U.S. legislation was passed in 1935 to protect more than 1,853 offshore rocks, reefs and islands around Oceanside as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. When you visit the city, built onto a steep hillside along the coast, see part of that important preserve and appreciate the foresight of past leaders. Today, Three Arch Rocks Wildlife Refuge has hundreds of thousands of murres and many yellow-headed tufted puffins. You might also see pupping of sea lions.
The forward-thinking preservation act may have created one spectacular Oceanside sight, but it’s far from the only attraction at this sleepy beach town that lies just off the Three Capes Scenic Route. Walk the northern end of the beach, searching for agates and other gemstones as you stroll. Continue straight through a tunnel in the rock to Maxwell Point, which leads you to the aptly named Tunnel Beach, strewn with black volcanic rocks. South of the city, you’ll see the Cape Lookout headland and the entrance to Netarts Bay.
Enjoy quiet time on Bayocean Peninsula, with a 4-mile (6-kilometer) stretch of undeveloped beachfront, where you can spot rare birds or try clamming as the locals do. Close by, Cape Meares Lake and Netarts Bay offer peaceful bodies of water for kayaking. If you’re the type to do your sightseeing underwater, you’re in luck in Oceanside, one of the top scuba diving destinations on the Oregon Coast.
Oceanside is about a 2-hour drive west of Portland. Choose from a small selection of accommodations in the town’s village-like setting. Oceanside is a quieter alternative to Cannon Beach or Manzanita, with the imposing profile of the Three Arch Rocks standing as a constant reminder of the ocean’s power.
