This summer is definitely bringing back the great American road trip and one of the most beautiful is an Oregon Coast road trip. On the podcast, we talk with Jessica Baker from Boundless Bakers, about the time she spent on the Oregon Coast and she fills us in on the best places to stop, must see towns, and side trips to take along the way.

ON THE PODCAST

00:30 - Talking about future road trips

07:20 - Talking with Jessica Baker

09:25 - How long to spend in Oregon

10:20 - Where to fly into and out of

11:30 - Where to stop

22:20 - Where to stay

25:40 - Day trip locations

27:25 - Driving around

29:20 - Final tips

31:00 - Jessica's Favorite Travel Gear

32:50 - What's next for Jessica and her family

33:45 - Coming up next on Vacation Mavens

ABOUT JESSICA BAKER

Jessica Baker is a full-time mom, wife, and RVer. She and her husband, two young kids, and three cats have been traveling North America full-time for the last year and a half. Jessica has contributed to RV travel blogs such as CampingWorld.com and DoItYourselfRV.com. Follow Jessica on Facebook and Instagram.

TIPS FOR PLANNING AN OREGON COAST ROAD TRIP

• You can spend anywhere between a long weekend and a full week exploring what the Oregon Coast has to offer.
• If you are coming from the East Coast or even just farther than a drive away from Oregon's coast, then fly into Portland and rent a car. You can then either fly back out of Eugene, or make the return loop via the highway.
• The natural beauty of the Oregon coast is what draws visitors to explore. As you are making your way down the coast here is a list of cute towns and attractions to visit along the way.
  • Cannon Beach - is a little touristy that has a great food and if you are a Goonies fan this town should definitely be on your list.
  • Depoe Bay - this town is known for whale watching. It may be tiny but it is a lot of fun.
  • Newport - has great seafood and harbor. If you are interested, this is a great place to do your own fishing. You need a license but it is not expensive to purchase.
  • Florence - is also a fishing town and is north of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, which covers forty miles of dunes. You can rent equipment and ride around the dunes!
  • Hug Point is a really great location to visit, but you have to keep in mind when high and low tide are since you could potentially get stuck where you don't want to be. It is a great spot for exploring the tide pools and water caves that are along the point.
  • Devil's Punch Bowl is another area where you need to watch the tide times. If you are adventurous, during low tide you can hike down into the bowl and explore the inside before the tide comes back in.
  • Cobble Beach is made up of little black volcanic rocks and when the water runs over it, it makes a really unique and beautiful sound.
• It is highly recommended that you make this a camping road trip and even rent an RV if you want. If not you can stay in Cannon Beach, which has a bunch of little hotels. You can also try Newport as that is a bit larger and has a number of different places to stay.
• There are a few places within four hours of the coast that can make a great day trip:
  • Tillamook has a lot of dairy farms and it is a great place to visit and try some different cheeses and ice cream.
  • Crater Lake is a gorgeous sight to see, and if you have time to explore it, you should add this into your itinerary.
  • The Columbia River Gorge is another great area to visit whether you make it a day trip or spend a few days there. It is close to Portland and could be a good stop to make before you make your way to the coast.
• Driving around Oregon is not too difficult, especially if you stay on Highway 101. You will feel comfortable driving even if you are towing or driving an RV. Just don't be surprised if you lose cell service from time to time.

FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR

Jessica recommends wearing plenty of layers when visiting Oregon. She loves her Columbia windbreaker as an outer layer. She also likes to wear a pair of convertible hiking pants. That way she can unzip them into shorts if she gets too hot. She also likes to pair this with a pair of Keen shoes.

MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST

Boundless Bakers

Our Top 5 Oregon Coast RV Parks ($50 off RV rentals button on this page)

Northern Oregon Coast

RV Rentals (coupon here too)

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If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email at [email protected]. You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!