The Pacific Coast Highway is home to a number of scenic and historic towns. Astoria boasts historic charm and examples of Victorian architecture. Stop in at the Flavel House and imagine life for the occupants over a century ago. A visit at Christmastime provides you with the chance to enjoy an old fashioned tea with traditional plum pudding. Tillamook has some of the best cheese in the country. Try a sample of it as you pass through the town. Seaside's famous promenade has been visited by tourists for decades. Rest your feet as you stare out at the churning eddies of water. The Lewis and Clark Memorial statue marks the end of the trail. Here you'll learn about the history of their expedition and wander around the reconstructed Fort Clatsop.

Numerous spots to explore the variety of wildlife and greenery are available in the wide array of parks that surround the roadway, such as Cape Blanco State Park. The park's scent of pine and salt of the ocean fills your senses as you hike through the trees and along sandy pathways. Eventually you'll find yourself at the historic Hughes House, still lit by rose-colored gaslight. Over 40 miles of coastline from Florence to Coos Bay make up the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Explore the coastal trails that provide breathtaking views of the sea-worn rocks of the Pacific Coast at Port Orford Heads State Park.

Visit the multitude of lighthouses in the area, such as Cape Blanco, the oldest lighthouse on the Oregon coast. Also consider Yaquina Head's lighthouse, one of the most beautiful in America. Join other visitors to the coast to catch a glimpse of the gray whales on their yearly journey to the lagoons of Mexico. Enjoy a more peaceful walk along Blacklock Point, where you can almost feel the spray of foaming ocean water crashing against the luminescent cliffs of the South Coast. The byway continues north, all the way to the Washington state border with uncountable scenic spots along the way.