Oregon advice?

[urbpan]

My brother, father, and I are going to spend next week (from Saturday on) in Oregon. We have no plan, except to rent a car and explore. My brother wants to see Astoria and some natural wonders thereabouts, I'd like to see the Oregon Zoo, and the city of Eugene. (I'd also like to see the northern Coast of California, but that may be beyond the scope of our trip.) We're theoretically staying near the coast.

Do you have any recommendations for things along the coast of Oregon?

Comments

[americanbeetles.livejournal.com]

^IGNORE THAT, THE SEA LION CAVES ARE AMAZING.

If you're not into pinnipeds, try hunting for agates on the beach at... Agate Beach (or any other beach).

Manzanita and Cannon Beach are kind of sweetly touristy-- a favorite vacation spot for a lot of PNW families and tons of beachcombing to do.

Fort Stevens has some wonderful, creepy WWII bunkers; great for exploring, and there should be nice seabirds as well.

If you're spending time near Portland, you'll be close to Mt. St. Helens, still pretty dramatically cratered. If that's not enough craters, there's also the unspeakably beautiful, Tolkeinesque Crater Lake south of Eugene.

[lyonesse.livejournal.com]

crater lake. it's at least a day trip unto itself iirc, but it boggles the mind. i first saw it from an airplane, went back later to hike it. amazing place.

(if you ever get to go east to mount hood, i will pressure you heavily about bagby hot springs :)