Coos Bay, OR Road Trips

It was created separately in parts of western Umpqua and Jackson counties by the Territory's legislative law, and the original administrative center was Empire City, but in 1895 it was changed to Coquille, the current administrative center, by a referendum. The place name comes from the names of the American Indian tribes that lived here, but the source for the place name notation is unclear. The Lewis and Clark Expedition is Cook-Koo-oose, with early maps and archival documents documenting variously, including Cowes, Cowes, Coose, and Koos. Town website

Located just a few minutes north of Coos Bay, the Oregon Dunes Recreational Area is a place to ride any kind of off-road vehicle.The sand dunes offers a seemingly endless variety of trails and open riding areas that it is virtually impossible to run out of riding options. Experience and inexperienced riders alike can find a challenge here. From tall looming hills to flat open areas the riding is vast. You can pick a bowl to stick around and play in all day long, or you can ride from one end of the dunes such as Spinreel at the North end, to Boxcar at the South end. About a twelve-mile ride. During the summer months the evening darkness on the dunes can be cut with the headlights of off-road enthusiasts, making their way across the open sands. The dunes are a very popular place come Memorial day weekend, Fourth of July, and Labor day weekend. People from as far away as Southern California make the trip to ride and participate in the madness. It is truly something one should experience at least once in their lifetime. Located just minutes West and then a few more south, Cape Arago boasts three of the greatest State Parks, not just great in Oregon, but in the Nation. Sunset Bay State Park is the residential area with an outstanding camp ground. As its name implies it is near a bay of the same name which has a nice beach and water tens of degrees warmer that on the open coast. The North shore of the bay has what probably are the most accessible tide pools on the Oregon coast. Just south is Shore Acres State Park with the stunning botanical garden of the same name.

Spinreel Dune Buggy & ATV Rentals. The Great South Coast Pub Crawl Wildlife Watching at Simpson Reef in Shore Acres State Park Tour the gardens at Shore Acres State Park Look for the Summer Gray Whales at Cape Arago State Park Camp and or view the Tide Pools at Sunset Bay State Park Three Rivers Casino, 1297 Ocean Blvd, ☏ +1 541-808-9207, toll-free: +1-877-374-8377. 250 slot machines and a restaurant (updated Jul 2020) 1 Egyptian Theatre, 229 S Broadway. (updated Jan 2026) Bastendorff Beach Lighthouse Beach Sunset Bay Horsefall Beach (accessible from dunes)

Walt's Pourhouse The Mill Casino (24hrs)

Comfort Inn Coos Bay, 1503 Virginia Avenue North Bend, ☏ +1 541 756-3191. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. In quaint North Bend, one mile from the airport. The Mill Casino and Hotel, 3201 Tremont Ave, toll-free: +1-800-953-4800. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. 7-story, 92-room hotel tower along the Coos Bay waterfront. Also has an RV park. Red Lion Hotel Coos Bay, 1313 N. Bayshore Dr (on Hwy 101, 6 blocks north of the Coos Bay City Center), ☏ +1 541-267-4141. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. A non-smoking, pet-friendly hotel with 145 rooms. Amenities include a fitness room, seasonal outdoor heated pool, spa, and a washer and dryer. On-site restaurant which specializes in Pacific Northwest cuisine, and a sports lounge with 8 TVs including two 52" plasma televisions. 1 Sunset Bay State Park, Cape Arago Highway, ☏ +1 541-888-3778. Very private full hookup campsites for RVs and also tent campsites including a hiker/biker area. Plainview Motel, 91904 Cape Arago Hwy, ☏ +1 541-888-5166. Basic motel but with access to secluded beach across road. Edgewater Inn Coos Bay ([email protected]), 275 E Johnson Ave, toll-free: +1-800-233-0423. Coos Bay's only waterfront motel, one block off of Highway 101 in the heart of the southern Oregon coast's recreational and business capital. Within minutes you can visit Oregon's sand dunes, ocean beaches and world-famous Shore Acres State Park.

Access to the city of Coos Bay is granted to motor vehicles via Highway 101 to the north and south, and to air transportation via the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend. The climate in Coos Bay (just as with the rest of the Oregon coast), is cool and wet, with around 66 inches of rain annually. Winter temps rarely dip below 40F and summer temps rarely rise above 66F, so be sure to wear a sweater or light jacket, even during summer months. Expect rainfall between September and June. Humidity is high all year. Snow is an uncommon occurrence, with most years seeing only a mix of rain and snow on cold days; pure snowfall is rare.