Family friendly camping ideas on state and federal lands near Oregon’s beaches
The Oregon Coast isn’t just 362 miles of jaw-dropping beaches, cliffs, mountains, and forests. It’s also home to amazing camping. Here are 7 of our family favorite Oregon Coast campgrounds:
Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park
Florence
Huge campground with access to beaches, dunes, and lakes. Check out nearby Cleawox Lake for sledding down a dune into the lake!
South of Honeyman, it’s easy to head into the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area for wanderings in the dunes that inspired Frank Herbert to write the iconic novel Dune. Or, Florence and its walkable Old Town, full of shops and cafes, is just a few minutes north.
About 20 minutes north of Florence, you can also visit our favorite spot on the Oregon Coast: Heceta Head Beach and Lighthouse.
Sunset Bay State Park
Charleston/Coos Bay/North Bend
Nestled inside forested hills, a short path takes you to a cliff-sheltered bay. Stack rocks and calm waves make this one of our fave spots to take the kids.
With multiple loops, this Oregon Coast campground is also fun to walk around. Even better, however, is from here you are just a few minutes away from two more of the Oregon Coast’s most iconic state parks. At Shore Acres State Park, about five minutes south down the Cape Arago Highway, a restored English-style garden, clifftop viewpoints, and a path down to a secluded beach await. At the end of the road, Cape Arago State Park has one of our favorite spots on the entire coast to watch the sunset. Listen for the barks of sea lions from nearby Simpson’s Reef.
Harris Beach State Park
Brookings
Playground, tree-lined campground, easy access to a beach with an ADA ramp to the beach. Plus, amazing stack rocks for beautiful family photos. Trails inside the campground also lead to the beach.
This campground also has you at the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. This 10-mile stretch of Highway 101 is packed with stack rocks, scenic clifftop overlooks, and trails. It’s a short drive with so much to see, all as you head into the small town of Brookings, just up from the Oregon-California border.
Bullards Beach State Park
Bandon
Just a few minutes north of the lovely town of Bandon, this calm campground has chill roads and paths for wanders. Both a lighthouse and a driftwood-strewn beach are just a couple of minutes away.
Bullards makes a great base for camping in this area. Bandon itself is a relaxed small town, with a public docks great for crabbing, sweets, and a gallery devoted to ocean education through art made from trash that’s washed up on the beach.
Tahkenitch Landing
Gardiner
Quiet sites make this great for a relaxed trip and for camping with kids. The nearby lake makes for excellent fishing and for opportunities to enjoy not just the ocean, but a large stretch of freshwater.
Cape Perpetua Campground
Yachats
The sun coming into the canyon in the morning is an exquisite sight. Plus, you are right at one of Oregon’s most scenic areas: the high overlook of Cape Perpetua! Trails wind throughout the hilly campground, including one that goes up to the top of the cape itself.
A short trail at the campground also leads to the Giant Spruce, which our kids love scrambling around and ducking under the roots. Plus, a nearby stretch of beach is fun to wander at low tide for its exposed rocks and tide pooling.
South Beach State Park
Newport
Short, secluded trails lead right to the beach. Plus, you’re minutes from downtown Newport, its vibrant dining and shopping, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and the Hatfield Marine Science Center.
Where will your family camp on the Oregon Coast?
Oregon Coast campgrounds offer a range of camping, from tent and RV sites, to yurts and cabins. Plus, excellent camping abounds from Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River, all the way down to Brookings, near California. Some of our family’s fondest travel memories come from camping with kids on the Oregon Coast. Where will you make your Oregon Coast camping memories?
