Best places to stop/stay along coast from south to north

We will be driving up the Oregon coast mid-July (after visiting Crater Lake) and will have a week or a bit more to spend before heading to the Columbia River Gorge and then Portland for a few days.

Any suggestions as to how to divide up the drive and where best to stay? We want to really enjoy the south part of the coast, which I believe is very beautiful and quieter than the north. As well, we enjoy walking/hiking and definitely want to spend some time exploring the dunes. We are also thinking that it would be nice to explore some of the loops off of 101 where it doesn%26#39;t run right along the ocean.

Itinerary help would be greatly appreciated.

Best places to stop/stay along coast from south to north

From Crater Lake, you might take Hwy 62 to Grants Pass then take Hwy 199 to Crescent City. The most scenic part of Hwy 101 (IMO) stretches from the OR border to Port Orford. Brookings is a busy town of about 8,000; Gold Beach is smaller and less developed; Port Orford is tiny with not much there. Bandon is a pleasant, tidy town with an ';old town'; area.

The dunes stretch for about 40 miles or so from North Bend to Florence - lodging is hit-and-miss along there depending upon what type you are looking for.

The section from Florence to Yachats is also quite scenic and Yachats is a good place to stay if you like very small towns.

What do you mean by ';explore some of the loops';, etc of 101?

Best places to stop/stay along coast from south to north

I like half-Brit%26#39;s suggested route, which passes through Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. It%26#39;s about a four-hour drive from Crater Lake to Brookings, so, depending on how much time you want to spend in the redwoods, that might be your first overnight.

Not sure what to suggest for other overnights, though. You%26#39;re right about the south coast being quieter, but that also means there are fewer lodging options. Tu Tu Tun Lodge, six miles inland from Gold Beach, is rated one of the top small hotels in the world, but may not be the kind of place you%26#39;re looking for.

Not really a loop, but there are some dramatic beach and seascapes in the state parks west of Coos Bay: Sunset Bay, Cape Arago, Shore Acres. Not to mention a beautiful botannical garden.

I read you%26#39;re also interested in hiking in the dunes. Hopefully oregonpoppa will chime in with his usual great advice, but climbing up hills of soft sand isn%26#39;t easy. I much prefer exploring in a dune buggy.

Actually there is a loop in the area mistletoe mentioned ;-)

About eight miles or so north of Bandon, you%26#39;ll see a sign that says ';Seven Devils Loop';, also ';Charleston'; and a road to your left (west). If you take that you will end up out near Shores Acres, and then you can return to Hwy 101 via Coos Bay. It%26#39;s not really ';scenic'; as such, but slower paced than Hwy 101. It%26#39;s part of the old highway.

There is a loop from just north of Brookings that goes up the hills and ends up in Carpenterville, but that is not too scenic and you%26#39;d miss a lot of really spectacular coastline.