Newport and Yachats, Oregon

We left Portland early Monday morning and drove east about 30 minutes to the Columbia River Gorge area because wanted to see Multnomah Falls in Mount Hood National Forest before driving out to the coast. I had read that parking was limited in this area, so immediately we honed in finding a parking spot and were lucky to get one within 5 minutes. We walked to the noisy waterfall we heard nearby, which we thought was Multnomah Falls. 

It turned out to be Wakheena Falls, but it was still pretty! We then figured out that there was a 1/2 mile walking trail that would lead us to the other waterfall.

Our mistake with the waterfall turned out to be a blessing, as the walk was a fun adventure through the forest. We finally reached Multnomah Falls, which was stunning. It is the tallest waterfall in Oregon, and is the second highest year-round waterfall in the U.S. Notice the double drop.

It was fun to explore the trees and to be out in the cool temperatures all morning.

We estimated the drive out to the coast to be about 3 1/2 hours, so we got on the road before noon. Scott and I were surprised by how the topography changed to relatively flat farmland to the west of Portland.

 

The drive was smooth and we finally arrived in Newport around 5:00. Perfect for happy hour on the balcony of our hotel room!

What stunning views! Except not perfect for sitting outside for happy hour because the wind was whipping and it was so cold! The weather was completely different than it was inland. With the fierce wind making it unpleasant to be outside for more than a few minutes, we decided to enjoy the gorgeous scenery from inside our room with the doors open and the fireplace on.

After a short rest, we decided to walk to the historic waterfront area to have a look around town. One thing I really liked about Newport was its small size. We were able to walk everywhere, with the waterfront and the restaurant where we enjoyed dinner less than a mile from our hotel.

The wind was still whipping, so we stopped at Rogue for a drink. I loved the Rogue 7 Hop IPA! We then walked to a restaurant where we enjoyed a delicious seafood dinner. The sunset from our balcony was spectacular!

The next morning we decided we were going to brave the wind outside and enjoy a walk on the beach. It was foggy when we first woke up but it had cleared by the time we finished breakfast. The wind was a little calmer than the night before, but we still bundled up in sweatshirts.

It was a beautiful morning, and we lasted outside for about an hour before we decided we had enough of the wind. Our hotel was one of the block buildings you can see perched on the ledge next to the beach.

After our walk on the beach we walked back over to the harbor area so that we could enjoy the beautiful day. 

My favorite part was watching the fishermen bring up their crab traps. A man who was placing his traps in the water was patient and answered my questions about the different types of traps and how often you have to check them for a catch. Below you can see some traps and fishermen on the dock.

After we explored the harbor, we drove north a few miles to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Oregon. After we learned about how and why the lighthouse was constructed at the Visitor's Center, we braved another walk in the chilly wind to see the lighthouse in person.

The walk out to the lighthouse offered stunning views! The rocky coastline was really gorgeous out on the peninsula. The only sounds you heard (besides the wind) were seagulls (hundreds!) and the seals on the rocks below.

There are a dozen harbor seals lazing on the small rock in the photo below.

Scott agreed to take a photo with me! The smile on his face is from having a good time, but underneath his breath he was telling John to be quick because we were freezing!

After touring the lighthouse, it was well past lunchtime so we headed to the main Rogue Brewery House for lunch on the south side of the harbor. I thought it was fun that you got to walk through the brewery to get to the restaurant at the back.

We were lucky to get a table on the water because we were able to enjoy this marina view on a beautiful July 4. I loved the 7 Hop again!

After lunch it was already mid-afternoon, so we started the drive an hour south towards our next destination, Yachats. Yachats was also on the coastline, but we didn't see much of the coast as we drove south due to the placement of the road. The first thing that John did when we immediately arrived at our oceanfront motel was to run out on the rocks. The wind was much calmer here so it was more pleasant to be outside.

We were lucky to have a room that was on the ground floor because we could step off of our outdoor patio directly onto the grassy area next to the beach. This was the best feature to be able to enjoy such a beautiful day! This was the view just a few steps off our room's patio.

Scott and I helped John assemble his kite, and then John got to enjoy his first real time flying a kite. It was challenging with the wind, but John managed to get and keep the kite up many times. I played with John and his kite, we walked out on the rocks and beach a few times, and I read my book for over an hour on the patio while sipping a beer. What a gorgeous afternoon!

I took this photo of the almost sunset before we walked to dinner. We decided to stay at the hotel restaurant rather than head to town (a mile south), not knowing what would be happening there with it being July 4. This turned out to be a good decision on our part. The food (seafood!) at the restaurant was delicious, plus we had a gorgeous waterfront view of the (unexpected) fireworks show in town. What a great day on the coast!