Updated: March 15, 2024
Tucked into a hillside overlooking the sea, Oceanside, Oregon is a small, beach community west of Tillamook. If you stay on Highway 101, you’ll miss out. Take the side trip to Oceanside and walk through a beach tunnel, visit a lighthouse or just enjoy the incredible view from a cliffside cabin.
Here are some of our favorite things to do near Oceanside, OR on a weekend beach getaway.
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Contents
- Where is Oceanside, Oregon?
- Transportation to Oceanside, OR
- About Oceanside, OR
- Things to Do in Oceanside, Oregon
- Places to Stay in Oceanside, Oregon
Hotels
Vacation Rentals
Campgrounds - Where to Eat in Oceanside, OR – Restaurants and Dining
- Weather in Oceanside, Oregon
- Tide Charts for Oceanside, OR
- Annual Events and Festivals in Oceanside, OR
Where is Oceanside, Oregon?
Oceanside is located on the northern Oregon Coast in Tillamook County, about 1 hour and 40 minutes driving from Portland (82 miles). Take highway 26 west from Portland, then head west on highway 6 until you reach Tillamook. Follow the signs for highway 131 west to Oceanside.
Transportation to Oceanside, OR
Driving is the most convenient way to get to Oceanside. For air, bus, train, car and camper rental information, see Transportation to the Oregon Coast.
🚗 Save up to 70% on your next car rental through DiscoverCars »
About Oceanside, Oregon
Oceanside is a sleepy, unincorporated beach community on the Oregon Coast with a population of around 350 people. There are very few restaurants and businesses– it’s mainly made up of beach homes and rentals.
Top Things to Do Near Oceanside, Oregon
Explore Tunnel Beach
Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site is the main beach access park in town with scenic Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife refuge visible just offshore. The beach here offers some great agate hunting and rockhounding, especially after a winter storm.
Maxwell Point is the large rocky headland jutting out from the shoreline. Explore the tide pools here to see a variety of sea creatures at low tide.
As you look at Maxwell Point, you’ll see a mysterious opening in the side of the rock with a “Caution” sign posted next to it.
This is the entrance to a 90-foot-long tunnel that goes through the rock to Tunnel Beach on the other side. The tunnel was blasted by ambitious resort owners in 1926 and though the resort is now long gone, the dark tunnel remains, free for beachcombers to explore.
It gets rocky inside the tunnel so watch your step and bring a flashlight. There have been rockslides here in the past that blocked access to the tunnel, so please use caution. You can also walk around the rock during extreme low tides.
North of Tunnel Beach is Lost Boy Beach, only accessible during minus tides. Further north on Cape Meares Loop Road is access to Short Beach, a small, secluded beach with a few waterfalls. There is limited parking with fairly steep stairs leading down to this beach.
Visit the Cape Meares Lighthouse and Octopus Tree
Follow the Cape Meares Loop Road north from Oceanside to Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. Cape Meares is the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, but its kerosene-powered lens was one of the most powerful of its day.
Read about more lighthouses on the Oregon Coast.
While you’re there, be sure to go see the “Octopus Tree,” the largest Sitka spruce tree in Oregon. It’s just a short walk from the parking lot.
Drive the Three Capes Scenic Loop
Take the Three Capes Scenic Loop to see Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. A portion of this route was closed due to a landslide for nearly a decade, but as of November 2023, it has reopened. From Tillamook, you no longer have to come up from Netarts and backtrack. You can once again take the northern route on Bayocean Road to make a complete loop.
💡 It’s a good idea to check Google Maps or ODOT TripCheck before you go, to make sure there are no road closures due to winter storms.
Heading south from Oceanside, pull in at Symons State Scenic Viewpoint and Netarts Bay Lookout to take in the views. Netarts is a small, unincorporated beach community known for good clamming. Stop at Jacobsen Salt Co. and pick up some pure sea salt harvested locally from Netarts Bay.
About 6 miles south of Netarts, you’ll find Cape Lookout. Known for the hiking trail that leads out to the tip of the cape for panoramic views of the Pacific, Cape Lookout State Park is one of the more popular coastal campgrounds in Oregon with its tall trees and cozy cabins tucked into the forest.
Roughly 14 miles south of Cape Lookout, Cape Kiwanda is a sandstone outcropping that is constantly eroded by ocean waves, creating interesting rock formations and crevices. Haystack Rock sits about a mile offshore. It’s also referred to as Chief Kiawanda Rock— not to be confused with the other Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, famous for being in The Goonies.
Cape Kiwanda is located in Pacific City, OR, home of Pelican Brewing Company and a popular spot for watching the dory boats, surfers and sunsets.
The Three Capes scenic drive can be done as a loop or one-way drive if you are headed up or down the coast. The loop could be done in one day, but we advise taking your time and enjoying the sights over a few days as this is really one of the most scenic areas of the Oregon Coast.
While you’re in the area, you may also be interested in visiting the Tillamook Creamery for some ice cream, cheese and other dairy goodness.
Places to Stay in Oceanside, Oregon
Campgrounds and RV Parks Near Oceanside, Oregon
About 9 miles south of Oceanside, Cape Lookout State Park is the nearest Oregon State Park campground. The campground is open year-round and offers tent and full-hookup RV campsites, as well as cabins and yurt rentals. Miles of great hiking trails surround this forested campground.
🌲 More about camping on the Oregon Coast »
Restaurants and Dining in Oceanside, Oregon
There are 2 restaurants in Oceanside and a few more in nearby Netarts. If you’re staying at a rental home and want to cook your own meals, be sure to bring groceries with you or stock up in Tillamook beforehand.
Blue Agate Cafe is right next to Oceanside Oceanfront Cabins and serves breakfast burritos and omelets, plus sandwiches, tacos, seafood and chowder for lunch.
Roseanna’s Cafe is a cozy restaurant with a view serving lunch and dinner. The menu features seafood, burgers, sandwiches and desserts including a homemade marionberry cobbler served warm with a sweet biscuit and ice cream on top.
Restaurants and Dining in Netarts, Oregon
The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge is on Netarts Bay and offers seafood, burgers and pizza with a bay view.
For more dining options, Tillamook is less than 10 miles away.
🍴 Browse our list of the best restaurants on the Oregon Coast for more options in the region.
Weather in Oceanside, Oregon
The weather in Oceanside, Oregon, is generally cool (50s-60s F) and damp with frequent rain throughout the year, with the exception of July and August. Temperatures rarely get too hot in summer with highs in the 60s-70s. Lows dip down into the 30s in winter but snow is rare. Spring and Autumn are a mix of sunny and rainy days.
The beaches in Oregon are usually breezy and it’s a good idea to wear layers and bring a windbreaker and/or raincoat. For more help on what to wear to the Oregon Coast, see our seasonal guide including a free downloadable packing list.
Tide Charts for Oceanside and the Oregon Coast
There are two low tides and two high tides every day on Oregon’s coast. Low tide is the time for beachcombing, clamming, tide pools and cave exploration.
For your safety, be aware of the tide schedule before boating or heading out to beaches and always keep an eye on the water level. Use extreme caution in rocky areas near the water, where sneaker waves can (and do) strike.
Check tide tables or ask at state park offices, local visitor information centers and many stores and hotels for a free tide table booklet.
Find the best tide pools on the Oregon Coast near Oceanside.
Annual Events and Festivals near Oceanside, OR
Looking for more fun things to do near Oceanside, Oregon? For local events, check with the Tillamook Coast Visitor’s Association.
👉 See more events on the Oregon Coast »
Taking a road trip? From Oceanside, drive 15 minutes east to Tillamook, 40 minutes north to Rockaway Beach or 40 minutes south to Pacific City to continue exploring Oregon Coast towns.
