The Guest House at Seal Rock is adjacent and neighbor to the Seal Rock State Recreation site.
Check the tide tables and be sure to walk down to the private cove and neighboring Seal Rock Cove for some amazing low tide tidepools and maybe a sighting of the local Harbor Seals. See our photos on the Photo Gallery page.
Seal Rock State Wayside has large offshore rock formations which are the habitat of seals, sea lions, sea birds and other marine life.
The wayside includes interesting tidepools as well as excellent ocean views and a sandy beach. Developed for day-use, the picnic area is in a pleasant stand of shore pine, spruce and salal.
Vital stats: There is no fee to use this park. Seal Rock provides beach access and opportunities for beachcombing, hiking, fishing, viewing interpretive information, viewing marine wildlife and viewing beautiful coastal scenery. The area offers excellent photographic opportunities.
Visit the park website.
The Coastal Jewel at Seal Rock is adjacent and neighbor to the Ona Beach State Recreation site.
Ona Beach State Park is located 8 miles south of Newport, Oregon. The park is a fine, forested ocean flat now developed for extensive daytime shore use. Easy access for beachcombing and great for large picnic gatherings.
Vital stats: There is no fee to use this park. Ona Beach State Park provides beach access and opportunities for picnicking, swimming, boating and fishing.
Visit the park website.
Newport is conveniently located 10 miles north of Seal Rock (approx. 15 minutes)
Newport resides within Lincoln County, an area that boasts more State Parks and public waysides than any other county in the state of Oregon. So whether you are looking for uncrowded beaches and pristine scenery or the hustle and bustle of an active seaside community, Newport and the surrounding central Oregon coast neighbors have something for you and your family to enjoy.
Visit the Newport website.
If you'd like to learn more about ocean life on the Oregon Coast visit the Hatfield Marine Science Center (free admission to the visitors center) or the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport.
The quiet, unhurried atmosphere of this tiny ocean front resort village offers vacationers a peaceful retreat from the hustle of city life and a friendly alternative to the impersonal quality of a large coastal community.
The uncrowded beaches of the Yachats area are promising for agate and fossil hunting, birding, hiking and strolling, fishing, clamming, kite flying or picnicking. Its basalt headlands meet some of the most dramatic surf action in the world, attracting photographers and storm watchers, especially during the spectacular winter storms that arrive in December, January, and February.
Visit the Yachats website.
Yaquina Bay Lighthouse
The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse is located at the mouth of the Yaquina River in Yaquina Bay State Park, near the north end of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Built in 1871, the lighthouse was decommissioned three years later in 1874 after the construction of the Yaquina Head Lighthouse just north of Newport was completed in 1873. It is the only lighthouse in Oregon with the living quarters attached, as well as Oregon's last remaining historic wooden lighthouse. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, it is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse
With over 400,000 visitors a year, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is one of the most visited lighthouses on the west coast. Located just north of Newport in the Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area, the Yaquina Head Light was built in 1873 and remains an excellent example of late 1800's lighthouses. The lighthouse tower, at 93 feet, is the tallest of any lighthouse in Oregon. The lighthouse was recently selected as a 2004 Rand McNally Best of the Road™ destination.
Both lighthouses are open for tours daily.
Visit their website.
The Sea Lion Caves (the world's largest Sea Cave according to Guinness) are located appx. 28 miles south of Seal Rock (approx 45 min.) and offers an awe-inspiring, intimate view of Sea Lions in their natural habitat. Descend over 200-feet into the world's largest and most spectacular sea cave. The cave is the home of the wild steller sea lion, primarily during the fall and winter months and is called the hauling area. The rock ledge below the lookout located just outside the cave is the sea lions home during the spring and summer, and is where they breed and bear their young. Sea lions live at Sea Lion Caves year round.
Visit the Sea Lion Caves website.
Celebrate a fun Oregon adventure aboard the DISCOVERY, a deluxe 65-foot excursion boat with inside seating for 49 and two level viewing.
Located in Newport, Oregon, Maring Discovery Tours provide narrated bay and ocean tours specializing in whales, oyster farming and sea and shore wildlife. Featuring easy step on boarding and wheelchair ramp. A favorite season to look for sea life on the Oregon coast runs from March through October - a time when sea life is closest to shore and ocean conditions are at their best.
Visit the Marine Discovery Tours website.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is open every day except December 25th. Their hours vary with the seasons:
Winter Hours: 10 am–5 pm daily
After Labor Day to Memorial Day Weekend
Summer Hours: 9 am–6 pm daily
Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend
Adults - $13.25
Seniors - $11.25 (65+)
Youth - $7.75 (3–13)
Children 2 & Under - Free
Prices subject to change.
Visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium website.
|
