Yachats, OR, Epic Weekend Itinerary
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I’m always excited when I take a trip to the Oregon Coast. Knowing the destination is Yachats brings the anticipation to another level, even after many visits. The charming town sits on a stretch of rocky coastline that doesn’t look quite like anywhere else in the world. Waves crash at high tide. Low tide reveals colorful sea stars and anemones. A few minutes down the road are the wonders of Cape Perpetua. After seeing Thor’s Well, Spouting Horn, and perhaps a whale or two, you can head back to town for a fantastic dinner. Here’s how to spend a magical weekend in Yachats.
Day one: Yachats and Cape Perpetua
Bread & Roses Bakery
Bread & Roses pastry counter
I’d call Bread & Roses Bakery the best bakery on the Oregon Coast. If you’re spending the weekend in Yachats, I’d highly recommend going at least once to pick up some freshly baked pastries. Waiting in the inevitable line gives you time to debate between the apple raspberry turnovers, cinnamon rose cinnamon rolls, croissants, and cream cheese danishes. The bakery doesn’t have much seating, so I’d plan on taking your breakfast to go. You’ll be within walking distance of the ocean. Or, better still, head straight to Cape Perpetua.
Cape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua Overlook
Pass required: NW Forest Pass, America the Beautiful Pass, or Oregon Pacific Coast Passport. You can buy a day pass for $5 from the visitor center.
More than anywhere else on the Oregon Coast, Cape Perpetua Scenic Area shows off the power of the Pacific Ocean. Less than 10 minutes south of Yachats, it’s a must-see on a weekend trip. I’m suggesting a morning visit because afternoons are more crowded, but you might want to time your visit around the tide instead. Low tide is the best time to see the excellent tidepool area. High tide is when to watch the waves and see famous oddities like Thor’s Well and Spouting Horn looking their best.
Thor’s Well
Cape Perpetua covers a large area. It has multiple potential destinations, ranging from viewpoints to long hiking trails. I’ve been about half a dozen times. These are my favorite things to see and do:
Devils Churn is a large channel where ocean water crashes against hollowed-out basalt. The best time to visit is high tide, when the waves make thundering booms. You can see an overhead view from the parking lot. A quarter-mile trail leads down to an up-close encounter. Explore with caution. The guardrails end with the trail.
The Cape Perpetua Overlook is the highest point you can drive to on the Oregon Coast. The road ends at the top of Cape Perpetua, where a 0.2-mile trail leads to a viewpoint overlooking the coast from 800 feet up. It’s fenced and family-friendly.
The Captain Cook Trail connects the visitor center to Cape Perpetua’s broad marine platform. At low tide, the highlight is exploring the tidepools. At high tide, the geological weirdness becomes obvious. Water shoots up through Spouting Horn. Waves fill up barnacle-encrusted Thor’s Well, then disappear back into the depths. Keep a healthy distance from Thor’s Well and the ocean when you visit.
Explore Yachats
After seeing Cape Perpetua, it’ll be around lunchtime, a perfect time to head back to Yachats. For lunch, I’d suggest Luna Sea Fish House if you eat seafood. It has a reputation for having fresh, high-quality fish that comes straight from the boat to the restaurant. If, like me, you’re a vegetarian, go to WildCraft Cider & Pantry. The seasonal menus feature locally-sourced ingredients and unique flavors, plus fun cider flights.
WildCraft
After lunch, it’s time to get acquainted with the town. The north end of Yachats has a cluster of art galleries with a great assortment of paintings, sculptures, photography, jewelry, and gift items. The Touchstone Gallery comes with a bonus of cats. Behind the galleries is the entrance to the Gerdemann Botanical Preserve, a private garden open to the public. It connects to the Ya’Xaik Trail, a 1-mile loop hike through a beautiful coastal forest.
Earthworks Gallery
For a hike of a different sort, the 804 Trail is a highlight of any trip to Yachats. This walking path along the ocean has public art, benches, and picnic tables, as well as a few places where you can get down to the water. For safety, I’d stick to the trail at high tide. The waves can be feisty here. At low tide on calm days, it’s a good place to look for tidepools. The trail ends at long and sandy Tillicum Beach on the north end of town. The south end of the trail provides easy access to the small wetland area in Yachats Commons Park, the interesting rock formations in Yachats State Park, and the center of town. If you drive there, Smelt Sands Recreation Site has free public parking and restrooms.
804 Trail
The Yachats town center has a compact layout that makes it easy to explore on foot. The shops have good browsing potential and offer more than standard souvenirs. On a rainy day, you can stock up on used books at Books and More. The rock shop Styx, Stones, and Bones is always a fun visit. You enter past a little gold panning station and human-sized crystals. Inside are curiosities like geodes, fossils, and dinosaur bone casts.
Styx, Stones, and Bones
Happy hour and dinner
We’ll start to wind things down with my new favorite happy hour spot, Bayside Cellars. A fairly recent addition to Yachats, the bottle shop and wine lounge has a friendly, neighborhood feel and regular live music performances. The patio out front is a treat on sunny days. The interior is full of wood and botanical print that matches its coastal surroundings. The drink options include a rotating draft beer and wine list, plus many NA choices. The food menu offers small plates, charcuterie boards, and desserts. There are also full meal options if you stay for dinner.
Bayside Cellars
Other great dinner options nearby are the Drift Inn and Ona Restaurant. The Drift Inn’s restaurant has an extensive menu with something for everyone. Sometimes seeing a thick menu makes me a little nervous about quality, but I’ve found it to be excellent here, as is the service. The quirky decor is a fun bonus, both inside and on the plant-filled covered patio. Across the road, Ona Restaurant is one of the more upscale dining options in Yachats. The largely seafood menu has many Pacific Northwest influences and features a few solid vegetarian options, like mushroom miso ramen. Great wine, beer, and cocktail menu.
Drift Inn
Day two: Explore the Coast
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Pass required: Oregon State Park Pass. You can use an annual pass or buy a day pass on-site for $10.
One of the great things about spending a weekend in Yachats is how many incredible destinations are just down the road. A 20-minute drive will bring you to Heceta Head Lighthouse, a white and red tower perched on 200-foot cliffs above the Pacific. The parking lot is by Cape Cove Beach, a popular rockhounding and bird-watching spot. To reach the lighthouse, you’ll follow an easy, half-mile trail past the old lighthouse keeper’s quarters, now a bed and breakfast. Just ahead, the lighthouse viewpoint overlooks Cape Cove Beach, Cape Creek Bridge, and the coastal bluffs to the south. It’s a great place to watch for whales. You can turn around here, or continue on the trail to Hobbit Beach, a 5-mile round-trip hike.
Learn more about visiting Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint.
Sea Lion Caves
Steller sea lions
The Sea Lion Caves are the most polarizing stop on the Yachats weekend itinerary. Many people love them, but I’ve heard complaints about the noise and smell. And yes, sea lions are noisy and smelly. I’d call it part of their charm. The main attraction at the Sea Lions Caves is an elevator that descends to a giant sea cave that’s a hotspot for Steller sea lions. When I went, the highlight wasn’t the cave itself but the underground viewpoint facing Heceta Head Lighthouse. Besides dozens of sea lions, large numbers of cormorants and pigeon guillemots were nesting on the cliffs. The Sea Lion Caves charges an admission fee ($18/adult). When you arrive, the staff will tell you whether you can expect to see sea lions. I’d say it’s worth it if they’re around, or if seabirds are nesting. If not, it’s maybe not a critical part of your weekend trip.
Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint
Neptune South
If you have decent weather on your weekend trip to Yachats, it’ll be a great time for a picnic by the ocean. Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint is one of the most underrated places on the Oregon Coast. It has a lot of the same majesty as Cape Perpetua, with a fraction of the visitors. The name makes it sound like a quick stop, but you could easily spend a day exploring. The park has four separate beaches, all with interesting rock formations and beach-combing potential: Neptune North, Neptune South, Strawberry Hill, and Bob Creek. My favorite time to visit them is low tide, when you can see tons of intertidal life. Bob Creek is the best-known rockhounding destination. Harbor seals often hang out at Strawberry Hill. Please keep a respectful distance.
Dinner and sunset in Yachats
Sunset on the 804 Trail
I think we covered restaurants pretty well in the day one itinerary. If you visit Yachats during the long days of summer, after dinner is a great time to watch the sunset over the ocean. Well, sometimes, anyway. The many cloudy days on the Oregon Coast can make it underwhelming. If the clouds break during your weekend trip, the 804 Trail and Yachats State Park are breathtaking places to watch the sunset. Outside town, the Cape Perpetua Overlook would be stunning.
Where to stay in Yachats
The Fireside Lodge on the 804 Trail
One of the cool things about spending the weekend in Yachats is that most of the lodging options are on or near the ocean. Here are some great places to stay.
Tillicum Beach Motel is a budget-friendly and dog-friendly option with oceanfront rooms. It’s a little out of town, about 10 minutes north of Yachats, on a sandy beach.
Fireside Lodge has a fantastic location right on the 804 Trail. I’ve stayed there before and loved walking out the door to watch the waves with a cup of coffee in the morning.
Overleaf Lodge is a more deluxe stay right next door to the Fireside Lodge. As well as oceanfront rooms, it has bonuses like an on-site spa and fitness center.
Besides traditional hotels, Yachats has some fun vacation rentals, like the Earthworks Art House, a cute 2-bedroom house behind the Earthworks Art Gallery. Guests receive discounts on art gallery purchases.
Explore nearby
Find the best things to do in Newport, Oregon, only 30 minutes north of Yachats.
Visit the other most picturesque towns on the Oregon Coast.
Head a little north of Yachats to see more incredible rock formations at Seal Rock State Recreation Site.
