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Brookings, Oregon is 6 miles north of the California-Oregon border on Hwy 101. Founded in 1913 by J. Brookings, who relocated his lumber business there from southern CA. The area has a world class golf course, nice beaches, hiking trails, and a harbor. It's also the northern-most location of Redwood trees - however, not quite as gargantuan as those in the northern California Redwood forests. See my Blog: Trees So Big You Can Drive Thru, CA

Plan on 8-12 days total for Parts 1-3 on the 363 mile Oregon coast Hwy 101.

Part 1 = Brookings, Gold Beach, Bandon. Part 2 = Coos Bay/North Bend, Winchester Bay, Reedsport, Florence. Part 3 = Waldport, Newport, Depoe Bay, Lincoln City, Canyon Beach, Astoria. Hike the Oregon Coast Trail if you love crazy challenges.

Great add-on trip: Roller Coaster Ride up the Coast, Pt 2.

Arthur Loeb State Park

Location = Arthur Loeb Park. Chetco River Rd, at the North Bank. Great for exploring around a beautiful river. After my hike, I felt a relaxing floaty was needed but be warned, the water's a bit chill at first.

Besides a good ol' fashion tube floaty, you can swim, fish, hike, or raft in Arthur Loeb Park. Reservations to camp are required including cabins, yurts, and RV's.

Azalea Park

Location = Azalea Park. 640 Old County Rd. Azalea Park is calming as you take a leisurely stroll among the spring & summer blooms.

The kids will LOVE KidTown - a crazy, colossal sized fun structure. Wish I was a kid again, because we didn't have stuff like this. The gardens & azaleas in all different colors make for a nice calming stroll thru a beautiful site.

Secret Beach

Location = Secret Beach access off Hwy 101. It's about 1/2 mile north of Natural Bridges and 11.8 miles north of Brookings. A short distance before Secret Beach, there's a sign: Wilderness Rd to the right & a green sign: Miller Creek. Just after that, turn left into the very small parking lot, partly behind a guardrail. Down a gentle slope there's a viewing platform, but the view here doesn't come close to what's at the bottom.

From the viewing platform it's a bit of a scramble downhill, but it's short.... and SO worth it. Again, because of lack of parking and no signage that says "Secret Beach", you may have the place to yourself. We sat on a rock for 1/2 hour just admiring the stunning views.

You can also enjoy walking along a nice stretch of beach and admire the sun glistening off the ocean water. We brought our dogs down, and of course they love the sandy beaches, views or not. Photo below left.

Arch Rock State Park

Location = Arch Rock Park access off Hwy 101. It's about 7/10 mile further north from Secret Beach and 12.5 miles north of Brookings. Look for the brown sign: Arch Rock, Samuel Boardmen... Left 1/2 mile. You'll see the pullout for parking. Arch Rock is not as popular as Secret Beach or Natural Bridges, but it's still pretty cool. Photo below right.

These next 3 beach sites, especially Secret Beach & Natural Bridges, are spectacular displays of creation. The trails are somewhat hidden from plain sight, so there won't be large crowds & you'll have the views mostly to yourself.

The blue/green shades of water against the dark rock create a striking image so you won't want to miss these gorgeous sites. FYI: they're part of Brookings OR.

Natural Bridges

Location = Natural Bridges access off Hwy 101. It's about 11.3 miles north of Brookings. Right before the parking lot is a brown sign: Natural Bridges Viewpoint. You'll see the small parking lot on the left. It's easy to see how this place got it's name.

You won't be able to get down to the water, but fairly close. Walk around to see both sides of the Natural Bridge pictured to the right.

Mary D. Hume Wreck

Location = Wreckage of Mary D. Hume. It's just north of Harbor Way, Gold Beach OR.

The Mary D. Hume steamship was built in 1881 by Mr. Hume. She holds a record for 97 years of service, the longest in the Pacific. Even though she's pretty small - she's mighty in accomplishments.

She hauled goods from Oregon to San Francisco, then became an Arctic whaling ship catching a record number of Baleen whales during one trip that lasted 29 months. She made history for whaling 6 years at sea.

Next she served as a tow service, then a tugboat in Alaska. She retired in Gold Beach in 1978, and is a national historical site.

Jetboat the Rogue River

Location = Jerry's Rogue Jetboats. 29985 Harbor Way, Gold Beach OR. Lodging = if you want to be surrounded by nature, head 5-6 miles up Jerry’s Flat Rd and you’ll find Lodges, RV/tent camps, and a Bed & Breakfast.

Jerry's has jetboat tours up the Rogue River thru some pristine & untouched wilderness. We chose the 2 hour jetboat ride which stops for lunch at a secluded lodge about 35-40 minutes up river.

Jetboating is a total blast - your guide will take you up the Rogue River and his primary goal is to get every passenger wet, in varying degrees of wetness. Jetboats are designed to skim the water surface, so if you turn quickly - you get maximum centrifugal force and splash factor. Your guide will also provide tidbits of interesting wildlife facts.

I was thrilled that I found something my dad had never done before. We all piled into the boat, and about 10 minutes into the ride he was grinning from ear to ear and looking like a kid again. We'd jerk left and spin.... look out splash-zone. Then jerk right and spin.... oh yeah, you're dripping.

You're wet if you sat in the middle of the boat & dripping if you sat on the outside. My dad of course, sat on the outside so he'd windshield wiper his glasses with his finger and eagerly await the next spin.

Gold Beach, Oregon is 28 miles north of Brookings and a popular travel destination. The area is known for its world class fishing, hiking, and crabbing/clamming. Sorry, what's that you say.....fishing is too boring. I agree! Alrighty then - come on, come on.

When we weren't getting soaked, we both loved scanning the river banks to spot the diverse wildlife. I was partial to the adorable river otters & he liked the Bald Eagles. Sorry no photos - I just wanted to enjoy the time with my family, no work & no cameras. It was the best fun and a perfect afternoon.

Dinosaurs, Prehistoric Gardens

Location = Prehistoric Gardens. 36848 US-101, Port Orford OR, about 16 miles north of Gold Beach.

Prehistoric Gardens is a cute little dinosaur themed park. It’s great for the kids.... or the big kids who like to geek out on dinosaurs. It's OK....lots of grown-ups don't like to "adult" on the weekends!

Prehistoric Garden's has a cheap entry fee, so walk the wilderness path & see what dinosaurs you can find. Send us your favorite "pose" with a dinosaur.

West Coast Game Park Safari

Location = West Coast Game Park. 46914 US-101, Bandon OR. This interactive zoo is 31 miles north of the Prehistoric Garden dinosaurs and 47 miles north of Gold Beach.

We love West Coast Game Park because many of the animals are not caged - the tamer variety of course. Deer, donkeys, goats, sheep, and alpaca freely roam the park. Plus, they have lots of critter demonstrations and allow you to pet and/or hold the animal. It's also the first time I'd seen a white snow leopard in person. She was so beautiful, but obviously a little agitated that dinner kept walking past her.

OK, let's talk about entering the park. If you buy food cups - be WARNED. You're gonnna be swarmed & photo bombed. I mean really..... you'd think they hadn't eaten for days. I holler at my daughter (below left) to run when she's out of food - just in case they get a little overzealous and try chewing thru her pockets!

My absolute FAVE are the baby goats. I had one little guy keep pawing me gently with his hoof so I'd keep scratching behind his ears. My daughter however could spend half the day with the donkeys. If they would've had a mini-donkey, I might have found a way to smuggle it out and get it into my SUV.

Bandon is another 8 miles north of the West Coast Safari, and another popular travel destination. Many tourists come just to golf at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort - ranked as one of the best in the world.

Hey, if the Mr. is golfing, that’s a green light for the Mrs. to go shopping at any of the unique shops, or take the kids for some of the best Face Rock Ice Cream ever. Pssst….if you’re a chocolate lover, visit the Cranberry Sweets Shop.

The beaches are a rare thing of beauty with their natural sea stacks – rocks rising up from the water’s edge, formed over time from lava. One of my most freeing experiences was riding a horse on the beach, plus it's a double fun-factor score. Bandon Beach Riding Stables is on Beach Loop Rd..

Best Bandon beach access: take 11th St SW off the 101, left on Beach Loop Rd, right into Face Rock parking lot. Be sure to check out the small cave inside the biggest rock at the water's edge. It’s like a mini-cathedral inside. Careful of high tide though.…we wouldn’t want to lose ya! Seriously, currents get strong & will suck you right out of the cave.

* Win a prize = Be the first to send me a pic of you in front of the fish (below left). Hint: it's in downtown Bandon & it's big.

Vacation Travel Tips

• Average temps high/low = Summer 68/51 degrees F. Winter 53/40. Summer may get some rain. Winter rarely snows. It's usually windy, and adds a chill in winter.

• There are a few places that require a “pass” or $5 cash.

• Backpack essentials - water, bug spray, sunscreen, whistle, flashlight, cell phone, pocket knife, camera, and a light jacket for summer.

• Winter Essentials - waterproof hiking boots, and warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery even in summer.

• Vehicle safety – keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. All season tires are sufficient even if it's icy a few days.

• Wild animals - rarely seen on trails, but they're out there.

• Trash - pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – river shoes are a must. Be mindful of currents & water temps. Heavy winter rains/snow means cold, deep & fast moving water. Most coastal cities are next to large rivers that flow into the Pacific Ocean.

• Rattlesnakes - not usually found above 6,000 ft.

• Wilderness areas – take a buddy & tell someone your travel plans.

• Tourist season - Due to the small town coastal culture, tourist season brings heavy traffic, including motorhomes on single lane roads. Locals from inland areas also come for fishing, camping, and sand-dunes in the summer & on holidays, so parking may be limited.

• Poison oak - Not on the coast, but is found 30-40 min. drive inland.

• Snakes - mainly garter snakes on the coast.

• Wilderness areas – take a buddy & tell someone your travel plans.

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