Oceanside – Oregon Coast Beach Paradise

• Oceanside is a beach town situated right off the Three Capes Scenic Route
• Features a beautiful coastal line, secret beaches, and a cliff tunnel

Oceanside is located 9 miles west of Tillamook and 3 miles north of Netarts. Situated right off the Three Capes Scenic Route, this little beach paradise offers visitors opportunities to enjoy the beauty of coastal nature, explore tide pools, hike to secret beaches through a cliff tunnel, and see the native habitat of wildlife including seabirds, sea lions, and migrating gray whales.

Three Arch Rocks Wildlife Refuge sits right off the Oceanside shore. Most towns' accommodations provide a gorgeous view of the off-shore rocks and the Pacific Ocean. Looking from the beach right to left the rocks are named Shag, Finley Rock, and Storm Rock.

At the northern end of the beach, there is a man-made tunnel through Maxwell Point which leads to Tunnel Beach. During very low tides you can walk around Maxwell Point exploring edges of big rocks with colonies of California mussels, anemones, and sea stars.

Next to the northern end of Tunnel Beach is Lost Boy Beach. A story says that Lost Boy Beach was named after a local boy who disappeared here at the beginning of the last century. This beach is a small secluded cove with no direct road or trail access. Possible access from Tunnel Beach or Short Beach through the Lost Boy Cave is dangerous and only can be done at super low tides (minus 2 feet and less). Such tides happened a few times a year. If you decide to explore this beach, make sure you do it at the correct tide and do not stay there for a long time so as not to be trapped by the incoming tide.

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Two brothers, J.H Rosenberg and H.H. Rosenberg purchased the land in 1921 from the original owner John W. Maxwell. Rosenbergs dreamed of building one of the biggest and finest resorts on the Pacific Coast.

The town was officially named Oceanside on July 5, 1922, and this is when the construction began. The first building constructed was a big dancing hall, later turned into a skating rink. Two other buildings, the grocery store and Hillcrest Court were constructed in 1923. Later, Hillcrest Court became the Oceanside Inn. Once the wooden-plank road was constructed connecting Oceanside to Netarts, the town truly began its life.

Nowadays Oceanside is a fantastic destination on your Oregon Coast trip. You can just visit Oceanside Beach State Recreational Site and spend a few hours or a whole day on the ocean. The area offers plenty of parking and restrooms for visitors. You can also stay at any of the numerous local accommodations in the Oceanside and take your time to enjoy Oregon coast nature and wildlife. Plenty of other Oregon coast attractions such as Cape Meares Lighthouse and State Scenic Viewpoint are located within a short drive from the Oceanside and can be combined in one trip in order to get the most out of your coastal travel.

Rockhounding

The Oceanside Beach is a great site for searching agates, jaspers, quartz, petrified wood, and zeolites. During summertime, the beach is covered by layers of sand. In winter, high-energy seasonal storms and king tides uncover the ocean treasures.

The best materials are found near Maxwell Point at the northern edge of the beach. During low tide, check Tunnel Beach which is more secluded and has more interesting materials.

Open: Year-round
Managed by: Oregon State Park

Amenities: Restrooms
Activities: Rockhounding, hiking, fishing, and wildlife watching

Distance from the parking: Short
Road access: Any vehicles
Day-use fees: None
Popularity: Moderate to High

Oceanside Beach is located:

• 9 miles west of Tillamook
• 81 miles west of Portland
• 82 miles northwest of Salem.