Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 10m
Distance
89.5 mi
144 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$17
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Rockaway Beach, OR
Veronika Andrews
Salem, OR
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Rockaway Beach, OR to Salem, OR covers 89.5 miles and takes about 2h 10m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Oregon Coast Highway, OR 22, Hebo Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.8 miles on Oregon Coast Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $17.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
44.7 miles from Rockaway Beach, OR
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 9m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon Coast Highway | 28.8 mi | 42m |
| OR 22 | 20.4 mi | 24m |
| Hebo Road | 12.5 mi | 18m |
| State Highway 22 | 7.2 mi | 10m |
| Salem Dallas Highway Northwest | 4.9 mi | 6m |
| Salmon River Highway | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Three Rivers Highway | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| North Main Avenue | 2.1 mi | 5m |
Step-by-step road directions between Rockaway Beach, OR and Salem, OR.
Start on South Nehalem Avenue
Turn left onto South Beacon Street
Turn right onto South 2nd Avenue
Turn left onto US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Continue on US 101
Turn left onto OR 22
Continue on OR 22
Continue on OR 22
Continue on OR 22
Continue on OR 22
At end of road, turn left onto OR 18; OR 22
Keep slight right at fork onto OR 22
Continue on OR 22
Keep slight right at fork onto OR 22
Continue on Center Street Northeast
Turn left onto Liberty Street Northeast
Turn right onto Union Street Northeast
Turn right onto High Street Northeast
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 20 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 44.7 miles or 1h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salem, OR than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Rockaway Beach, OR so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Rockaway Beach, OR
This is one driving day of about 89.5 miles and 2h 10m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
45 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 44.7 miles from Rockaway Beach, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 89.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto South Beacon Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto South 2nd Avenue
Navigation decision point
Keep slight right at fork onto OR 22 toward OR 22: Salem
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Keep slight right at fork onto OR 22 / Center Street Bridge toward OR 99E Business South: City Center, Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Turn left onto Liberty Street Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$17.35 one way
$34.69 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.20 | $18.33 | $36.66 |
| premium | $5.44 | $19.16 | $38.32 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $19.73 | $39.46 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 31.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 26.9 | 0 | $9.40 | $4.30 |
| Efficient EV | 22.4 | 0 | $7.83 | $3.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 35.8 | 0 | $12.53 | $5.73 |
Gas CO2
31 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Rockaway Beach on Wednesday
Local time
12:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
61°F
Slight Chance Drizzle
Destination
Late night in Salem on Wednesday
Local time
12:56 AM
PDT
Current temp
74°F
Mostly Cloudy
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
89.5 mi in 2h 10m — 31% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: Oregon Coast Highway.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Beacon Street.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 89.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Beacon Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (South 2nd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 63 miles (OR 22): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
715 ft
Total Descent
574 ft
Highest Point
472 ft
~51 mi in
Elevation Range
455 ft
Founded 1943
Rockaway Beach is a city on the Northern Oregon Coast.
Founded 1842
Salem, the capital of Oregon, is located in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. It is also the county seat of Marion County. Salem was established in the early 1800s as a farming community. The town grew during the years of the California gold rush. Salem became the capital of Oregon in 1851 after it was moved from Oregon City. The capital was then briefly moved to Corvallis in 1855, but in that same year was permanently moved back to Salem. The first two Oregon State Capitol buildings tragically burned down. The third and current building was completed in 1938, complete with its distinctive gold-plated pioneer statue, the "Gold Man," perched atop. Besides being the seat of state government, Salem is also a major agricultural center in one of the most fertile regions in the world.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 10m. Total distance: 89.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 10m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (31%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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