10 Fun Things to Do in Port Orford
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The drive from Bandon to Port Orford is one of the rare boring stretches of the Oregon Coast Highway. The inland route makes you wonder if all the dazzling ocean views are behind you. Then, you round a corner, and everything changes. After an unassuming entry into Port Orford, you return to the coastline, where forested bluffs gently curve around sapphire-blue water. From here until Brookings, the drive is a non-stop thrill ride of ocean vistas, rugged headlands, and temperate rainforests. Besides the natural beauty, Port Orford’s tourist-friendly shops and restaurants make it a great home base for adventures on the southern Oregon Coast. I’d passed through town a few times without realizing how many hidden gems were just off the main drag. After my last visit, I feel like I can finally do it justice. Here are the best things to do in Port Orford, give or take 20 minutes.
1. Battle Rock Wayside Park
Battle Rock Wayside
Battle Rock Wayside is the heart and soul of Port Orford. As you drive through the mini downtown, stunning ocean views make pulling off the highway irresistible. From the parking area, short trails lead past benches on grassy bluffs down to a beach where waves roll in and crash against a cluster of sea stacks. Battle Rock’s namesake is a large rocky prominence that extends from the sand into the ocean. During very high tides, it becomes an island. It’s one of those beautiful places with a depressing history. The short version is that White settlers decided to grant themselves some land, leading to armed conflict with the local Quatomah tribe. A longer version is on a memorial sign by the parking lot. Today, Battle Rock is a peaceful place to walk on the beach and watch for seabirds. Parking is free, and the lot has public restrooms.
2. Port Orford Heads State Park
Nellie’s Cove
Unlike Battle Rock Wayside, Port Orford Heads State Park isn’t obvious from the highway. I’d driven by it on road trips before realizing what I was missing. The park is the site of an old Coast Guard station that performed many rescue missions from 1934 to 1970. Port Orford is infamous for its treacherous waters and hidden reefs. The former Coast Guard barracks are now a museum. It’s open to the public from April through October. Visiting is free. After taking a quick tour of the museum, one of the best things to do in Port Orford is tackle the 1.2-mile hike around the headland. This flat and easy trail is jam-packed with ocean views, including the turquoise inlet of Nellie’s Cove and the long sandy shores of Agate Beach.
3. Eat at Redfish
Redfish
For all the spectacular coastline in Oregon, it can be hard to find restaurants with great ocean views. Redfish is an exception. It sits more or less on top of Battle Rock, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Pacific and the rugged coast extending south to Humbug Mountain. On a sunny day, the patio feels like paradise. Toward the fine dining end of the restaurant spectrum, Redfish has exceptional food, drinks, and service. The French meets Pacific Northwest cuisine uses seasonal ingredients supplied by the local farmers and fishermen. It’s also a place you can eat without breaking the bank. My lunch cost about the same as it would have at a food cart in Portland. If you know your travel plans, I’d suggest making a reservation. It’s a popular place, especially during the summer.
4. Visit an art gallery
Hawthorne Gallery
Port Orford has a surprisingly good art scene. On my way into Redfish, I made a detour into the Hawthorne Gallery next door. Hungry and excited for lunch, I was only planning to have a quick look around. Once I was inside, I ended up taking my time, wandering through the back rooms so that I could see all the pieces. On a rainy day, one of the best things to do in Port Orford is to go for a gallery crawl and check out the prints, paintings, sculptures, wood carvings, and glasswork. The Hawthorne Gallery is one of over a dozen galleries and gift shops in town. Expect variety, from fine art to affordable impulse purchases, like journals, candles, and greeting cards.
5. Agate Beach
Agate Beach
Agate Beach is tucked behind residential neighborhoods, making it feel private and remote. This long, thin beach sits between the ocean and Garrison Lake. Without sea stacks or coastal bluffs, Agate Beach lacks some of Battle Rock’s wow factor. Instead, it has quiet and solitude. It’s a great birdwatching spot, especially for shore birds in Garrison Lake. Despite the name, I wouldn’t expect to find many agates here, or at least many worth mentioning. Most rocks on the gravel beach are smaller than a pencil eraser. To find it, navigate to Tseriadun State Recreation Site. Park in the lot at the end of 9th St. It’s free and has a porta-potty. A short access trail leads to the beach.
6. Port of Port Orford
The port
The Port of Port Orford is next to Battle Rock Wayside, although the cliffs around Battle Rock create a division in the coastline and make it feel like a separate world. A sign on Highway 101 points the way down a hill to a few public parking spots across from a sandy beach. When I visited, a group of pelicans floated offshore. From the beach, you see the large yellow cranes used to haul boats into and out of the water. Port Orford has Oregon’s only open-water port. When not in use, boats are stored on dollies to protect them from ocean swells. The port is open to the public. You can walk onto the dock, just be aware of your surroundings and stay out of the way of the people working. If you follow the walkway to the ramp on the port’s south side and look down into the water, you’ll see tons of anemones. Parking is free. Public restrooms are on the dock.
7. Cape Blanco State Park
Cape Blanco Lighthouse
About 10 minutes north of Port Orford, Cape Blanco is the westernmost point in Oregon. It extends a mile and a half out into the Pacific Ocean like a stubby finger. You can drive almost to the end. Then, you can continue on foot another quarter mile to the Cape Blanco Lighthouse and the little gift shop. On clear days, the views are unforgettable. Long, unvisited beaches stretch out on either side of the cape. Bring binoculars to watch for whales in the distance. On stormy days, Cape Blanco is, frankly, awful. Winds can be 100 mph, sometimes with stinging rain and fog that blocks any hint of the ocean. If you have bad luck with the weather, head to the Hughes House for an indoor tour of the historic home that belonged to a family of early dairy farmers. Tours are free, with donations welcome. Volunteer tour guides are incredibly knowledgeable about the family and the house, creating a vivid picture of early 20th-century life.
8. Humbug Mountain State Park
Humbug Mountain State Park day-use area
Humbug Mountain is the tall peak you see rising from the ocean when you look south from Port Orford. The state park has two main draws. One is its large, year-round campground. The other is the 5-mile hike to the top of the 1,756-foot mountain. The challenging loop hike explores an old-growth forest with ocean views along the way. If you’re not staying in the campground, the trailhead parking is a small gravel lot next to Highway 101, about 10 minutes south of Port Orford. The park’s official day-use area is a few minutes past the trailhead parking. It’s not one of the interesting places near Port Orford, although it has a pretty wooded picnic area and convenient bathrooms.
9. Prehistoric Gardens
Prehistoric Gardens
If you’re traveling with kids, one of the best things to do near Orford is a visit to Prehistoric Gardens. I’m no lawyer, but I think you might even be legally required to go. If everyone in your group is long past the age of getting carded at the bar, I’d say it’s still worth a stop. Part classic roadside attraction, part breathtaking old-growth forest, Prehistoric Gardens is hard to pigeonhole. The giant T. rex menacing the cars in the parking lot sets the tone for what’s to come. Inside, an easy, 20-minute walk takes you past a dozen or so full-scale dinosaurs in vegetation that’s about as close to their native habitat as you could find on Earth today. Signs with info about evolutionary biology make it mildly educational. The ancient forest makes it special.
Prehistoric Gardens is 15 minutes south of Port Orford on Highway 101. Adult admission is $16. You can borrow a stroller for your visit. The walking paths are flat and have several benches. They’re too narrow to accommodate most wheelchairs.
10. Sisters Rock State Park
Sisters Rock
Sisters Rock State Park is one of the most impressive and least visited places on the Oregon Coast. It has two easy-to-miss parking areas on Highway 101, about 15 minutes south of Port Orford. You can see the three peaks of the Sisters from the road. Two are at the end of a peninsula. The third is an island. From either parking area, an easy, half-mile hike on an old quarry road will bring you to the base of the Sisters. The closer you get, the more incredible they become. The finale is seeing the enormous sea cave within the largest peak. Water enters through channels in the rock, then surges over the boulders in the cave. Depending on your timeline, you can turn around after seeing the sea cave, or check out the beaches next to Sisters Rock. The beach to the south has some artifacts from the shipping dock that was here from 1893 to 1905.
Learn more about Sisters Rock State Park.
Where to stay in Port Orford
Lodging in Port Orford has more vacation rentals than traditional hotels. Here are some cool stays to check out.
The Agate Beach Bungalow is close to Agate Beach, Port Orford Heads State Park, and Battle Rock Wayside. The 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom house has a hot tub.
This Oceanfront Studio has views of the Pacific and Humbug Mountain.
This Spacious House is tucked back in the woods while still being close to town and the beaches. Also, a sauna.
For a luxury stay with unbelievable ocean views, check out this Cliffside Glass House.
If you’re a solo traveler staying for a short time, it’ll probably make more sense to stay in Bandon or Gold Beach to save money on the inevitable vacation rental fees.
Port Orford is close to two large campgrounds: Cape Blanco and Humbug Mountain.
Getting there
Port Orford is on the southern Oregon Coast. It’s five hours from Portland. The closest airport is North Bend, about 50 miles away. The only access into and out of town is Highway 101. You’ll need a car to get there and to explore the area.
Best things to do in Port Orford, the summary:
Battle Rock Wayside Park
Port Orford Heads State Park
Eat at Redfish
Visit an art gallery
Agate Beach
Port of Port Orford
Cape Blanco State Park
Humbug Mountain State Park
Prehistoric Gardens
Sisters Rock State Park
Explore nearby
Find the best things to do in Gold Beach.
Find the best things to do in Bandon.
