Oregon Coast—Budget

Budget - bud•jet: (redefined) Adjective. Better than expected, far surpassing expectations, particularly for something that eats so little green stuff. Especially pertains to Bicycle Adventures’ lodging and meals on their Budget tours: “This tour was by far the most carefully prepared, staffed, and organized of any that we've been on... a lot of bang for the buck!" — Suzanne Lampert, Oregon Coast Budget Tour, June 2007

Simple Lodging, Spectacular Service

For guests who want a more economical way to explore Oregon’s Coast, yet don’t want to camp, our Oregon Coast-Budget tour is a perfect choice.  We stay in nice motels, including two that have great oceanfront views.  We’ll eat at fine family style restaurants such as Kyllo’s in Lincoln City, featuring fresh seafood, microbrews on tap, and a stunning waterfront setting.

With its wide, empty beaches and rocky cliffs, the Oregon Coast has some of the most dramatic ocean scenery anywhere.  Moreover, all 383 miles of the coast are open to the public. No private land prevents you from enjoying its diverse terrain, from rugged cliffs to evergreen forests, from Sahara-like dunes to wide open, flat sandy beaches. We also explore rural, inland roads lined with emerald green dairy farms and sparkling clean rivers, as we bike and hike from Astoria to Florence.

Although most of the cycling is on side roads with little traffic, sometimes the only way to continue south is to be on the main highway.  When we are on Highway 101, which is part of the Oregon Coast Bike Route, there is a shoulder to ride on, but sometimes the highway can be busy with traffic.  Guests who are not comfortable cycling in traffic may prefer to use the van to bypass these sections.

Bicyclists Visit Historic Sites Along Scenic Route

We’ll pick you up in Portland (complimentary) on a Sunday morning and head to the northern tip of the Oregon Coast.  We start cycling at Fort Stevens State Park, a 3,700-acre preserve that once guarded the mouth of the Columbia River, then ride south via low-traffic, inland farm roads to our lodging in Seaside.  Along the way, we’ll visit Fort Clatsop National Memorial, where Lewis and Clark wintered in 1805, and see a re-enactment of their daily life at the fort.  We spend the night in a new Comfort Inn near the beach.  You may browse the many shops nearby or walk on the Promenade, a spacious, two-mile sidewalk along the broad, sandy beach.

Coast, Cows, and a Cheese Factory

Monday we continue south along the coast, then turn inland and cycle along a river through a quiet farming valley.  We spend the night back on the coast in Tillamook, home of the famous cheese and ice cream factory.

Cycling Follows Three Capes Scenic Route

On Tuesday we cycle past herons stalking fish in peaceful Netarts Bay, then follow the gorgeous Three Capes Scenic Route from Cape Lookout to Cape Kiwanda.  The lightly traveled road takes us beside the salt water and over several dramatic promontories with fabulous views.  After marveling at the hang gliders launching from the coastal bluffs, we follow a peaceful road through the woods to our lodging in a Best Western motel in Lincoln City.

Lighthouses, Whales, and a Devil’s Punchbowl

Wednesday is an easy half day of cycling as we continue south along the coast to Cape Foulweather, high above the water.  Resident grey whales frequently swim lazily below this spot as they feed.  We also visit the Devil’s Punchbowl, where the surf shoots out of a hole in the roof of a cave.  We’ll explore a lighthouse and its surrounding park before heading to our lodging for the night in the Shilo Inn Newport Oceanfront Resort, which, as the name implies, is right on the beach in Newport.  The afternoon is free to walk on the beach, explore Old Town Newport, get a massage, or enjoy an optional bike ride along Yaquina Bay.

Beach Picnic, Sea Lion Caves and a Famous Lighthouse

On Thursday we enjoy mostly flat cycling along the coast (usually with a great tailwind) to lunch beside the ocean in Yachats.  We’ll see the lighthouse perched on a cliff at Heceta Head, said to be the most photographed lighthouse in the United States.  We’ll pass the famous sea lion caves as we head to Florence and spend another night right on the beach at Driftwood Shores Resort.

Journey’s End

On Friday we leave the coast, cycling east beside the Siuslaw River, one of many rivers in Oregon formerly used to float logs to sawmills.  Then we head north through the woods to the tiny town of Swisshome.  We’ll have lunch here at a park before packing up and driving back to Portland via Eugene.

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