Autumn is a great time of year to visit the Oregon Coast and enjoy less-crowded beaches, trails and towns. Here’s a list of fun things to do in fall at the Oregon Coast whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway, a day trip from Portland or a longer autumn vacation.
Visit the Covered Bridges
Take a scenic drive through the forested coast range to see some colorful fall foliage and covered bridges. You’ll find these covered bridges between I-5 and the coast so you can stop along the way.
- Yaquina River Chitwood Covered Bridge – 16 miles east of Newport
- Yachats River Covered Bridge (pictured above) – 9 miles east of Yachats, keep going another 14 miles or so to see the Fisher Covered Bridge.
- Drift Creek covered Bridge – 11 miles east of Lincoln City
Between Eugene and Florence, you’ll find Coyote Creek Bridge, Nelson Mountain Bridge and Deadwood Creek Bridge.
See more covered bridges between I-5 and the coast in the map below.
Peak fall foliage in Oregon is usually mid to late October and should be visible on many routes heading to or from the coast to the I-5 corridor.
- Highway 6 between Banks and Tillamook
- Highway 18 between Willamina and Lincoln City (see the smiley face on the hill)
- Highway 20 between Corvallis and Newport
- Highway 126 between Eugene and Florence
- Highway 38 between Drain and Reedsport (this is a beautiful drive along the Umpqua River)
See the Shipwrecks of the Oregon Coast
While there are many stories of shipwrecks on the Oregon Coast, there are only a handful of places where you can still see the actual remains of the ships.
Here are a few of the best spots to see shipwrecks in Oregon.
Peter Iredale, Hammond – In Fort Stevens State Park, the wreck of the Peter Iredale is still a popular attraction today and is partially visible on the beach near Astoria, Oregon, where it ran aground in 1906.
Mary D. Hume, Gold Beach – While it didn’t actually wreck, the Mary D. Hume was a whaling vessel and tugboat built in 1881 that served as an active sea vessel for 97 years before it came to its final resting place. The remains lie semi-sunken near the shoreline just west of the Patterson bridge on the south side of the Rogue River in Gold Beach, Oregon. Visit at low tide for the best views.
J. Marhoffer, Boiler Bay – In 1910, this ill-fated steamship accidentally caught on fire, crashed into the rocks and exploded near Depoe Bay, Oregon. The ship’s big, rusty boiler still sits where it landed 100 years ago and during extreme low tides, some have ventured out to it.
Emily G. Reed, Rockaway Beach – On the beach in front of the Silver Sands Hotel in Rockaway Beach, Oregon, the 1908 shipwreck of the Emily G. Reed sits buried in the sand. It’s not always visible, but sometimes harsh winter storms reveal the last wooden remnants of the wreckage.
For more history and photos, see Shipwrecks of the Oregon Coast.
Tour These Historic Homes
If you love history, Victorian architecture and antiques, visit these historic homes on the Oregon Coast. Built in the late 1800s, these old houses are now museums open to the public.
If you’re looking for ghosts, the Oregon Coast has its share of stories. Heceta Head Lighthouse (see below), the Old Wheeler Hotel, Fort Stevens and several places in Astoria have reported spooky paranormal activity.
- Flavel House Museum, Astoria
- Burrows House Museum, Newport
- Hughes House, Port Orford
Visit These Lighthouses on the Oregon Coast
Oregon’s rocky coastline is dotted with historic lighthouses, most of which were built in the late 1800s to help ships navigate the turbulent waters of the Pacific. You’ll find these lighthouses on capes or headlands and near the bays and major estuaries along the coastline. See more photos and learn the history behind the best lighthouses on the Oregon Coast.
- Tillamook Rock Lighthouse – about a mile off the coast, south of Seaside
- Cape Meares Lighthouse – 12 miles west of Tillamook
- Yaquina Head Lighthouse – 4 miles north of Newport.
- Yaquina Bay Lighthouse – in Newport, at the mouth of the bay
- Heceta Head Lighthouse and B&B – 12 miles north of Florence (featuring fall ghost story tours and fall brunch)
- Umpqua River Lighthouse – in the town of Winchester Bay
- Cape Arago Lighthouse – on the coastline west of Coos Bay.
- Coquille River Lighthouse – 2 miles north of Bandon.
- Cape Blanco Lighthouse – 10 miles north of Port Orford
Fall Crabbing and Clamming in Oregon
The best time of year for crabbing at the Oregon Coast is September through December. There are many locations for clamming and crabbing at the coast, but the bays are always a good bet.
Here is a list of some of the best clamming and crabbing bays on the Oregon Coast to get you started.
- Columbia River Estuary, Hammond near Astoria
- Nehalem Bay, Wheeler
- Tillamook Bay, Garibaldi
- Yaquina Bay, Newport
- Alsea Bay, Waldport
- Coos Bay
- Coquille Bay, Bandon
Always check the ODFW’s website for information on current regulations, shellfish closures and toxin levels before you go. You can also call the hotline at 1-800-448-2474 to check for closures due to biotoxins.
Fall Camping on the Oregon Coast
Camping is one of our favorite things to do in fall at the Oregon Coast. Fall can be a great time of year for camping due to less-crowded campgrounds and a better selection of available campsites, yurts and cabins. See our guide to Oregon Coast State Parks for a list of campgrounds.
Indoor Activities for a Rainy Day at the Coast
Even though fall can still have some warm and sunny days, the weather in the Pacific Northwest doesn’t always cooperate.
Rainy and foggy days at the Oregon Coast are good for cozying up to a fireplace, ducking into a coffee shop or warming up with a bowl of clam chowder. See Oregon Coast Activities – Things to Do Rain or Shine for more ideas.
Where to Stay at the Oregon Coast
Lodging options at the Oregon Coast vary from town to town. In larger cities and popular towns, you’ll find hotel chains and luxury boutique options while small towns are much more rural and small motels or vacation rental homes will be your best bet for accommodations as there may not be many hotels to choose from.
⭐ See the Best Oregon Coast Hotels and Vacation Rentals by city to help you find a place to stay.
Enjoy your autumn adventure! There are plenty of fun things to do in fall at the Oregon Coast no matter what kind of weather we may have.
Taking a road trip? Continue exploring Oregon Coast towns.
