 2016 that I made my first real visit. While it is a solid day drive from the border, there is so much beauty to experience along the way, and I was easily able to make it to Astoria for dinner. I spent the night in the quirky tourist town of Seaside and spent most of my time exploring the area around Cannon Beach.

The wild coastline of Oregon – where the green forest and spectacular rock formations meet the long sandy beaches and the Pacific Ocean – is on full display. The highlight being Cannon Beach; the massive Haystack Rock sticks out of the ocean creating amazing views (and a focal point for some great photography) along this breathtaking coastline. The Pacific Northwest is a nature lovers playground – the Cascade mountains, Volcanoes, and this wild coastline can all be experienced on the same day.

Oregon is a quirky and hip place, and as a result, there are several off the beaten path experiences to be had. I was only able to spend 3 days in Oregon – 2 on the coast and 1 in Portland – but found plenty of fun things to do. Some of the highlights of this trip was Powell’s Books and Voodoo Doughnut in downtown Portland, as well as the Goonies house in Astoria.

Oregon is also home to some of the best craft breweries in the United States, and home of some of the best IPA’s in the world; the Northwest style IPA is legendary in these parts. As a beer drinker, visiting Oregon is can’t miss. We stopped at several craft breweries – and one craft distillery – along the way, highlighted by our stops in Cannon Beach (Pelican Brewing & Cannon Beach Distillery), Astoria (Buoy Beer Co.) and Portland (Cascade Brewing).

While my dream trip along Highway 101 (which travels North-West along the coast) has yet to be realized, looking back at these pictures from 2016 just reminds me why I need to start planning this trip as soon as possible. While this trip was a short one, it allowed me to get a taste of what to visit next. With views like these, I think you will agree Oregon is worth the visit.

Here are a few of my favourite photographs from this long-weekend adventure along the Oregon Coast.