Two hikers heading down to Secret Beach on the Oregon Coast

Sand, Sea, Waterfalls: Get Coasting

From the coast to the waterfalls, Southern Oregon is a road-trip-ready adventure. The rugged and enchanting coastline from Brookings to Florence has a bevy of adventures. Hike to inspiring overlooks, and explore miles of wide-open sand dunes that inspired Frank Herbert’s Dune. Wet your whistle with some wine tasting in Oregon’s small, unique wine destinations, and top it all off with a drive through the aptly named Highway of Waterfalls. Your next road trip awaits!

Week: 12.15.2021
Regions: Northern & Southern CA

Can You Keep a Secret?

Hike to Secret Beach and Visit Natural Bridges on the Oregon Coast

Two hikers making their way down to Secret Beach on the Southern Oregon Coast
Natural Bridges on the Oregon Coast
Two friends walking together on the sand at Secret Beach
Two people sitting on the beach overlooking the estuary and ocean at Secret Beach on the Oregon Coast
The Southern Oregon Coast's Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor between Gold Beach and Brookings has so many sights to see, it’s hard to know where to spend your time. We like this trio of suggestions because you can do them as a three-in-a-row jackpot of coastal wonders.
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The Cape Escape

Hike Cape Sebastian to Hunters Cove on the Oregon Coast

Hikers on Cape Sebastian Coastal Trail on the Oregon Coast near Gold Beach
Hikers enjoying the wide open beach of Hunters Cove that you hike into on the Cape Sebastian Trail on the Oregon Coast
This hike on Cape Sebastian brings together several of the Oregon Coast’s best features: mossy green forests, tremendous coastline views, marine mammals, and a wide-open secluded beach that’s hike-in only.
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Surreal Sandscape

Hike to the Biggest Dunes at Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

Hiker at Taylor Dunes in Oregon Dunes Recreation Area
It’s a stunning landscape that inspired the sci-fi classic Dune (and hence its recent blockbuster adaptation), but no special effects are needed to enhance the scenery of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This 42 miles of sand, forest, rivers, and lakes is both ethereal and surreal.
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Small Town, Big Appeal

Wine taste in Elkton along the Umpqua River Scenic Byway in Southern Oregon

Two women wine tasting in Elkton, Oregon at Rivers Edge Winery
Brandborg Winery in Elkton, Oregon on the Umpqua River Scenice Byway
Overlooking the Umpqua River and tucked in among coastal mountains, Elkton may be small, but it’s big on charm, history, and wine. It’s one of the newest AVAs in Oregon.
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Take the Plunge

Hike to Waterfalls Along the Southern Oregon Highway of Waterfalls

Two women looking up at Watson Falls, Southwest Oregon's highest waterfall
Watson Falls on the Highway of Waterfalls in Southern Oregon
How can you take a road trip through Southern Oregon and not hit the Highway of Waterfalls? This stretch of Highway 138 east of Roseburg along the Umqua River is a watery marvel that’s terrific year-round. Winter sees fewer people, making it an ideal time to visit.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  2. Two women on e-bikes at Cass Vineyard and Winery near Paso Robles

    Eat, Drink, E-bike!

    No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!

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  3. Jurupa Jamboree

    If you like a short hike with a side of adventure, try the Jurupa Hills North Trail in Martin Tudor Jurupa Hills Regional Park.

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    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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