The Oregon Beach Bill was signed into law in 1967 and guarenteed public beach access to the 362 miles of Oregon coastline. The impact of this is obvious when you look at an Oregon map. The western shore is dense with beaches and parks. Here is a small sample of Oregon beaches between Newport and Waldport.
Ona Beach
This is one of our favorites. It is part of Brian Booth State Park and it has it all!
Ona Beach parking area is framed by Beaver Creek to the south and picnic areas to the west. There is space to launch a kayak, toss out a fishing lure, or have a picnic. You will find plenty of picnic tables with room for lawn games if you chose. You can follow the creek to a sandy beach or cross a foot bridge to the Pacific ocean. The Pacific Beach is wide open, clean, and not crowded.
Accross the road is the second half of Brian Booth State Park. Beaver Creek State Natural Area is east of Highway 101. There are two designated boat launches within a mile from the highway. You can also find a boardwalk and hiking trails.
Driftwood Beach
Driftwood Beach has a restroom and a short wooden walk way down to the beach. It sits up above the beach abit so be prepared to walk down a short but relatively steep trail to the beach. The beach seems to go on forever in either direction. There is perfect sand and wide open space.
There was plenty of wind when we were there. It may be a great place to fly a kite! The parking lot is long and narrow so I was unable to see the beach while cooking lunch in our van. I had a cell phone signal though so it was easy to let everyone know when lunch was served!
Curtis Street
You won’t find this one on the map! This is a small gravel parking lot north of Ona Beach. From there, you walk down an embankment to the ocean. It seems to be a local’s favorite. It gets crowded with people walking dogs and riding bikes after dinner and the parking spots are hit or miss. We had it ourselves one day and could barely find a comfortable parking spot the next. Houses tower high above the beach on either side of the access and Seal Rock can be seen to the south.
Packing List for Oregon Beaches
- Jacket
- Windshirt
- Hat
- Sunscreen
- Bathing suit
- Sunglasses
- Sweatshirt
- Pants
- Shorts
- Beach toys
- Kites
- Beach towels
Tips:
Bring layers. If you have not been Oregon beaches, you will likely be surprised about the temperatures. We took a day trip in July and went from 90 degrees in the Willamette Valley to 67 degrees at the coast.
Bring plenty of snacks and drinks. We always stay longer than we plan.
Watch for wales, seals, jelly fish, and crabs.
Have fun!
Please like and follow our blog!
Rambling Footsteps 
Thank you for al the good information!
LikeLike
Love seeing my home beaches! I grew up between Yachats and Waldport!
LikeLike
Oregon looks beautiful, especially its beaches. I’m saving this for when we visit Oregon hopefully soon!!
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing! I visited Oregon last year and I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful the nature was there.
LikeLike
I LOVE the Oregon Coast, it’s absolutely stunning! I was surprised by how cold it can be even during the summer. Thank you for sharing
LikeLike
The Oregon Coast looks absolutely stunning. I would love to visit one day! I am used to visiting California, so it’s good to know that the beaches can be cold in the summer. Thanks for sharing!
LikeLike
I love the photos of the beach in the fog – it looks very serene and relaxing. These beaches actually remind me of some I’ve been to in the UK. I’m sure it’s even nicer when it’s sunny!
LikeLike
We did love the rugged shores we found when we drove along the Oregon coast. Sadly we did not stop to visit the beach. But I do love when beaches are considered public ground. Great to know there are great ones to choose from the next time we visit. We would definitely keep an eye peeled for whales and seals!
LikeLike
I was hoping to go on a PNW road trip this fall but that’s definitely going to have to wait–Oregon is so pretty! I hope it’ll be safer to travel again soon!
LikeLike
I remember traveling around northern California, and feeling the beaches were so so cold. I can’t imagine how much colder Oregon’s beaches would be. The sand looks pretty pristine though. Lovely pics!
LikeLike
Looks great. I didn’t know the temperature would be so varied or that you could see so much sea-life in Oregon. Hopefully I’ll see it for myself in the future.
LikeLike
The beaches looks so beautiful it’s almost like you can feel the crisp air looking at the photo! Oregon seems like a great place to visit.
LikeLike
I have never been to Oregon before. I would love to see those beaches as they look so pretty and would love to spot some whales and seals. I love seeing them especially when the whales breach. This coast surely looks amazing and I have just added it to my list of places to visit.
LikeLike
I love the beaches in Pacific Northwest and absolutely loved the ones in Oregon. Two years back, I did a road trip along the coast from Seattle to Cape Perpetua and I can’t even begin to tell you how memorable it was. I remember Driftwood Beach and it was one of my top beaches during the trip!! 😀
LikeLike
Curtis Street looks wonderful! Thanks for the tip about a hidden gem! It’s always nice when you’re able to find a little spot, catch it at the right time, and have it all to your own. Especially with the pandemic going on!
LikeLike
I didn’t know there’s an Oregon Beach Bill, that’s really interesting. I’m sure it’s amazing to have so many options of beaches to go to on a nice warm day and if I ever land up in Oregon, I’d like to visit all of them. I’m a total beach bum! Driftwood beach sounds nice because of the little trail down to it, I imagine the views would be amazing!
LikeLike
We haven’t been to Oregon yet – and we plan to go there – so, this is something that we need. Because beach hopping is what you do while in the state, right? All three look beautiful, but I think our dog will have fun at Curtis Street. The temperature seems crazy. Haha…
LikeLike
So much beauty along Oregon’s coast. I’m hoping to make a trip out here soon and will definitely keep these spots in mind!
LikeLike
The packing list for the Oregon beaches made me LOL. They remind me of the temperature of our beaches in San Francisco. Beautiful, but by no means warm haha. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
The packing list for the Oregon beaches remind me of the beaches we have in SF, beautiful, but by no means warm. haha. Thanks for the tips
LikeLike
I had no idea that a law was passed that kept all that amazing Oregon coast line open to the public. It makes sense. I love Oregon beaches and the enormous sand dunes that you can find there. Thanks for the great tips for some great walks.
LikeLike
I quite like the picture of foggy beach. This year has turned into such a disaster, we couldn’t hit the beach during the best weather. Hopefully next year, and I can’t wait to walk the sandy stretches!
LikeLike
Oregon is one of my top 5 states in the US. I love this state for its variety. It also has one of the most beautiful coastlines in the USA. I love the beaches between Newport and Waldport. I was in Ona Beach, and it’s beautiful!
LikeLike