Explore Newport and the Oregon Coast: Coastal Sights & Activities

Hey friends! It’s been a while since I shared an “Out to See” travel post. We recently escaped to the Oregon coast for a few days, and it felt wonderful to get away — and to be reminded how much I love being home, too.

Do you feel the same? Escaping for a few days is rejuvenating, but coming home is always sweet.

I’ll share highlights from our trip so you can see where we stayed and what we did. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen some of these in my stories. If you’re in the Northwest or planning a last-minute summer getaway, the Oregon coast is a beautiful option even when it’s a bit chilly or cloudy. We were lucky to have mild weather — not too cold, not too windy, and certainly not too hot.

The Sylvia Beach Hotel has been a favorite of my husband and me for years. It’s a quirky, well-loved hotel that appeals to book lovers and travelers.

It isn’t fancy, but it has a lot of character. We began visiting for short winter getaways when our girls were small — especially during the years we didn’t have a family beach house.

Each room pays tribute to a different author. This is the Mark Twain room, which we’ve stayed in twice. It’s cozy, with a fireplace and a clawfoot tub instead of a shower.

The Mark Twain room is ocean-front and even has a balcony. The view from the bed is wonderfully relaxing.

This trip we decided to bring the kids so they could experience this special spot. Since our children are old enough to have their own rooms, we booked separate rooms for everyone so we could all stay together on the property.

Courtney stayed in the Jane Austen room.

Courtney even read the opening of Pride and Prejudice and enjoyed it, which surprised her since she doesn’t normally read much fiction. It’s hard not to want to curl up with a good book at this hotel.

The third-floor library overlooks the ocean and is the perfect place to read or write. I actually wrote part of my first book, Love the Home You Have, in that corner of the library. That book became a New York Times bestseller, so I like to think the hotel brings a little creative magic.

My son Luke stayed in the J.K. Rowling room — one of the more elaborately designed rooms on the property.

The Agatha Christie room is an ideal spot to curl up with a stack of mystery novels — especially on a stormy day with a fire in the fireplace. The ocean is just outside the windows; you can hear it roar and the old house sigh as the walls creak.

This is the Steinbeck room. I didn’t photograph every room because many were occupied, but I got to peek into a few, including the Jules Verne room.

Over the years we’ve probably stayed in six or seven different rooms here. The hotel includes breakfast in the room rate, and you can make reservations for a multi-course dinner in the dining room. Dinner is a great way to meet interesting people, though as an introvert I’m always glad my husband keeps the conversation going.

While we were in the area we visited several local sights.

The Yaquina Head lighthouse is impressive. You can tour the interior during scheduled times, though we didn’t go inside on this visit.

The coastal views from up there are breathtaking.

It was a perfect day to explore, and we even spotted whales off the coast (no photo, but we saw them!).

The scenery was spectacular throughout the trip.

We also visited the historic Bay Front area and its dock.

There are tons of sea lions on the floating docks — they’ve gathered there since I was a kid. Watching them jockey for space, bellow, and spar is hilarious and oddly entertaining. We lingered for a long time just watching their antics.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium sits just beyond that bridge. We first visited with our kids when it opened over twenty years ago and even saw Keiko the whale back then. It’s different now, but still has beautiful displays and marine life to enjoy.

Although this was a family trip, Kylee couldn’t join us. She and her husband Lance graciously stayed at our house with our dogs (and their two) and ran a kind of “doggie summer camp” so we could get away. The pups looked very happy in the photos she sent.

We had a wonderful time, but it felt great to return home and sleep in our own beds. Now that I’m back, I’m feeling the urge to nest and refresh the house for fall — I’m ready for the cozy routines and projects that come with the season. Are you getting the “fall nesting” bug, too? We’ll be sharing fall ideas on the blog soon.

Have you taken any vacations this summer? Where do you like to go to get away? Nantucket is my dream destination.