The Oregon coast has such a wide variety of attractions that it really takes time to explore it fully. Just recently I learned that it takes about eight long hours to drive from Astoria in the north, all the way down to Brookings near the northern California border. And that is only if you don’t make ANY stops!
You really have to take in the magnificent Oregon coast in smaller snippets to appreciate it fully. Most people do this on the weekend, where they can plan a more relaxing itinerary, and that’s what we do. The best time of year to experience the coast is in the spring or late fall, the shoulder seasons. So what makes a relaxing weekend on the Oregon coast turned into an outdoor adventure?
Spouting horns and elusive sinkholes, that’s what!
You can find these at Cape Perpetua Scenic Area on the Oregon coast, just a few miles north of Florence, Oregon. Both are mere yards from each other, just south of the Cape Cove Trailhead. A staggering number of photographers have risked life and limb to get spectacular close-ups of Thor’s well, at high tide. As with any sinkhole, it’s not the hole itself that is dangerous, but the water running through it. In this case, the mighty Pacific Ocean.
Thor’s Well
It took us awhile to even find it because there weren’t very many other people around at the time (also, there are no signs), and it’s a few paces off of the paved trail as you approach the rugged waters. It was only when I saw a photographer pitch his tripod in a certain direction that I honed in on it. We were there at a time when the tide was just coming up, so it was too dangerous to approach Thor’s Well up close. However, at low tide, you can walk right up to it. Just be aware of sneaker waves!
When you do find it, it’s pretty cool to just watch for a few minutes.
Video of Thor’s Well
Spouting Horn
Very nearby to Thor’s Well, and much easier to spot is Spouting Horn. Located just off of a pull-out along the road at the water’s edge, the spout is a natural hole in the jagged inlet, where ocean waters rush in and beat along the rocky edge. When the water slams against it with enough force, it shoots up through the hole and sprays ocean salt water dramatically over a dozen feet in the air.
When you are done gawking at the awesome natural wonders of Cape Perpetua, stop by the nearby visitors center for more details information about the area. This is also one of the prime whale watching spots in Oregon.
Heceta Head Lighthouse
A historic lighthouse you can actually spend the night in? Of course! And why not? You can even get married here if you are so inclined. Heceta Head Lighthouse is not just for the historian, or a cute place to take pictures, it satisfies the romantic in all of us.
Built in 1892, the main stairwell to the lighthouse can no longer be used because of wear and tear to the structure. And currently, funding to keep up this part of the lighthouse is tough to raise, so right now the only access to the inside of the lighthouse is the main floor, and then only during talks guided by volunteers who have a vested interest in the preservation of the area. The lighthouse has been fully automated with a modern 1,000-watt quartz bulb and is currently the brightest beacon on the Oregon coast.
The Heceta Head bed and breakfast is actually located a short walk downhill from the lighthouse at the former home of the assistant lightkeeper. Both the lighthouse and keeper’s house were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
More info about Cape Perpetua and Heceta Head can be found here:
Florence, Oregon
Nearby Florence just to the south is a great way to continue your Oregon Coast adventure. See my blog post here.
The best place to spend a leisurely afternoon is to wander around Old Town Florence. My favorite shops to visit are Kitchen Klutter, Wind Drift Gallery and All About Olives. Then have dinner at Mo’s on the water and then treat yourself to dessert at BJ’s Ice Cream Parlor.
Here’s another great blog about a ‘local’s perspective on Old Town Florence’.
