7 Coolest Oregon Towns For A Summer Vacation In 2025

Home to unique natural wonders in the world, Oregon is hands down one of the coolest states in the US. Whether you're after seafood and lying on the beach or the whitewater of the Wild and Scenic River, these seven charming small towns seamlessly blend cozy vibes into the dramatic coastal beauty.

It is easy to find something intriguing and downright off-kilter in the Beaver State. While each is vacation-worthy on its own, why not plan a road trip to stop at a few for an epic summer vacay? The first town is the cultural hub of the Pacific Northwest, while Gold Beach presents a wicked vacation idea: to discover the state in its largely original state.

Ashland

For a weekend of wine, music, and theater, Ashland is home to the legendary Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Perfect for all the literature fans, but not just them, the city draws artists, romantics, and those with a soft spot for scenic beauty that can turn anyone into a poet. Perhaps you'll be hunting with a camera or a sketchbook around Lithia Park's trails, fountains, gardens, and other pretty landscape features. Ashland is surrounded by inspiring landmarks, like Lookout Point to the north and Siskiyou Mountain Park to the south, perfect for reconnecting with Mother Nature year-round.

In addition to the famous Mt. Ashland Ski Area, the opposing Cascade Range summons summertime adventurers. Aqua babies can set camp at the family-friendly Emigrant Lake County Park with casual trails and boat ramps or drive up for blissful relaxation by a swimming cove with a water slide. The city splashes inspiration through award-winning galleries, art venues, and even creative restaurants. Some will become quite the storytellers themselves with a wine glass in hand. The months-long festival in the fall celebrates Shakespeare and his plays, plus rising talent in local productions.

Brookings

Secluded by the 1.8 million-acre wilderness from the rest of Oregon, Brookings is overlooked where the Chetco River meets the Pacific near California. Its mild climate and the Wild Rivers coastline promise a dreamy vacation. Offering epic overlooks and formations like Table Rock and Natural Bridges, explore along the 12-mile Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. Many come for the beachfront trails, tide pools, and scenic picnic spots at the local Chetco Point State Park. Meanwhile, Mill Beach offers a secluded feel with outcrops cutting off the shallows.

Browsing for a seafood spot, of which there are many, Capella By the Sea flaunts a wood-and-stone chapel built by the producer Elmo Williams. Drop by Manley Art Center & Gallery, Brookings' art face. Azalea Park features an exotic garden, an epic playground, and 2nd Saturday Art Walks. Whether you're in for the Memorial Day weekend Azalea Festival, themed "Expect the Unexpected," or later in the summer, the sandy Harris Beach State Park feels otherworldly with critters in tide pools and splendid sunsets, steps from your cool yurt at the campground.

Cannon Beach

There's a "haystack" of attractions in Cannon Beach, like the iconic 235-foot monolith with tufted puffins atop the ledges now through early summer. From surfing in the views to scaling scenic bluffs, colorful tide pools teem with sea stars and tiny crabs. Along the sands, it's easy to lose track of time. Drop by The Wayfarer or a local crabcake stand. Between Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters and the History Center & Museum, galleries present a local take on beauty, while the annual Sandcastle Contest in June has been an annual happening since 1964.

It is minutes south to take in a sweeping oceanscape from the Silver Point Interpretive Overlook, adjacent to the Arcadia Beach site, for some low-key recreation along the sands. Waking up at Ecola Creek Lodge, explore north to Ecola Point Viewpoint, a nod to the otherworldly state park, with dramatic views along the Indian Beach Trail of the Haystack Rock, a lighthouse, and isolated beaches. Tillamook Lighthouse is a tremendous sight on a precipice beaten by the waves, while Clatsop Loop Trail winds through Sitka spruce forests to a Lewis and Clark overlook.

Coos Bay

Hidden behind an intercoastal waterway, the Coos Bay area whispers to those after raw nature and cool experiences. In addition to the dunes across the McCullough Memorial Bridge, Coos Bay offers access to the oceanfront beaches like Bastendorff Beach Park. It is just 20 minutes west to Sunset Bay State Park to camp or simply explore the trails and overlooks culminating at the headland Cape Arago State Park. Spread a picnic overlooking this delectable slice of the Oregon Coast, with cove trails leading to the beaches and tidepools.

The city's cozy appeal juxtaposes drama, whether you're mingling lakeside at the canopied Mingus Park, with its Choshi Bridge and Japanese garden, or exploring the sunny Coos Bay Boardwalk. Admire the resting and perked-up boats ready for another run to supply the seafood market on site, then dive into the Coos Art Museum, an art deco-style building with a permanent collection in a former post office. From the historic railroad to the Coos History Museum for sea-related artifacts, drive north towards the 500-foot sandhills of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

Gold Beach

Truly a gold standard for Pacific shores, this town was founded and named in the 1850s by miners who stumbled upon the area's shimmering gold sands. After the gold dwindled, Gold Beach persevered with a modest fishing industry. Its remote feel, undiscovered identity, and preservation efforts elevate the out-of-this-world vibe. At the crossroads of the Pacific and Siskiyou Mountains, the Rogue River, one of the US's original “Wild and Scenic” rivers, preserves its natural splendor, racing through seemingly frozen-in-time temperate rainforests.

Surrounded by old-growth forests and untouched beaches stretching beneath towering cliffs, channel your inner explorer through scenic, uncrowded, and unspoiled landscapes. From blufftop hikes or an ocean jetboat tour to whitewater rafting on the Rogue or a fishing charter, families enjoy blissful floating in the serene emerald waters. Post-adventures, indulge in seafood and drop by the infamous Arch Rock Brewing Company, steps from the legendary Kissing Rock on the beach. Rogue Landing Resort is $100 per night.

Newport

Home to iconic attractions like Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, Newport's popularity doesn't detract from its appeal for both families and adventurers. South Beach State Park promises a sheltered campground with RV sites, tents, and yurts for natural immersion, across the marshes via trails to the beach and jetty. After birdwatching along the easy Yaquina Bay Estuary Trail, dive into the retro South Beach Fish Market for ocean-sourced steamed crabs and fish & chips. The 23-acre riverfront Oregon Coast Aquarium offers interactive displays and tanks for close-up views of the regional marine life.

Across Yaquina Bay Bridge, the Historic Bayfront is abuzz with shops, galleries, and restaurants, among sunning sea lions. Drop by the 1895 Queen Anne-style Burrows House, plus two nearby overlooks of the bay. From the Newport Visual Arts Center to the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, with art and interactive exhibits, it is definitely vacation-worthy. Minutes north, Yaquina Head Lighthouse is Oregon’s tallest, in operation since 1873, with steep stairs up to the top at 93 feet for panoramic Pacific Ocean and coastal cliff views. Oregon Coast Glassworks is great for scoring a souvenir.

Yachats

Hidden along the Pacific's rocky shore behind Siuslaw National Forest, Yachats embraces its moniker, the "Gem of the Oregon Coast." Pronounced YAH-hots, it inspires awe with stunning ocean vistas and cozy local eateries juxtaposed by life-teeming tide pools and blowholes in Cape Perpetua Natural Area minutes south. One of Oregon's most iconic coastal landscapes presents travelers with miles of beaches, interrupted only by the Devil's Churn and other formations overlooking a pristine marine and bird sanctuary, plus forest hiking trails so serene, it feels otherworldly.

From the Ocean Road State Natural Site to the State Recreation Area, marine life and people live in symbiosis, and beachcombing is a lunchtime activity. Enjoy salmon fishing, swimming, and picnics, and find precious agates for a souvenir. Thor's Well, rightfully the "drainpipe of the Pacific," is a hole in the rock that sucks the ocean away. Another popular spot in the area, White Wolf Sanctuary, is under 30 minutes inland along the Alsea River. At $60 for the popular Drift Inn Hotel and Restaurant and several for under $150, it is tempting to extend a getaway in comfort.

Home to mountain ranges, dunes, and rivers flowing through temperate rainforests into the Pacific, Oregon is a playground for those who worship forces of nature. Just getting on a first-name basis with Mother Nature? Discovering it fully also means indulging in eating and relaxing on the beach.

These seven capture the soul of the state known for its natural wonders, with a side of art flair, seafood, and authentic PNW lifestyle. The state's stark contrasts frame you in scenic beauty and cozy vibes to make a lifetime's worth of vacation memories.