Oregon Coast Electric Byway

May 12, 2015 (Updated March 7, 2017)
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Oregon has a reputation for a commitment to sustainability, so it’s no wonder the state is embracing electric vehicles (EVs) with such enthusiasm. Now you can take a trip along all 363 miles of the beautiful Oregon Coast and charge your EV along the way. This three-day itinerary will take you from Portland to Astoria and all the way south to Brookings. (Charging stations are listed below by city.)

Day One: Portland to Cannon Beach (122 miles / 3 hours)

Charging stations:

  • Portland, Electric Avenue, 121 SW Salmon Street (between SW 1st and 2nd Ave.)
  • Scappoose, Fred Meyer, 51501 Columbia River Highway
  • Westport, Berry Patch Restaurant, 49289 Highway 30
  • Astoria, Sunset Empire Transit District Station, 900 Marine Drive
  • Cannon Beach, Cannon Beach RV Resort, 340 Elk Creek Road

Charge up at Portland’s Electric Avenue, and head toward the Coast by way of Highway 30, which heads past the verdant hills of Forest Park and into the small town of Scappoose. Scappoose Bay is ripe for exploring by kayak on your own or with Scappoose Bay Paddling Center. The secluded watershed is full of beaver, osprey, otters, turtles, heron, eagles and other wildlife. Continue on Highway 30 toward Astoria. Pass through the Coast Range and catch glimpses of the mighty Columbia River. Stop at Westport’s Berry Patch Restaurant for a slice of pie.

Driving into Astoria, where the Columbia River spills into the Pacific Ocean, you’ll find maritime flavor in a working port town. From the EV charging station downtown, you can stroll the waterfront, check out the luxurious Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa and visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Enjoy some of the best beer on the Coast at Buoy Beer Company, Fort George Brewery + Public House or Wet Dog Café & Brewery. Don’t miss the beer-battered albacore tuna at Bowpicker Fish & Chips, housed in a converted gillnet boat. For a bird’s-eye view of the town and river, climb the 164 steps of the 125-foot Astoria Column.

From Astoria, head south on Highway 101. Visit Fort Stevens State Park to see the bones of the shipwrecked Peter Iredale, which ran aground in 1906. Along the way you can explore the Fort Clatsop National Memorial at Lewis and Clark National Historic Park and the 6.5-mile Fort to Sea Trail.

Stop in Seaside to enjoy the 1.5-mile beachfront promenade, where you can get a bite and check out the reconstructed salt works of Lewis and Clark. Stroll the beach and then reward yourself at Seaside Brewing Company with craft beer and fish tacos. If you’d like to stop for the night in Seaside, consider Inn of the Four Winds, Inn at Seaside or the River Inn at Seaside.

Continuing south, pause at Ecola State Park for gorgeous views of the ocean and the potential for spotting migrating gray whales. In downtown Cannon Beach, charge up at the Cannon Beach RV Resort. The quaint town is a walker’s delight, full of boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Iconic Haystack Rock rises out of the surf at the central section of the beach. If you are up for a long walk, Hug Point, five miles south on the beach, is a delightful stroll to a 12-foot seasonal waterfall. Enjoy dinner at Public Coast Brewing Company or Newmans at 988. Stay overnight at the Surfsand Resort, Stephanie Inn or Cannon Beach Vacation Rentals.

Day Two: Cannon Beach to Florence (158 miles / 3.75 hours)

Charging stations:

  • Tillamook, Fred Meyer, 2500 Main Avenue N.
  • Lincoln City, Cultural Center, 540 Highway 101
  • Newport, city parking lot, 925 SW Hurbert Street
  • Yachats, City Hall, 441 Highway 101
  • Florence, Three Rivers Casino, 5647 Oregon Highway 126

Perk up with some strong java from Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters in Cannon Beach, and then continue south on Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. With the ocean on your right and steep, forested cliffs on the left, this route delivers awe-inspiring views replete with towering sea stacks, pristine sandy beaches and the endless crashing surf.

Veer off Highway 101 at Tillamook to charge up at the Fred Meyer station before taking the Three Capes Scenic Loop. This detour off Highway 101 will take you past the Cape Meares Lighthouse and Cape Lookout State Park and down to Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City, where you can kick back on the patio at Pelican Pub & Brewery and watch surfers ride the waves and historic dory boats land on the beach.

Further on in Lincoln City, you’ll find some of the best wind for flying kites on the Coast. The annual kite festival takes place in June and highlights expert demos, kids’ activities and some of the biggest, most unique kites in the world. Charge your car at the Lincoln City Cultural Center and head south to Devils Punchbowl State Natural Areawhere you can peer into a large bowl carved out of the stone by the dramatic churning of the ocean and explore the tide pools on the north side of the feature. On the way to Newport you’ll find more teeming tide pools and a beautiful lighthouse at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area.

While charging up in Newport’s public parking lot, take a walk along the historic bay front to enjoy the best of Oregon’s sea bounty at Local Ocean Seafoods. The nearby Nye Beach neighborhood is home to quaint shops, the book-centric Sylvia Beach Hotel and stretches of sandy beach perfect for beachcombing or fat biking.

Back on scenic Highway 101, head south to Yachats, where you can plug your car in at city hall. Don’t miss the Green Salmon Coffee Shoppe for delightful sandwiches and a wildly creative espresso and cocoa menu, Yachats Brewing and Farmstore for farm goods, local bounty and craft beer, and fresh seafood at Luna Sea Fish House Village Fishmonger. Enjoy a spa treatment at the Overleaf Lodge and Spa where they have level 2 charging stations available for guests.

Hike the magical Secret Hobbit Trail (if you can find it!) Then head to Cape Perpetua, where the Siuslaw National Forest juts out over the ocean in a forested headland. You can hike or drive to the breathtaking viewpoint at the top. Sights like Thor’s Well and Cook’s Chasm showcase the unbridled power of the Pacific Ocean.

Charge up at the Three Rivers Casino Resort just outside of Florence with golf, casino gaming and dining. In town, enjoy a delicious dinner at the Waterfront Depot Restaurant & Bar — a historic former train depot from nearby Mapleton — or Bridgewater Fishhouse and Zebra Bar. Stay overnight at the Driftwood Shores Resort & Conference Center, which has a Level 2 charging station and ocean-view rooms. If you prefer to stay in the heart of Historic Old Town Florence, check out the Old Town Inn.

Day Three: Florence to Brookings (155 miles / 3.25 hours)

Charging stations:

  • Reedsport, Recreation Station, 1575 Highway 101
  • Coos Bay, Fred Meyer, 1020 1st Street
  • Port Orford, Seaside Plaza, 1320 Oregon Street
  • Brookings, Fred Meyer, 325 Fifth Street

Start your day with coffee at Siuslaw Coffee Roasters. Driving south you’ll see Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area as it stretches 40 miles between Florence and North Bend — the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America.

Charge up at Reedsport’s Recreation Station before driving to Sunset Bay State Park just outside of Charleston with dramatic views of the rugged South Coast. Adjacent Shore Acres State Park and Cape Arago State Park offer great hiking, whale spotting and storm watching. Before leaving Coos Bay, plug in at the Fred Meyer and tap into Oregon’s South Coast beer scene at 7 Devils Brewing Co.

In the town of Bandon, be sure to stop at Face Rock Creamery, where you can watch the cheese makers at work, sample a variety of award-winning cheddars and top off the day with a big scoop of Umpqua ice cream. If golf is your game, play a round at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — consistently ranked among the top courses in the world. Enjoy fresh local fare at Bandon Fish Market, Tony’s Crab Shack or Edgewaters Restaurant. Don’t miss a stop at Coastal Mist chocolate shop, offering an array of handcrafted confections, drinking chocolates and drinking caramels.

Head south and to your next charging station at the Seaside Plaza in Port Orford. Stretch your legs at Port Orford Heads State Park, where hiking trails along the bluff take you to views of migrating whales, seabirds and local fishing boats. Visit the free museum housed in the 1930s Port Orford Lifeboat Station. Be sure to save room for a tasty meal at The Crazy Norwegian’s Fish & Chips.

Continue on to the town of Gold Beach, where the Rogue River enters the ocean, and take a hike at Cape Sebastian State Scenic Corridor with panoramic ocean views, or Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor with 27 miles of hiking trails. Charge up in Brookings at the Fred Meyer. South of Brookings you’ll find the Oregon Redwoods Trail winding through a grove of majestic, towering redwoods. These trees, and those located in Alfred A. Loeb State Park, are the only coastal redwoods in the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy an elegant dinner at Art Alley Grille or tasty pub fare at The Vista Pub. Spend the night at the South Coast Inn, the Best Western Plus Beachfront Inn or the Ocean Suites Motel.


Travel Tips

Don’t own an electric vehicle? You can rent an electric BMW i3 from ReachNow in Portland. Visit the ReachNow website for information about how to sign up and start driving.

For the most up-to-date information about EV charging stations around Oregon, download the PlugShare app. This online resource provides real time detail about station locations and services as well as trip planning features.

Check out Oregon’s Electric Byways Road Trips for more EV itineraries around the state.

About The
Author

Eileen Garvin
Eileen Garvin lives and writes in Hood River. When she’s not hunched over her keyboard or digging in the garden, you can find her mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, skiing or camping somewhere in Oregon.