Bespelled by the Oregon Coast — Road Trip

Every Fall you’ll see caravans of cars driving from the San Francisco Bay Area up north Highway 1 and 101 to chase the gorgeous change of seasons along the Oregon Coast. Oregon Coast is beautiful any time of the year but truly magical in the Fall. So, after booking the hotels, we loaded our car, converting the back seat into a luxurious road accommodation for our dog Monkey, and joined the fun.

Chandelier Tree, Leggett, California

On the way to Eureka, California (our first overnight stay on the road trip), we swung by the famous Chandelier Tree in Leggett to stretch our legs and let Monkey sniff around. Looking up from the base and into the foliage of this mammoth redwood tree, we fell in awe by the grandeur of it. And, of course, we had to drive through the Chandelier Tree, creeping our way through the tiny tunnel without tearing off the side-view mirrors. Walking through on foot is a much better way to absorb the sheer immensity of the tree.

The Chandelier Tree is estimated to be around 2,400 years old and an astonishing 315 feet high! That’s almost the length of a football field! The practice of cutting tunnels through these majestic giant trees began in the early 20th century, but thankfully, partly due to environmental impacts, it was short-lived.

Today there are only a handful of these trees still standing: three coastal redwood tunnel trees in Northern California, and two giant sequoia tunnel trees in Yosemite National Park.

Eureka, California

After about six hours of driving from the San Francisco Bay Area, we checked into a motel in Eureka, California. Monkey travels well in the car, but we didn’t want to push him too much. We were all pretty worn out from the road and happy to arrive at our first destination. Getting a pizza takeout for dinner from a local joint Brick and Fire, we hunkered down for the night and flipped through travel brochures of the area.

That morning the city waterfront greeted us with the views of incredible Victorian houses, a quiet historic downtown, and a bookstore with a Zoltar fortune-telling booth in the front of it. Naturally, we had to give it a try. 😊

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Settled by the Wiyot people, the town was called Jaroujiji, meaning a place “where you sit and rest.” During the Gold Rush, it was renamed Eureka (“I have found it!” from Greek). Later “Eureka” became the state motto of California.

Up the Oregon Coast

An easy two-hour drive north from Eureka, we crossed the border to Oregon.

There are so many gorgeous locations to explore along the rugged Oregon Coast! A short, just over a mile, stretch on 101 between Natural Bridges to Secret Beach, to Arch Rock is probably one of our favorite spots.

The photo-ops are endless, and most vistas have a safe place to pull off the road.

TIP: Keep an eye out for roadside vendors or gas station markets along the way. The locals make salmon jerky that is out of this world! There are plenty of places that sell it, but you’d want to get some early, so you have it to snack on for the drive.

Bandon, Oregon

We fell in love with the coastal village of Bandon, named so by George Bennet after his hometown in Ireland.

And what not to love? Unique boutiques, fantastic restaurants, and unusual street-art along the boardwalk and around town.

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Our cozy beach motel was right on the ocean, with million-dollar views and fiery sunsets.

On our Oregon Coast road trip, we think Bandon was Monkey’s favorite town. He seemed to enjoy wandering around the wooden decks of the pier, posing for photos for tourists, and getting a few special treats while in town.

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A couple of places we recommend checking in Bandon, Oregon:

Tony’s Crab Shack: The clam chowder and the fish tacos were some of the best we have ever had! Their menu is extensive with daily specials and fresh catch-of-the-day. 

Face Rock Creamery: We loved the cheese tasting at Face Rock Creamery and had to bring a bag of cheddar curds back with us. If you never tried cheddar cheese curds, you don’t know what you’re missing. They are yummy nuggets of cheesy goodness. A personal favorite is to place them on slices of baguette or crackers and stick them into a microwave for 10 seconds or so till they melt. Oooey-Gooey-Yes!

On The Road Again

Heading up north, we continued our road trip to Coos Bay, briefly stopping by serene Choshi Gardens in Mingus Park. Hope you’ll have a few minutes to enjoy it on your own Oregon Coast trip!

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Just a bit farther north we reached Highway 38 which took us inland along the Umpqua River. That was one of the most picturesque forest-lined roads we’ve ever been on.

Monkey happily paddled in the Umpqua river by the boat landing until we finally managed to coax him out.

And then, we had to endure the wet dog smell in the car all the way down to Roseburg, our next spot for the night. By the way, the downtown of Roseburg was rebuilt, after a tragic explosion in 1959, also known as the Roseburg Blast. A Pacific Powder Company truck loaded with two tons of dynamite accidentally exploded in front of the Gerretsen Building Supply Company, taking down the buildings in an eight-block radius and damaging 30 other blocks. 

Following Highway 5 back home, we had to stop by Medford, Oregon for cheese and wine. But we were also eager to explore the historical Jacksonville, just minutes away from Medford. 😊

For the cheese: Rogue Creamery is internationally known for its organic handmade cheese. If you love cheese, especially blue cheese and cheddar, make sure to visit them. You can also purchase tasty gift sets on their website, and some of their cheeses are even found in California.

For the wine: Dancin Vineyards. An exquisite selection of wines, including rare Oregon Barbera (that was our favorite, by the way). Beautiful setting, great small bites (check their stuffed mushrooms) — we wish we had more time to spend there. 

Jacksonville, Oregon

Originally named Table Rock City, the town of Jacksonville was founded during the Gold Rush after gold was discovered in the area back in 1851-1852. Folks from all over headed west to this up-and-coming town, hoping to strike it rich. But with many gold-towns of the time, the gold was eventually depleted causing Jacksonville’s economy to slow down. Fortunately for Jacksonville, it became more popular for its rich agricultural prospects later. 

Now over 100 buildings have been preserved, creating a National Historic District. Strolling through this old western town will transport you back into the days of the gold rush. Some of the businesses are still open and under the same name! With nearby wineries, historical buildings and landmarks, even an old cemetery to check out, Jacksonville should be on your checklist while exploring Southern Oregon.

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On our way home, we stayed one last night in nearby Ashland. Though also founded in 1852, Ashland has a much younger and modern feel than neighboring Jacksonville. Similar to college towns like Berkeley or Boulder, Ashland has a colorful and artsy vibe.

It’s also home to the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival. If you time your Southern Oregon road trip just right, you’ll find yourself amidst hordes of people donning exquisite period costumes, running amok all over Ashland. This is a great time to check the plays in the three Elisabethian Theatres and Lithia Park, the heart of Ashland.

By the way, Lithia Park was designed by John McLaren, the same man behind Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

The spectacular views of Mount Shasta on Hwy 5 are well worth pulling over for. Turnouts along the road are a great place to stop and soak in the sites of the mountain. Someday soon, we’d love to drive to Shasta and explore some of the mysteries surrounding that area! Maybe even snap a shot of a Bigfoot or a UFO!

Looking for more road trip ideas around the San Francisco Bay Area? Check out some of our favorite places in Paso Robles, Solvang, and Fort Ross, to name a few. We love hearing from you, so comment away below!