From US$10 per person
Book tickets on Viator (opens in a new tab): History, Wildlife and Scenic Sites: An Oregon DriveYou book and pay on viator.com. Inclusable may earn a commission.
- Group size
- Up to 15
- Language
- English
About this tour
This self-guided driving tour traces 70 miles of the Oregon Coast between Reedsport and Newport, where towering sand dunes give way to black volcanic cliffs. You'll uncover the history and accidental disasters that make this stretch of Highway 101 unlike any other road.
The tour starts at the Umpqua Discovery Center in Reedsport, crossing Conde McCullough's 1936 swing-span bridge, then passing Gardiner, a company town once mandated to paint every building white. You'll learn how migrating sand dunes dammed a river to create Tahkenitch Lake, and how Frank Herbert looked down at these dunes and invented Arrakis.
North of Florence, visit the Sea Lion Caves, a rock cathedral 200 feet underground, then pass Heceta Head Lighthouse. At Cape Perpetua, the ocean has carved Thor's Well out of solid basalt. The tour ends at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, where a blue whale skeleton sits in the courtyard.
Along the way, hear how dynamite failed to dispose of a beached whale in 1970.
Accessibility, as stated by the supplier
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair-accessible surfaces
- Wheelchair-accessible transport
- Stroller accessible
Meeting point: This tour starts at Umpqua River Discovery Center. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Provided through Viator and not verified by Inclusable. Ask the supplier about your specific needs before you book.
Itinerary
View itinerary · 10 stopsHide itinerary
- 1
Learn how migrating sand dunes dammed an entire river to create Tahkenitch Lake. Discover how a struggling freelance writer named Frank Herbert looked down at these same dunes from a small plane and invented Arrakis.(pass by)
- 2
Explore Florence's Old Town waterfront, where everything once arrived by steamship. Take in this historic riverside district as you continue north along Highway 101.(pass by)
- 3
Visit the Sea Lion Caves, a natural rock cathedral 200 feet underground. Please note that admission to the caves is not included in this tour.(pass by)
- 4
Pass Heceta Head Lighthouse, the most photographed in America, and its famously haunted keeper's house. Take in this iconic landmark, perched dramatically above the Pacific.(pass by)
- 5
Walk a living green tunnel of wind-sculpted Sitka spruce trees on the hidden Hobbit Trail. Take in this whimsical, otherworldly path just off the highway.(pass by)
- 6
At Cape Perpetua, see how the ocean has carved Thor's Well out of solid basalt. Take in this dramatic natural phenomenon, one of the coast's most striking sights.(pass by)
- 7
Explore Cape Perpetua, where the ocean has carved the Devil's Churn and the Spouting Horn out of solid basalt. Learn how Depression-era workers, suspended on ropes above crashing waves, carved the Half-Million Dollar Mile out of solid cliff face nearby.(pass by)
- 8
See the Devil's Churn, another dramatic feature carved into the basalt cliffs at Cape Perpetua. Take in the powerful surge of water crashing through this narrow rock channel.(pass by)
- 9
Pass by the Oregon Coast Aquarium, a world-class marine education attraction that opened on Yaquina Bay in 1992. Please note that admission is not included in this tour, though the aquarium is known for once housing Keiko, the orca made famous by Free Willy.(pass by)
- 10
End your tour at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in South Beach, where Oregon State University scientists study everything from marine genetics to tsunami preparedness. Take in the real blue whale skeleton reassembled in the courtyard, a fitting final sight on your journey.(pass by)
Know before you go
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Included
- Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
- Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
- App for Android and iOS
- Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
Not included
- Smartphone and headphones
- Transportation
- Food and drink
- Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Location & contact
- Area
- Oregon
- Meeting point
- This tour starts at Umpqua River Discovery Center. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading
- Contact
- The tour operator’s own details aren’t published. Questions about access or your booking go through Viator, which handles the booking and passes your request to the operator.
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“Please provide us with 24 hours notice if a wheelchair lift is required, so we may make the appropriate plans.”
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