Airstreaming on the Oregon Coast

[Rollertoaster]

We just returned from our first big trip (1500 miles) up the Oregon coast. Beautiful scenery, and really a good test of the trailer, truck, etc.
All went well, weather ranged from sunny/warm to foggy/rainy. Having the trailer as a base for exploration and as a retreat was wonderful. Thought I would include a few shots of the area.

Terry

[maxandgeorgia]

Your photos inspire us. We'll make that Northwest drive yet, we hope! Maybe we'll meet you round the campfire ~G

[thecatsandi]

Quite the ride. I am realy hoping to finsih my trip up the coast next spring after our next Womens Rally!

[Tincrew]

Originally Posted by Rollertoaster

We just returned from our first big trip (1500 miles) up the Oregon coast. Beautiful scenery, and really a good test of the trailer, truck, etc.
All went well, weather ranged from sunny/warm to foggy/rainy. Having the trailer as a base for exploration and as a retreat was wonderful. Thought I would include a few shots of the area.

Terry

Wow! Is the b/w Astoria Bridge?

[cameront120]

Those photos bring back great memories. I rode my bicycle down the Oregon and California coast in 1997. Beautiful countryside! Thanks for posting the photos.

[bobkelly]

The B&W picture of the fishing boats with a bridge in the background is the bayfront area in Newport, Oregon. Newport is directly west of Corvallis and Oregon State Univ. The Yaquina River meets the Pacific at this point. Great old bridge from WPA days. We have a home ten miles north of here in Depoe Bay.

[67 safari 22]

Hi, my name is Mike, I am interested in getting some imformation on your trip and maybe some good stops along the way.
August 21st I will be leaving Pebble Beach area using as much of highway 1 and 101 as I can final area will be Coos Bay.
I am bringing my kayak and wetsuit fishing for salmon and Rock fish or whatever!
I am pulling my 67 safari with a 1 ton van. It works great cause I can load an atv in the van with mtn bikes ,coolers ext...

Any imput would be great!
Thanks,

Mike
mwilhelm56@comcast.net

[cameront120]

Originally Posted by 67 safari 22

Hi, my name is Mike, I am interested in getting some imformation on your trip and maybe some good stops along the way.
August 21st I will be leaving Pebble Beach area using as much of highway 1 and 101 as I can final area will be Coos Bay.
I am bringing my kayak and wetsuit fishing for salmon and Rock fish or whatever!
I am pulling my 67 safari with a 1 ton van. It works great cause I can load an atv in the van with mtn bikes ,coolers ext...

Any imput would be great!
Thanks,

Mike
mwilhelm56@comcast.net

I don't think there is any such thing as a bad stop along this route. I really enjoyed Bandon and Gold Beach during my trip. For Victorian Architecture, Eureka is agreat place to stop.

[janetb]

Mike, I sent you an email about our trip. Cameron is right. It's hard to blow it in that part of the world. You'll find something to do, enjoy, and see all along the coast, especially if you enjoy those perfect Airstream complements of kayaking, fishing, and cycling.
Janet

[chaimemet]

Could you please email us some places to stay we are new owners of a 31 classic planning on being on the oregon coast leaving Ft. Lauderdale on July 1st? How much time must we allocate to get a fair exposure to its beauty? Are the roads up th coast good? Did you stay in private ot state campgrounds?

[Rollertoaster]

Some of the state parks Janet and I visited had some interesting features:
From the south, Harris Beach has a great campground with many sites offering an ocean view. The beach is rugged, with Oregon's largest offshore island. Lots of birdwatching, and good kyaking in the local river. Sunset Bay campground is quiet and secluded, with a dynamic coast just below a beautiful botanical garden. Honeyman is a large campground adjacent coastal dunes, with several lakes nearby, and an easy drive to Haceta Head lighthouse. I also rode this coast on my bike (Seattle to Santa Cruz) back in 1976. It was a great experience, with the exception of some harrowing parts south of Eureka. It would be worth noting that Hwy 1 north of Mendocino, just before it connects to Hwy 101, is probably not for trailers. We were advised away from this section. A few pics hopefully in sequence:

Terry

[janetb]

Originally Posted by chaimemet

Could you please email us some places to stay we are new owners of a 31 classic planning on being on the oregon coast leaving Ft. Lauderdale on July 1st? How much time must we allocate to get a fair exposure to its beauty? Are the roads up th coast good? Did you stay in private ot state campgrounds?

Oregon roads are excellent, especially compared to California's, sorry to say.
We did a fair amoung of research, but most of our ideas came from fellow forum members and from using the "Search" tool. We stayed in Oregan State Parks while we were there. It's a great system, but the parks fill fast in the summer so if you're going in July, make reservations as soon as possible. Having a larger rig will limit your possibilities somewhat, but you should still be able to get some decent sites.
Research the areas you want to see, and then find parks nearby. We stayed at Harris Beach, Sunset Bay, Jesse M. Honeyman, and Beverly Beach. But we visited many others that would have been great choices too.
Oregon is so lush it almost seems tropical. And guess what that takes? Moisture and lots of it. So be prepared for those moody rainy days, as well as misty fog, and surprising sunshine. But of course, an Airstream accommodates all of that!
The local fresh seafood is a real bonus, and we grilled freshly caught chinook salmon, made salads with sweet dungeness crab, and had fresh oysters for appetizers. And the Oregon wine can be exceptional.
Don't know what your route will be, but we went up 101 from the SF bay area in CA, hit Hwy 1 at the Oregon coast, headed in on 20 to 5 and took that down to our neck of the woods. Good roads, but take it slow and easy in the mountains. Some of those downhills go on for quite a while and can lull you into complacency while you're still on a significant grade.
Our worst leg was coming back home--680 and 880 are horrible roads and a real buckboard ride. But other than that, all was good.
Have fun!
Janet

[TinShack]

Originally Posted by Rollertoaster

We just returned from our first big trip (1500 miles) up the Oregon coast. Beautiful scenery, and really a good test of the trailer, truck, etc.
All went well, weather ranged from sunny/warm to foggy/rainy. Having the trailer as a base for exploration and as a retreat was wonderful. Thought I would include a few shots of the area.

Terry

Thanks for the great photos Terry. We are planning a couple weeks up there in late September. Did you happen to take a jet boat tour out of Gold Beach up the Rogue River? I would definitely recommend this to anyone. The MailBoat hydrojet tour's a hoot! Check out the slideshow...
Experience the Adventure! Rogue River Mail Boat Trips

[safari57]

OK, I know why this thread is here. So I'll see it and slit my wrists, or flatten my forehead even more than it is now by banging it against the side of my FC while wishing I was heading down the Oregon coast this summer.

We really enjoy that trip a lot and have done it many times but not in the past few years. We are hoping that we might be able to get two weeks in early September, if I can get approval from my vet. I agree with the others, there is no bad trip to be had on this part of the world. The scenery is outstanding and the people who live there just top it up. One word of caution, during the summer when school is out don't expect to get anywhere in a hurry. Everything seems to move at a much slower pace than the rest of the world.

Barry

[rambn]

Originally Posted by janetb

. It's a great system, but the parks fill fast in the summer so if you're going in July, make reservations as soon as possible. Having a larger rig will limit your possibilities somewhat, but you should still be able to get some decent sites.

I'm planning a similiar OR trip. Are not at least some of the parks on a first come first serve basis? It's going to be my first long trip, and I prefer not to tie myself down with a bunch of reservations.

[Turtle]

Hwy 1 from Mendocino to hwy 101 at Leggett is do-able with a smaller trailer. Logging trucks use it. I was almost forced into the embankment on an inside corner when a met a truck coming around on the outside corner. It's a slow, twisty and empty, 40 minute drive from the coast to the 101 and a great addition to your trip up the coast to Oregon.

And might I add that the Oregon State Park campgrounds have to be the best in the world! J

[coastal me]

I have 55' of RV, with a low bumper. I also host the Oregon coast parks. I would stay at, from South to North:
Humbug SP, Cape Blanco SP, Edson Creek BLM, -all by Port Orford, Bluebill or Wildmare NFS(don't go around the Wildmare loop with a long unit, there are two non-reservable sites up front), North of North Bend (no hook-ups), Winchester Bay County camps, Sutton NFS, north of Florence, Washburne SP.
Pull in to your camp early, and reservations are not needed. Check to make sure site is not reserved. On weekends, stop at your site by Thursday, or early Friday, and stay put Friday and Saturday night.
Many State Parks have non-reservable sites, and then there are the cancellations.
I'd avoid the popular parks in July and August -Bullards,Umpqua Lighthouse, Honeyman, Beverly Beach...

[rambn]

Originally Posted by coastal me

I have 55' of RV, with a low bumper. I also host the Oregon coast parks. I would stay at, from South to North:
Humbug SP, Cape Blanco SP, Edson Creek BLM, -all by Port Orford, Bluebill or Wildmare NFS(don't go around the Wildmare loop with a long unit, there are two non-reservable sites up front), North of North Bend (no hook-ups), Winchester Bay County camps, Sutton NFS, north of Florence, Washburne SP.
Pull in to your camp early, and reservations are not needed. Check to make sure site is not reserved. On weekends, stop at your site by Thursday, or early Friday, and stay put Friday and Saturday night.
Many State Parks have non-reservable sites, and then there are the cancellations.
I'd avoid the popular parks in July and August -Bullards,Umpqua Lighthouse, Honeyman, Beverly Beach...

I noticed that you didn't mention Siskiyou (sp?) State Park, have you ever been?

[silver 67]

Love the Coast, and thanks for the great pics. They brought back many memories.

By the way, Janet and Toast - are you in different trailers? One of you is in a 2006 and one in 2007. Inquiring minds.....

[SRoffe]

Originally Posted by Rollertoaster

It was a great experience, with the exception of some harrowing parts south of Eureka. It would be worth noting that Hwy 1 north of Mendocino, just before it connects to Hwy 101, is probably not for trailers. We were advised away from this section. A few pics hopefully in sequence:

Terry

What route would you recommend from Crescent City to Mendocino? We were planning to stay at Van Damme State Park.

Robyn