What to do and see in Oregon Coast, Oregon Coast: The Best Things to do

Haystack Rock is a unique 235 feet monolith that attracts wildlife and tourists alike and is part of the Oregon Coast’s geological history, formed millions of year ago by lava flows that created many of the dramatic capes and headlands along the coast. Haystack Rock is protected under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a seabird nesting colony and it is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is a State protected Marine Garden. The Rock is home to nesting seabirds in the summer and marine invertebrates all year. Tidepool seekers are beckoned by its wonders every day. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) is a stewardship and environmental educational program whose mission is to protect, through education, the intertidal and bird ecology of the Marine Garden and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge at Haystack Rock. HRAP offers an extensive interpretive program on the beach during the spring and summer months around low tide.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization located in Newport, on the beautiful Oregon Coast. Our mission is to create unique and engaging experiences that connect you to the Oregon coast and inspire ocean conservation. The Aquarium is a living classroom for all learning styles and ages. As one of Oregon's top tourist attractions, the Aquarium is a vital educational resource for the state, with over 40,000 students visiting the Aquarium each year. The Aquarium strives to be a center of excellence for ocean literacy and plays an active role in conservation and animal rehabilitation efforts.

Coastal park offering opportunities for whale watching.

A 125-foot column which sits atop of Coxcomb Hill overlooking Astoria.

From exploring tide pools teeming with life to witnessing Oregon's tallest lighthouse, there is something for every visitor at Yaquina Head. Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area extends out from the Oregon coast, one mile into the Pacific Ocean. Standing 93 feet tall at the westernmost point of the basalt headland, the lighthouse has been a bright beacon of the night, guiding ships and their supplies along the west coast since the light was first lit on August 20, 1873. The offshore islands are a year-round refuge for harbor seals and a spring-summer home for thousands of nesting seabirds. Gray whales can be spotted during their annual migrations to Mexico (late fall-early winter) and Alaska (late winter-early spring). During the summer months some gray whales take the opportunity to feed in the shallow waters around the headland. Cobble Beach is compiled of millions of round basalt rocks that produce an applause-like sound as the waves roll in. When the tide is low a vibrant ocean floor is revealed—pools of colorful animals including orange sea stars, purple sea urchins, and giant green anemones. Rangers are at hand to answer questions and point out all of the amazing plants and animals that call the tide pools home. Visit the Interpretive Center and discover 140 years of lighthouse history and thousands of years of natural and cultural history. Friends of Yaquina Lighthouses, a non-profit organization, offers site-related books, maps, and postcards in their interpretive store. Whether you want to see raging winter storms batter the Oregon coast, learn about the role lighthouses played in the westward expansion of the United States, or watch peregrine falcons at play, visit Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area and experience something wild.

Beautiful and remote lighthouse.