From Newport to Coos Bay, Special Excursion Offered to Mighty Oregon Coast Waves

Published 12/20/23 at 4:25 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Coos Bay, Oregon) – Those hanging around the central Oregon coast during the final two king tides dates of this season may have a special ticket waiting in the wings: Newport Parks and Recreation Department (NPRD) is offering an excursion to Coos Bay's gnarly wave display at Shore Acres State Park. (Photo courtesy Oregon's Adventure Coast)

The last of the king tides for this season happen on January 11 and February 10, and NPRD is bringing a busload of people down to Coos Bay to watch the mighty wave drama.

It's called the Adventure Van, said NPRD's Jenn Remillard, and participants will meet at the Newport Recreation Center for the trip to the south Oregon coast, where they will have two hours to roam around the gardens and watch the massive breakers. Cost is $49.

“We chose Shore Acres because it's famous for those big wave splashes,” said Remillard. “But it also has the gardens and some trails for us to explore in case the ocean isn’t cooperating to give us a big show.”

Remillard said that even though it's king tides on those days, it's not a guarantee of oceanic monsters. Swell is also a factor.

Gardens at Shore Acres

“Shore Acres has special underwater topography that can create huge waves if conditions are right so we are hopeful with it being winter and king tides, we’ll see some action,” she said.

Waves at Shore Acres can often soar to over 100 feet high, sometimes 200 feet.

See how Shore Acres are measured, and what causes this south Oregon coast hotspot to be a maker of monsters. Why Shore Acres Waves Are So Big: Height Measurement, Geology | S. Oregon Coast

After soaking in the sights (and maybe getting soaked for real), the van then heads to the food truck pod at Coos Bay for a late lunch before making the return trip to Newport. If there is still time remaining, organizers hope to get the group to Charleston, making a quick shopping run at Chuck’s Seafood for a chance to purchase smoked fish and other goodies.

It's about 100 miles of eye-popping Oregon coast that's on display here, taking you through the striking scenery of areas around Waldport, the tight bends and cloistered beaches south of Yachats, through Florence, and then 40 miles of the National Dunes Recreation Area.

Remillard leads the trip down south and back.

“This trip has it all,” she said. “Beautiful ocean views and the chance to see big waves, lovely gardens, and delicious food, plus you don’t have to drive.”

Remillard is also well versed in sea life and the ocean so sightseers will have a chance to learn something new.

Register online under the Special Events tab at https://secure.rec1.com/ OR/newport-or/catalog. Space is limited. For more information, please contact Jenni Remillard at 541 265 4859 or at
j.remillard@newportoregon.gov

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Courtesy Janice Langlinais / Oregon's Adventure Coast

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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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