As someone who has driven all over the country in almost every state, I must say the most scenic drive I ever took was both on the coast and through the forests of Oregon. I never imagined a drive could be so breathtakingly beautiful!
Past the Klamath National Forest, Route 101 is no longer red lights and tourists crowding the highway as you may find in California. We avoided California’s 101 on our road trip due to traffic and our time constraints. We found once you cross the border into Oregon, you begin to drive on the open road with Oregon’s colorful coast in view and it is simply incredible.
On our drive we found Florence and Newport to be beautiful small towns to go exploring in. This historic town Florence, has incredible sand dunes jetting off the river that is a must see. Walking around the town is probably the best way to tour it’s colorful art galleries, the famous Siuslaw Bridge, and fun shopping centers.
Aside from Newport’s beautiful ocean views, gorgeous beach homes and cute boutiques add to the towns allure. As you will come to find out many towns in Oregon have famous bridges, Newport’s Yaquina Bay Bridge being one of them.
Cape Perpetua is the perfect area to pull over and gaze out over the ocean with the wind in your hair. (Be sure to see Thor’s Well while your there!). Once you reach Newport going North, you may take Route 20 and jump onto Route 5 to take you through the middle of the state leading North to Portland. Portland is a beautiful city to spend a day in – tour the incredible famous bridges while discovering its’ eclectic vibe.
Lastly, once in Portland, you can drive down Route 30 towards Oneonta Gorge. On this Route you will discover so many parks, waterfalls, and vast wilderness – your mind and your soul will thank you.
*This is only one of the many scenic drives and my personal favorite I’ve discovered while traveling around the USA.*