Our first venture to this gorgeous state happened when we were invited to a friends’ wedding in Gearhart. We decided to make a trip out of it by starting at Crater Lake National Park in the southern part of the state and driving north along the coast. We flew into Medford, but there weren’t really any Airbnbs near the park. So, we opted to stay at a hotel for once. From there, we routed through Eugene to make our way up the coast to where the wedding would be held. These types of trips are my
favorite: having a Point A and a Point B, then moseying to places in between. The weather was perfect, and as always, the company even better. After this visit, as well as our 2015 visit to Seattle, we’re hopeful to make the Pacific Northwest home when we retire. It’s such a beautiful region with snow-capped mountains, lush forests, bubbling streams, and breathtaking coastline. One such stretch of coast is where the bride and groom chose a wonderful little park for their ceremony, which turned out to be such a sweet and intimate celebration.
What We Did
Crater Lake National Park: This place is really popular for a reason–the views are spectacular. The lake is situated inside the caldera of the volcano, Mount Mazama, which erupted several thousands of years ago. Over time, the volcano cooled, allowing for the depression to fill with rainwater and snowmelt (hence the cold temperatures). Later eruptions created features in the center of the lake like Wizard Island. We weren’t able to make it to the island on this trip (need to book in advance), but we’re hoping a future trip will take us there!
Mount Scott Trail: Recommended by a park guide, this moderate endurance-level hike is about 4.2 miles round-trip and 1,259’ of elevation gain. There are amazing views all the way up, and not just of the lake, which was nice. If you have a couple of hours to spare, we recommend this one.
Cleetwood Cove Trail: We wanted to get down to the water, and this is the only point you can do that via an official trail. At about 2.1 miles round-trip and 623’ of elevation gain, it’s a (surprisingly) pretty moderate little hike. Once at the lake, we sunbathed on the rocks and dipped our feet in the (frigid) water. Some people were even jumping in from a nearby boulder. If we had come prepared with swimsuits we would have jumped, too. But as it were, I was 100% content with just enjoying the view from my little rock inside of the crater.
Drive the rim: The views all around Crater Lake are fantastic, so even if you only have time to drive around the lake–do it. I could never get tired of that mystic deep blue water.
Sea Lion Cave: We knew this would be a rather tourist-rich place, but we thought it would be a really cool natural attraction. The sea lions seek refuge in this decent-size sea cave on the coast. Unfortunately, when we visited there were only a few sea lions in the cave. It seemed they were all at a little beach just down the way basking in the sun. It was about $14/adult to visit.
Heceta Head Lighthouse (Heck-eta): We’ve seen many lighthouses, but they are all so different if you take the time to see them. This quaint lighthouse has one of the more picturesque coastlines that we’ve seen so far. We recommend spending a little time to relax around here in the morning or evening.
Thor’s Well: This place is popular for a natural phenomenon that appears as though water “drains to the Underworld.” Really, the sinkhole fills from bottom to top as high tide is reached. Then, with the waxing and waning of the waves, it appears that the hole is constantly filling (sometimes in explosive bursts). As geologists, we thought it was pretty amazing.
Devil’s Punchbowl: Another cool sinkhole feature on the Oregon coast with amazing views. Really, almost any place on the coast is a great place to stop, relax, and enjoy the view.
Hug Point: A vast and gorgeous beach with some incredible outcrops. We highly recommend this spot for beach and rock enthusiasts.
Cannon Beach: The Goonies! Here you’ll find the iconic rock formations just off the coast of northwestern Oregon. We visited around sunset, so the lighting was lovely and the crowds low. It’s a popular attraction for a reason!
Dune Meadows Park: This is where our friends were married! It’s a quaint coastal park with vast stretches of grass perfect for a picnic…and a ceremony <3
Food
Flying Dutchman Winery: Only a day away from the wedding, so we needed to have some pre-festivities beverage. This place has a nice little tasting option with some great wines!
Astoria Brewing Company: We were finally united with our friend group, so we went on a bar crawl of sorts. It was so much fun, and this place is a must stop!
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