Nestled On Oregon's Coast Is A Soaring Basalt Ridge With Whale-Watching Magic And Scenic Ocean Vistas

If you're a fan of standing on wave-smashed cliffs, watching rock stacks being battered by the ocean, wandering coffee-colored beaches peppered with agate, and journeying along dramatic shores dashed by ancient forests of evergreens, you're going to love Oregon. The incredible Highway 101 cruises the whole length of the Beaver State, covering over 340 miles of jaw-dropping stuff. Of course, panoramas abound the whole way. There are drop-dead gorgeous views of the Pacific at Cook's Chasm Scenic Bridge, along with the tide pools and beaches of the Neptune State Scenic Viewpoint. And then there's the soaring observation point atop the basalt outcropping known as Cape Foulweather ...

It's one that will take the breath away — perhaps literally, as strong winds commonly buffet this corner of the Oregon shore while waves roar and crash below. The cape itself rises 500 feet from the Pacific to offer sweeping vistas of a particularly thrilling part of the coast, where the ocean roils and boils, seabirds fight the breezes, and rock-ribbed headlands jut this way and that.

It's an easy spot to add to a road trip on the West Coast, too. Foulweather hides along the 101 just south of Oregon's whale-watching capital of Depoe Bay. That puts it under 2.5 hours from the major international airport in Portland and about the same in terms of driving time from Cannon Beach, which is probably the most famous resort in the region.

It's all about the views at Cape Foulweather, and the spot does not disappoint. To get the best of them, you'll need to find the lookout point, which sits astride the winding Otter Crest Loop Road, just under 2 miles after it leaves the 101. You'll be greeted by the hardy Lookout Observatory and Gift Shop, which has clung to the rocks like a limpet since way back in the 1930s. Souvenirs, anyone?

The panoramas erupt on both sides, but the southerly angle is the most impressive. Gaze that way to see the legendary Devil's Punchbowl, one of the most impressive sights on the Oregon Coast as a whole — it's a collapsed sea cave where the Pacific clatters in over sandstone boulders. You should also be able to spy Gull Rock lurching from the ocean in the distance, topped by colonies of cormorants and, as the name implies, seagulls.

Wildlife awaits in the water, too, for Cape Foulweather is oft-listed among the finest whale-watching locations on the Oregon Coast. Pods of gray whales are regularly spotted breaching and blowing offshore, first in December and January and then again in spring and early summer all the way through to November. 

A road trip through the region that surrounds Cape Foulweather promises to be a wonderful, wondrous thing. No matter which direction you head in along the Pacific Coast Highway — north or south — there will be something downright awesome ready and waiting, from sweeping beaches to welcoming fishing towns.

If you still haven't had your fill of never-forget-me coastal views and whale watching, then go down towards Yaquina Head (the drive is under 15 minutes from Cape Foulweather). There, hiking paths navigate through patches of coastal wildflowers before dropping down to coves where there's prime agate hunting. It's also the home of the weathered Yaquina Head Lighthouse, a whitewashed landmark of Oregon that's stood since the 1870s.

In the other direction, after just a 5-minute drive, you'll pass by the world's smallest harbor in Depoe Bay. It's a loveable spot that's brimming with whale-watching outfitters, though you won't need to board a boat to see the beasts, since the on-land Whale Watching Center there has a viewing deck and plenty of binoculars at hand!