Incredible Oregon Coast Winter Sites 'n Sights in Photos (Or Really, Anytime)

Published 02/11/25 at 6:59 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Pacific City, Oregon) – Where rugged clifftops flank a tiny but adventure-packed town, and where the shoreline of Oregon somewhat abruptly ends and slides into the Washington coastline. They can be as different as night and day along these beaches, but all coastal towns share a penchant for packing a visual punch. Even in winter - and not just the stormy action. (All photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Take just a sampling of a visual tour and you’ll find sometimes the pics speak with the most words. Indeed, they have the best “fish stories” - to borrow a phrase for a pun.

Cape Kiwanda. The wonders never cease on top of the golden, weather-sculpted cliffs of Cape Kiwanda - the centerpiece to Pacific City. Offshore sits the stately Haystack Rock, as if it guards these cliffs (which it technically does, geologically).

Push yourself to your limits up that strenuous incline made of loose sand. Soak yourself in a nearby hot tub later for those leg cramps.

Once at the upper level of this Oregon coast icon, incredible sights await, such as wild, craggy structures with weird color schemes, resembling another world. There are secret trails leading you to more stunning viewpoints, and a small cove with small cracks in the rocks where the tide can sometimes squirt out. Complete Guide: Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area

It's the gateway to a stunning, even sometimes alien landscape, serving up hidden glimpses of parts of the cliff which jut and wriggle their ways out into the ocean. There's a nearly endless parade of incredible viewpoints you can't get anywhere else in the area. And on sunny days, the cape becomes especially entrancing as the sun sets the cliffs on fire and causes the tumultuous water below to turn a deep, dark blue in stark and unforgettable contrast.

Zip up the massive sandy hill to its top and explore the mini-forest there, or let yourself tumble its long, steep expanse, as children often do. You'll see them shooting down on boards of various kinds - sometimes with more than one person piled on top - or in some cases even by intentionally tumbling themselves to the bottom. The dune on top inspires kids of all ages to engage in all sorts of sledding behaviors. Weird History: Cape Kiwanda Almost Had Nuclear Power Plant 

At its base, a world of mesmerizing little tide pools appear along the rocks at low tide, sometimes opening up sea caves for your inspection. Hotels in Pacific City - Where to eat - Pacific City Maps and Virtual Tours

Astoria and Coxcomb Drive. The entire town of Astoria is one visual feast of a drive. With steep hills, an abundance of Victorian homes and a long-standing maritime tradition, sometimes it has a vibe somewhere between San Francisco and Portland back in the sixties. Wandering any of these turn-of-the-century neighborhoods will have your jaw dropping in no time. Astoria's Pigeon Steps a Quirky but Scenic Walk of Oregon Coast History

Follow the signs up the winding hill to Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column, and you'll reach one of the most marvelous views in Oregon. You'll end up 600 feet above the rest of this sky-high town, but the stunning Astoria Column soars another 125 feet. You can reach this spot too, after trotting some 164 steps to the top for even more incredible views.

The enormous span of the Astoria/Megler Bridge - rather imposing up close - looks like a child's toy from here. Hotels in Astoria - Where to eat - Astoria Maps and Virtual Tours

From Cape Foulweather

Depoe Bay. Wintertime is the best to catch the most incredible wave displays in this cozy little town between Newport and Lincoln City. Under the right tidal conditions, fissures in the rocks below the seawall will squeeze the water into one giant squirt, spouting seawater high into the air. Occasionally you'll catch the delightfully surreal sight of the spouting horn shooting high enough to soak cars on the highway. Be prepared to get soaked if you're parked near them and venture outside your car. Depoe Bay's Spouting Horn

Other remarkable moments wait just north of town, such as the viewpoints around Boiler Bay, where, if the tides are right, you can spot the boiler from an old shipwreck (which is where this spot got its name from). Boiler Bay and the J. Marhoffer Shipwreck: Oregon Coast History

Just south of town sits the soaring pleasures of Cape Foulweather and secretive, winding thrills Otter Loop Road.

Hotels in Depoe Bay - Where to eat - Depoe Bay Maps and Virtual Tours

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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