Florence and Reedsport

Stop in Salem to get some coffee and a small bite for later. Archive Coffee & Bar is an industrial chic style space that opens in the morning as a coffee house, and transforms into a cocktail bar at night. Indoor dining, outdoor dining, and takeaway options are available. You'll find all the usual offerings here, but make sure to try their specialty, called "The Bee's Knees." It has espresso, cream, honey, rosemary, lavender, black pepper, simple syrup and crushed ice. Floral and delicious! Open every day.

Break up your driving with a stop at Ellmaker State Park. This is a rest stop, where you can stretch your legs and use the bathroom, and also a tree preserve. Walk around and see the many fruit trees on the south side of this park. There's also a small stream, a grassy meadow and some picnic tables.

Thor’s Well is worth a quick stop, simply because you won’t find anything quite like it anywhere else on the coast. Also referred to as the “Drainpipe of the Pacific,” the unique geography of this spot makes it look as though the ocean has a giant sinkhole in it, draining the sea away. No hike-in necessary for this stop—you can see the rock formation from the parking lot, if you so choose.

The Florence Sea Lion Caves are a privately-owned nature reserve and the largest sea cave in the U.S. This is not a zoo, and the sea lions move about naturally. But when you visit and take an elevator down to the caves, you may see as many as hundreds of sea lions through the looking glass. Tickets are $10 for kids ages 5-12, and $16 for adults. Parking is free.

As you drive into Florence on US-101, cross the Siuslaw River Bridge. This crossing over the Siuslaw River where it connects with the Pacific Ocean was built in 1936. You can see beautiful water vistas from the bridge, as well as a view into Florence’s historic downtown area. You can pull off the road to visit the interpretive center, which has information about the bridge, native plants and regional history.

Get a glimpse into the art of aquaculture—farming seafood—with a visit to Umpqua Aquaculture. At their market and processing center, you can watch oysters get shucked in real time, and learn about the farming process. You can even pick up a few oysters to taste; they don’t get any fresher than that. Be aware -- Umpqua Triangle Oysters is closed on Tuesdays.

Head down to Reedsport for dinner. The Harbor Light Restaurant has had many names and owners since it opened in 1950, but has been under consistent ownership for the last four decades. This is the best place in Reedsport to find burgers, steaks and seafood. Stay for dessert, likely made with local Oregon berries.

Stay overnight in this three-star hotel right on the water. Enjoy amenities such as an onsite restaurant, bar and casino with 700 slots and game tables. This hotel includes 200 water-facing rooms that are luxuriously decorated and very comfortable.