Welcome to the next chapter of Our First Rooftop Tent Adventure! During these two days, we journeyed from California to Oregon. On Tuesday, we hiked among the Redwoods before crossing the state line. We spent Wednesday traveling along the Oregon Coast from sunrise to sunset.
Trip Diary Begins:
Tuesday, May 23rd
The previous night, we camped in a forested area by a beach near the Redwood National and State Parks. In the morning, we walked down to get a look at the beach. While it was pleasant, it didn’t particularly stand out. (Stay tuned for the breathtaking beaches we encountered in Oregon.) I also got my shoe all caked in mud (oops). After our little beach-viewing excursion, we enjoyed a breakfast of eggs and bacon before embarking on a 12.5-mile hike in the Redwood area.
Jon, being the most energetic person I know, had enough energy to go for a bike ride after our hike. I stayed in the car, updating my trip journal and searching for dinner spots. Upon his return, we decided on Seaquake Brewing.
Before our table was ready, we ordered drinks at the bar. I started with Kombucha. The bartender recommended mixing pineapple and strawberry lemon, and it was delightful. Once we were seated, we ordered garlic bread, soppressata pizza, and fish tacos. We each ordered flights to go with our food. I had a couple of sours, and I particularly enjoyed the lime one. I also had more Kombucha for one of my options, this time opting for a blueberry peach flavor. We love gut health!
Our journey led us to a camp spot near Secret Beach in Oregon. We went straight to bed, falling asleep to the ever-so-tranquil highway noises.
Wednesday, May 24th: Sunrise to Sunset Along the Oregon Coast
The alarm went off around 5:30 am. We snoozed it once before getting up to watch the sunrise.
We walked a short distance from the car to the beach. Secret Beach was awe-inspiring. This magical hidden cove with enchanting views felt like something out of a fantasy novel. Even better, we were the only ones there that early. It was so peaceful. We felt as if we were on our very own beach (a secret beach, if you will) where we could listen to the sound of the waves and welcome the morning. It was truly one of the most incredible moments. A small coastline framed a beautiful, expansive, sky-blue colored sea. Large rocks emerged from the water (sea stacks), decorating it with their rugged beauty.
We spent about 30 minutes exploring the area and taking it all in before walking back up to the car. At the car, the sounds of the highway replaced the sounds of the waves. We fell asleep to those highway noises once again as we took a pre-breakfast nap in the car.
We ate eggs and sausage at a new spot by the water. It was a big day for ocean views! En route to a hiking/biking trail, we stopped at a lookout by the water (what did I tell you?) and sat for a bit. Then, it was time to get some exercise! After our respective activities in the same trail network, we enjoyed leftover pizza.
It was finally time to head toward Luna Sea Fish House in Yachats. Unsurprisingly, we drove past another beautiful beach overlook, where we stopped for #views once more. Once we got our fix at this one, we continued our drive to the restaurant.
The fish was delicious. Jon even said it was “the best bite of seafood I’ve ever had”. We ordered the Luna Sea Combo (we went for the fried option), which includes Halibut, Albacore, and Wild King Salmon, served alongside fries and coleslaw. I will 1,000% be back!
We ended our day in a similar way to how we began it—by watching the sunset at a beach. McPhillips Beach is especially cool because you can drive on it. We spent some time frolicking and soaking in the beautiful sunset—the perfect bookend to our day along the coast.
After a day of enjoying the beauty of the Oregon Coast, we found a place near Portland to camp in the Tillamook Forest area.
Beautiful pics & a fun read:)