Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast is a geographical term that is used to describe all or part of the coast of Oregon along the Pacific Ocean. Although the term sometimes implies the entire coastline of the state, it is often used to refer to the northern stretch of coastline, in particular the seaside towns and beaches that are within a couple hours' drive of Portland or the other population centers in the Willamette Valley and which are also accessible by automobile.

Related Topics:
Oregon - Pacific Ocean - Portland - Willamette Valley

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In this latter more restricted sense, towns on the Oregon Coast include (from north to south):

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• Cannon Beach
• Garibaldi
• Tillamook
• Lincoln City
• Depoe Bay
• Newport
• Waldport
• Florence

The Oregon Coast south of the Florence area (the shores of Douglas, Coos, and Curry County) is considered by many Oregonians to be a separate region known as the South Coast. It includes the following towns (north to south):

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• Reedsport
• Coos Bay
• Bandon
• Port Orford
• Gold Beach
• Brookings

Cannon Beach and Seaside are particularly popular destinations for summer day and weekend trips.

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The proximity of the Coastal Range to the coast means that the phrase "going to the Oregon Coast" implies being directly on the ocean itself. The phrase itself often implies that one is going on a resort vacation.

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There are no large cities on the coast, mainly due to the lack of deep harbors with access to the inland agricultural areas. The relative isolation of the coast from nearby large population centers has given the coast a reputation for being somewhat rustic, being a mixture of old fishing villages, seasonal resorts, and artists colonies.

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