The best view on the Oregon Coast from public lodging

                       The actual view from the window at Toby's Crab Shack.

THE absolute best, No. 1, superior view on the Oregon Coast, available for public lodging is at Rainbow Rock, 3 miles north of Brookings.
I stayed here for 5 days in August of 2015. Having traveled on vacations along the Oregon Coast some 24 times in the past 32 years, I've seen the majority of what's out there -- and the place called Toby's Crab Shack is light years ahead of the rest.
Case in point: My 19-year-old son has always turned the TV on and plopped down on a chair whenever we've stayed anywhere else. 

                 The 2 indoor window seats at Toby's Crab Shack. There's a deck too.

However, at Toby's Crab Shack, he went to the window and sat down and starred. He never ate at the dinner table -- he took his food to the deck or the window chairs.
Now I have not idea why the name Toby's Crab Shack was given to this place. It should be called "The Room with THE view."
You will NEVER want to close the blinds at this place -- just keep the view always open.

Toby's Crab Shack is in the building on the left, second floor, far left (or north end) in these two photographs with a 180-degree clear view of the Pacific Ocean and rocky headlands galore.


Besides the spectacular view, the place has access to a private trail to a remote beach north of Brookings. It also has elaborate accommodations for 4 people (2 bedrooms) and is very affordable when you consider how much plain motels cost along the Oregon Coast.
Now, I'm not paid, affiliated or compensated in any way with or by Toby's Crab Shack. I just think it is a great place to stay and it has redefined my formula for lodging along the Oregon Coast.
The ONLY improvement I'd make in the place is to have a good spotting scope available by the window.
I will return to this place in the future. It is a gem.
Toby's is part of the large complex of condos at Rainbow Rock. It has a locked car gate and is its own private community. It is a very quiet, serene and well kept place.

-If you'd like to look at Toby's Crab Shack as a rental, go to VRBO.com and search for: 

Oceanfront Condo in Brookings at Rainbow Rock

(NOTE: However, children are not allowed at Toby's Crab Shack. Yet, there is another condo for rent by the same company at the south end of Rainbow Rock that caters to families with young children.)

         What the beach below Toby's Crab Shack is like ... My family members were often the only people there, even on a warm summer day.

Oregon Coast -- A lot of closed businesses

I spent  nearly a week in Oregon on a vacation during August of 2015. I really noticed a significant number of businesses along my travel corridor that were closed.
From closed restaurants in Brookings to former gasoline stations and motels, it was rather startling.
Perhaps many of the closures came from the downturn in the economy in about 2008.
I recall from an Oregon trip last year that the city of Rockaway Beach on the Oregon Coast seemed to have more than its share of closed businesses.
Hard hit too, seemed to be the little places on Highway 199, between Grants Pass and Crescent City, where many old tourist stops seemed boarded up.
Even in small towns of Northern California the same trend appeared to exist.

Oregon Coast: Devil's Churn Along the 'Restless Waters'

            The frothy, milk-like Pacific waters, appear like this at times in the Devil's Churn.
                                                                                                                         Photo by Roger Arave


  The Devil's Churn is a "must see" highlight along the central Oregon coast and highway 101.
The "Trail of Restless Waters" leads down to the ocean level.
It is about a 0.5 mile loop, dropping/climbing several hundred feet.
 Located just 11 miles south of Waldport, there is a fee of $5 fee per vehicle here year round.
There are toilets, picnic areas and drinkable water here.
However, exercise extreme caution down below. The waves are powerful and visitors have been killed there.
Children must be watched carefully.
In low tide levels, monitor the ocean level closely and be ready to move inland quickly.
 A jacket is almost always in necessity here.
  Taking your time to explore Devil's Churn is a great two-hour to a half-day adventure.

(Note: Do not confuse Devil's Churn, with the "Devil's Punchbowl," located to the north at Otter Rock.)

                           At times, the water in Devil's Churn is frothy and milk-like.
                                                                                                                                Photo by Roger Arave

                                                                                                                            Photo by Roger Arave

                Even if you can't hike to the bottom at Devil's Churn, there are some overlooks.

                             Wave watching is a highlight here, as well as tide pools.

                                                 Waiting for a wave worthy photograph..

                               The power of the ocean is apparent all around visitors here.

                                                         Tide pools.

                                 The south trail back up to the starting point.
  

                                  Just south of Devil's Churn, the Spouting Horn goes off.

                                                The nearby bridge.

Oregon Coast: The Bird's-Eye Views of Cape Perpetua

                                         The view from Cape Perpetua looking south.



Cape Perpetua, just 11 miles south of Walport, is the highest point you can drive off Highway 101, rising some 800 feet above the coastal highway.
The paved, two-lane highway climbs to the top in about two miles.
The road is not particularly steep, nor is it frightening to drivers.
Back in 1933, the "CCC" (Civilian Conservation Corps) built a road to the top, plus a stone shelter on the summit and some hiking trails.
During World War II, the summit was a military lookout station.

                                              The stone shelter on top, dates back to 1933.

  On a clear day, it estimated that you can see 37 miles out to sea or some 70 miles up or down the coastline from Cape Perpetua.
(However, it is difficult to get a clear view of the north coast, because of all the dense forest.)

                                                    A lofty perch.

                Plan on one extra hour for a comfortable side trip off Highway 101. The turnoff to the Cape comes up fast, so watch closely or backtrack.

                                                                 Framed view.

                                 Devil's Churn is located just below Cape Perpetua.

                               Supervise young children, as there are some cliffs here.


  Below is a video of Cape Perpetua:

                                                    Historic sign on the summit.

The South Oregon Coast: Mystery, Mist and Adventure

The South half of the famed Oregon Coast, from the California border, north to Florence, is stocked with adventure, eye candy and something for everyone, of all interests.

Although it tends to be foggy here early in the day, that just adds to the mystery and also why you have to be patient and not have an inflexible travel schedule here.

There's Arch Rock, Thunder Rock Cove at the far end of the Oregon Coast. There are stunning views at every turn, along Highway 101.

The Rogue River offers some chances for thrilling jet boat adventures.

There's the West Coast Game Park, a great family fun spot and a chance to hold/touch young critters, like baby tigers.

The City of Coos Bay boasts a good modest museum, complete with a Steve Prefontaine room, dedicated to the late Oregon runner who died tragically in 1975.

Elementary school kids will run themselves silly in any sections of the Oregon Dunes, a vast sandy area and hills right along the ocean side.

The North Oregon Coast -- A Sightseer's Delight

                                Ecola State Park View.                                

                                                                                                                          

There's only one Oregon Coast.
 Follow Highway 101 — and with numerous rocky headlands, rugged geography, countless nooks and crannies and oodles of public access, you'll find that this is a sightseer's delight.

There's so much to see and absorb here, you won't have the time or energy to enjoy it all, but that's the beauty of this place — it will beckon you back for future visits.

This is a place where you can wear a car's brakes out, with numerous stops along a coastline that boasts more public access than you can imagine.

Indeed, Diane Reading, spokeswoman for the Oregon Coast Visitors Association in Newport, said, "'The People's Coast' is how the Oregon Coast is going to be promoted in the future. Only Hawaii has as much public access along its coastlines.

"The Oregon Coast is one of those magical places where you can stay for days and spend little money," she said. "There're so many different things to do, tons of stuff."

                                   Devil's Churn, photographic heaven.

Reading laughed when I first asked her about the Oregon Coast. She didn't know where to start, she said, there's so much to highlight.
 So, I said, the "northern half," and that's what this story will focus on — the 170 miles from Florence north along Highway 101 — though rest assured the southern half has just as much to see and do.

The months of September and October might be the best time to visit the Oregon Coast. That's what Reading recommends, because it is still warm, drier on average than just about any other month, and all the crowds are gone.

But she stresses, "in the height of the summer season, you can still find a place along the beach not crowded with people."

With so much public access, people can just spread out.

Notwithstanding, Reading said it is commonly accepted as a rule of thumb that you can drive the entire Oregon Coast — nonstop — in 12 hours. She said that doesn't apply during the months of July and August when many vehicles crowd Highway 101 — the lifeline highway.

To have a truly worthwhile visit, she suggests getting a hold of a free copy of the "Mile-By-Mile Guide to Highway 101 Oregon Coast." Just as the title states, this tells exactly what there is to see or stop at each mile of the entire 363-mile coastal drive.

Reading recommended the Sea Lion Caves, 11 miles north of Florence, as a "must stop" along the north part of the coastal drive. This is the world's largest sea cave. There is an admission fee for the elevator ride down and inside.

                                 The South view from the top of Cape Perpetua.

Cape Perpetua, just south of Yachats, is the highest point for Highway 101 along the coast, and another great place. There's also Devil's Churn and Cook's Chasm, places to see the power of the restless Pacific Ocean up close and personal.

                            Walking up from the south end of Devil's Churn.


The Devil's Churn has a popular hiking trail that descends to ocean level. Here, visitors can see the Pacific transformed into a kind of chocolate syrup state as it crashes into numerous rocks and is sandwiched in a narrow corridor. Exploring tide pools here on low tide is great, too; though children need careful supervision here.

The Aquarium in Newport is also a gem of the coast. Reading notes that this is a world-class facility and once home for the late "Free Willy" killer whale.

Whale watching is a popular sport at Depot Bay, and both kite flying and outlet stores are highlights in Lincoln City.

Tillamook has one of the west's best cheese factories, and it offers tours and a gift shop. Reading said the "Three Capes" drive also should not be overlooked, though you have to leave Highway 101 inland just past Neskowin to access it from the south.

Hug Point is another great coastal stop. At low tide, visitors can explore tidal caves and a waterfall — all along the remains of an old pioneer roadbed.

                         The view from Ecola State Park,looking to Cannon Beach/Haystack Rock.

Next up, Cannon Beach is an upscale by-the-sea community that has many art galleries and its coast line is dominated by Haystack Rock, a 235-tall monolith — the third tallest such natural structure in the world.

"It's a little Carmel (California)," Reading said of Cannon Beach.

A few miles north of Cannon Beach is the access to Ecola State Park. 

"I've seen it thousands of times, and it still makes me smile," Reading said. Ecola has a great view looking down on Crescent Beach and Cannon Beach, plus rocky headlands to the west and north. If you only saw one lookout on the Oregon Coast, this is perhaps the best.

                                 The swings on the Seaside Beach.

Seaside is a "super family friendly place," according to Reading. It has a huge sandy beach and a long "Broadway" street that is lined with arcades and touristy shops and other attractions. The west end of the street is a "turnaround" with a Lewis and Clark monument.

                                       Shipwreck at Fort Stevens

Astoria on the extreme north end of the coast is famous for Fort Stevens and lots of shipwrecks, which can sometimes be spotted in the sea.

                                         Astoria Column

There's also the 125-foot-high Astoria Column, a man-made tower built in 1926, that details the area's history and provides a commanding view of the northern Oregon Coast.

Reading said the Oregon Coast also has an impressive number of historic metal bridges lining it and also a lot of historic lighthouses. Essentially, every lookout is worth a stop, though you probably won't have time to see them all.

"You could take one week going 10 miles here," she said.

                                 "Spout," just south of Devil's Churn.


Gasoline prices are a little higher than inland, but no more outrageous than elsewhere, Reading said.

Florence, Newport, Lincoln City, Seaside and Astoria are among the busiest cities along the northern coast, but the smaller communities also have their own down-home flavors.

Beachcombing is another great activity along this stretch of Oregon's Coast.

(Distilled from a story by Lynn Arave in the Deseret News, Aug. 31, 2008. All photographs by Lynn Arave, except the top picture of Ecola State Park, by Roger Arave.)