20 Fun Things to Do in Lincoln City, OR
Lincoln City is a long, sprawling town that runs alongside seven miles of scenic beaches on the Oregon Coast. The town itself is more utilitarian than quaint, although you can find plenty of hidden gems here. Once five separate communities that merged into one, Lincoln City lacks a clear town center. If you look past the abundant strip malls, the natural beauty surrounding Lincoln City is astounding. Coastal forests transition to sandstone bluffs and beaches with expansive views of the Pacific Ocean. After a walk on the sand, check out the restaurants, breweries, art galleries, and glass-blowing studios. Here are the best things to do in Lincoln City, Oregon.
1. Road’s End State Recreation Site
Road’s End Beach
Road’s End State Recreation Site is the perfect introduction to Lincoln City. If you’re driving into town from the east, it’s the first beach access. More than just a convenient stop for a glimpse of the ocean, Road’s End is one of Lincoln City’s least crowded and most stunning beaches. Steep headlands form its dramatic northern border. Low-profile houses sit tucked back on sandstone bluffs without imposing on the coastline's rugged beauty. The best time to visit is at low tide when you can walk around Road’s End Point and find a hidden cove full of sea stacks and tidepools.
Parking at Road’s End State Recreation Site is free. Restrooms and picnic tables are by the parking lot.
2. Taft Waterfront Park
Harbor seals on the Salishan Spit
Taft Waterfront Park at the south end of Lincoln City is the best place on the Oregon Coast to see harbor seals. They’re always there. Head to the beach and look across Siletz Bay. You’ll see them lounging on the sands of Salishan Spit. At first glance, they look like the driftwood: tan, blobby, and inert. After a moment, you’ll notice their heads bobbing in the water and their bodies flopping onto the shore, unmistakably seals.
The dock at Taft Waterfront Park has great views of Siletz Bay and the domed rock formation known as the Four Brothers. The bay is an excellent bird-watching spot, attracting gulls, Caspian terns, grebes, and loons. Parking is free in a large public lot with restrooms nearby. Restaurants, shops, a glass-blowing studio, and the North Lincoln County Historical Museum are within easy walking distance.
3. D River State Recreation Site
D River
D River State Recreation Site is the most popular beach access in Lincoln City, I suspect because of its easy visibility from Highway 101 rather than any unusual beauty. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a lovely beach, but this is the Oregon Coast we’re talking about. We have stunners here. Think kites, sand castles, and bonfires rather than sea stacks and solitude at D River State Recreation Site. The beach is in the center of town, lined with hotels, restaurants, and shops. With miles of uninterrupted sand, it’s a great place for long walks. The most famous feature of the beach is D River, the world’s shortest river, which empties into the ocean between the parking lot and Kyllo’s Seafood & Grill.
Parking is free in the large lot. The restrooms are next to the parking lot.
4. Devil’s Lake
Devil’s Lake
Sheltered and peaceful Devil’s Lake is a great place for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing in the summer. Although in the center of town, the forested lakeshore feels remote and secluded. It’s a popular camping spot with two campgrounds near the water. Parks with shaded picnic tables are welcome escapes on days when the wind makes the ocean beaches punishing. Regatta Park has the added appeal of a 400-year-old Sitka spruce. Birds like ospreys, bald eagles, loons, herons, Canada geese, mallards, canvasbacks, and grebes visit Devil’s Lake. At the south end of the lake, the D River flows out into the Pacific.
5. Hike to the Knoll
The Knoll
Hiking is one of the best things to do in Lincoln City. The most spectacular views in town are from the headlands north of Road’s End Beach. The hike to the Knoll is a pretty forested loop that ends with stunning views of the coastline. You’ll see Devil’s Lake, Lincoln City, and miles of sandy beaches. On a clear day, the views extend to Boiler Bay. The hike to the Knoll is 3 miles long, moderately difficult, and family-friendly. Along the way, you’ll pass an unofficial but heavily trafficked trail leading to the Thumb, sometimes called God’s Thumb. This trail is rougher, but the views at the end are some of the best on the Oregon Coast. If you go, proceed with caution.
Learn more about hiking to the Knoll and the Thumb.
6. Visit the Connie Hansen Garden Conservancy
Spring at the Connie Hansen Garden
The Connie Hansen Garden is one of Lincoln City’s hidden gems. Once the home of botanist and passionate gardener Connie Hansen, skilled volunteers now maintain the property and its incredible flowers. In late spring, one of the best things to do in Lincoln City is to see the many azaleas, rhododendrons, and irises in bloom. In the fall, look for the colorful changing leaves on the Japanese maples. The garden is open to the public from dawn to dusk. The garden house is open from 10 AM to 2 PM, where you’ll find a gift shop and Connie Hansen’s old gardening journals. It’s free to visit, with donations welcome.
7. Freed Gallery
Freed Gallery
On any trip to the Oregon Coast, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for rainy days. Lincoln City is a large enough town to have options for indoor things to do, including a generous number of art galleries. One of the best is the Freed Gallery, which you’ll see from Highway 101 on the south end of town. This large gallery is great for quality and variety whether you’re looking to buy art or just browsing. The works of over 90 local, national, and international artists fill the space with paintings, sculptures, photography, glass, and woodwork.
8. Mossy Creek Pottery and Alder House Glass
Mossy Creek Pottery
Mossy Creek Pottery and Alder House Glass are worth the short drive from Highway 101 into the woods, especially on days when rain makes the beach less than appealing. Heading east on Immonen Rd, you’ll first reach Mossy Creek Pottery, a ceramics shop in an old farmhouse. Inside are the creations of 50 Pacific Northwest artists. The mugs, plates, and pots combine beauty and functionality. Great gift potential, in other words. Just down the road is Alder House Glass, where you can watch a free glass-blowing demonstration before browsing the finished products for sale. Feel free to ask questions. It’s a welcoming place.
9. Lincoln City Glass Center
Workshop at Lincoln City Glass Center
If you feel inspired by the art in the galleries, one of the best things to do in Lincoln City is to make your own blown glass creation at Lincoln City Glass Center. Choose between projects like glass floats, candle holders, fluted bowls, hearts, or paperweights to make in the workshop. Projects range in price from $75 to $225, which includes materials and instruction. Even if you aren’t making something, stop by to watch glass-blowing demonstrations and visit the gallery space next door.
10. Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Alder Trail
The Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge protects over 500 acres of coastal wetlands where the Siletz River flows into the bay. Access for human visitors is limited to one short hiking trail. The Alder Island Loop is a 0.8-mile hike through the woods next to the Siletz River. It’s flat, easy, and family-friendly. The only drawback is road noise from Highway 101, which you never fully escape. The trail leads to a viewpoint looking onto the Siletz River, a great place to spot birds like herons, grebes, mergansers, loons, and bald eagles. Chinook and coho salmon swim up the river to spawn. You can also see the refuge by kayak. There’s an easy launch point by the parking area.
Parking is free. There’s a port-a-potty by the trailhead. Dogs aren’t allowed in the refuge.
11. Find tidepools
Sea stars eating mussels at Road’s End Beach
The best place to see tidepools in Lincoln City is Road’s End Beach. From the parking lot, walk a little over a mile north on the sand. At low tide, you can walk around the first small headland, Road’s End Point, to reach the secret part of the beach. This hidden cove between Road’s End Point and the Thumb has tons of craggy rocks and sea stacks. Most are covered with intertidal life like barnacles, sea stars, and chitons. Arrive a little before low tide to have time to explore. You’ll need to return around Road’s End Point before the tide comes in.
Find the secret beach at Road’s End State Recreation Site.
12. Try the restaurants
Hearth & Table
I’ll admit that I overlooked the restaurant scene in Lincoln City at first because of the town’s unpromising strip mall aesthetic. After a deeper dive, I found plenty of great places to eat. Here are some of my favorites.
For breakfast, the Wildflower Grill has good food, large portions, and excellent coffee. The restaurant looks like a country farmhouse and has windows in the back overlooking the woods. Expect a wait by 11 AM.
On a rainy day, check out Salt, a cozy cafe and gift shop. Don’t be discouraged by its location in the outlet mall. The space inside is anything but bland.
For a quick and easy lunch, check out the Pines Dine in the Taft District. Grab food from one of the food trucks outside, then head into the communal indoor space and taproom.
For views of the water, head to Kyllo’s next to D River State Recreation Site or Pelican Brewing overlooking Siletz Bay. You pay more for the ambiance, but the food and drinks are solid at both. Expect a wait during popular times.
Hearth & Table has delicious wood-fired pizzas, craft cocktails, and a good beer and wine list in a stylish bistro. Browse the home goods made by local artisans in Studio 304 next door while you wait for a table.
13. Visit a brewery
Breachcrest Brewing
Beachcrest Brewing Company is a friendly hangout spot that’s at least as much of a destination for locals as tourists. The beers are great, with staples like IPAs, blondes, and lagers, plus unexpected seasonal releases like the fall’s pumpkin porter. The food menu has snacks, salads, and pizzas. Check the calendar for special events like holiday card-making night, weekly trivia night, and live music shows. The brewery is, I believe, technically south of Lincoln City in Gleneden Beach but only about two minutes out of town at most.
14. Hunt for glass floats
Wecoma Beach
Created to increase tourism, the glass float hunt called Finders Keepers is one of the best things to do in Lincoln City. Every year, local artisans make 3,000 glass floats to be hidden on the beaches. If you find one, it’s yours to keep. Real talk, you probably won’t find one. I’ve been to these beaches many times and have never found a float or seen anyone find one. Since you’re searching next to the Pacific Ocean, it’s fun to look regardless. The floats are hidden at random dates and times throughout the year. The odds of finding one are best during special drop days when more are placed on the beach. They’ll be above the high tide line in places that are safe to access. Don’t look too hard. The organizers want people to find the floats. It’s more about serendipity than strategy.
15. See the Neskowin Ghost Forest
Proposal Rock and the Neskowin Ghost Forest
About 15 minutes north of Lincoln City is the Neskowin Ghost Forest, one of the most underrated spots on the Oregon Coast. Beyond the sleepy town of Neskowin is a haunting beach covered with the petrified stumps of a former coastal forest. Around 2,000 years ago, these stumps were tall Sitka spruce trees. Changing ocean levels and encroaching sand killed the forest, preserving only the stumps, now barnacle-encrusted relics. To see the ghost forest, visit at a low to medium tide. Winter storms exposed the long-hidden stumps in the 1990s, and the ocean still covers them at high tide. While you’re exploring, check out Proposal Rock, the large conifer-covered sea stack, and a cool sea cave on the south end of the beach.
16. Hike to Drift Creek Falls
Drift Creek Falls
Pass required: Northwest Forest Pass ($5/day) or America the Beautiful Pass. Buy a pass before arriving at the trailhead.
Drift Creek Falls is about 40 minutes from the center of Lincoln City. If you’re driving into town on OR-18, the trailhead is only about 20 minutes out of your way. You’ll pass the Drift Creek Covered Bridge on the drive. Once you reach the trailhead, a moderate 3-mile out-and-back hike leads to 66-foot Drift Creek Falls. On the final approach to the falls, you’ll cross a 240-foot suspension bridge over Drift Creek. In the summer, look for salmonberries galore along the trail. This hike gets crowded, especially on summer weekends. Consider arriving early or visiting during the off-season. Drift Creek Falls is most impressive in winter and spring.
17. Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area
Fogarty Creek Beach
Only about 10 minutes south of Lincoln City, Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area is one of the best things to do near town that feels wild and remote. Park at the free lot on the east side of Highway 101 and follow the trail under the bridge to the beach. You’ll walk alongside Fogarty Creek before it flows into the Pacific. A tall and blobby sea stack with great climbing potential is the centerpiece of the beach. At low tide, you can find some tidepools around it, as well as at the base of the cliffs to the south. A forested picnic area and restrooms are near the parking lot.
18. Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
Looking north from the viewpoint
Just south of Fogarty Creek, Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint is a quick and easy stop with an incredible 270-degree panoramic view of the Pacific. From the parking lot next to Highway 101, walk out onto the rocky platform that extends into the ocean. To the north, you’ll see Lincoln City and Cascade Head. To the south is the rugged basalt coastline heading toward Depoe Bay. Take some time to scan the ocean. Boiler Bay is a great place to watch for whales. I’ve them very close to shore here. Seabirds like gulls, pelicans, black oystercatchers, and shearwaters are also frequent visitors.
19. Depoe Bay
Depoe Bay sea wall
Depoe Bay is a cool harbor town that’s worth the 20-minute drive from Lincoln City. A sea wall runs along the west side of town, protecting it from the sometimes large and powerful ocean waves. Across the road are several blocks of tourist-friendly shops and restaurants. The highlight of the sea wall is the Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center, a free observatory with binoculars and staff to help you spot the whales. From the Whale Watching Center, take the pedestrian path under Highway 101 to see the world’s smallest harbor. I often see a few seals lounging on the rocks below the bridge.
20. Watch for wildlife
Harbor seal in Siletz Bay
Watching for wildlife is one of the best things to do in Lincoln City. Here’s where to look.
The area south of Lincoln City is one of the best places on the Oregon Coast for whale watching. Boiler Bay and Depoe Bay are excellent, as is the coastline between Depoe Bay and Newport. Within Lincoln City, I’d recommend the Knoll. Whale watching is best when you’re able to look down at the ocean from a point of elevation.
Go to Taft Waterfront Park to see seals across Siletz Bay.
The cove at the north end of Road’s End Beach has the best tidepools in Lincoln City.
Anywhere around Lincoln City has good birdwatching potential. Devil’s Lake, Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Fogarty Creek, Boiler Bay, and Depoe Bay are good places to start.
Road’s End Beach
Best things to do in Lincoln City, the summary:
Road’s End State Recreation Site
Taft Waterfront Park
D River State Recreation Site
Devil’s Lake
Hike to the Knoll
Visit the Connie Hansen Garden Conservancy
Freed Gallery
Mossy Creek Pottery and Alder House Glass
Lincoln City Glass Center
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Find tidepools
Try the restaurants
Visit a brewery
See the Neskowin Ghost Forest
Hunt for glass floats
Hike to Drift Creek Falls
Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area
Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint
Depoe Bay
Watch for wildlife
Enjoy your trip to Lincoln City!
With love,
Emma
Explore nearby
Head south to Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area.
Visit Pacific City’s Cape Kiwanda.
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