Guide to Exploring Yachats, Oregon

By Mariah Cannon

Yachats is one of the most beautiful places on the Oregon Coast to explore and in this guide, I’m going to share some of the best places to see, the yummiest places to eat, neatest trails to hike, and stay options!

Where is Yachats?

Yachats, pronounced “YA-HOTS” is located on the Central Oregon Coast, about an hour South of Lincoln City and half an hour North of Waldport. Yachats is a smaller coastal town, but offers a lot in terms of activities and exploring! With a population of just over 1,000 – you’ll be sure to have some unique and pleasant encounters with the locals and their treasures.

In my opinion, this is one of the best towns to stay in when you want small town vibes, but to also be close enough to all of the must do things on the Oregon Coast.

Portland, Oregon is the closest large city with an international airport, about 2 hours and 47 minutes away (156 miles).

Getting Around Yachats

With how small Yachats is, it’s easy to walk to and around town if you like to get your steps in everyday. So for the town itself, walking or biking aorund is totally doable. To get to some of the unique must sees mentioned below, you’ll definitely need a car to get from point A to point B.

Where to Stay

Yachats offers a lot of cute Air BnB’s and a couple of smaller hotels that are fun to stay in. Here are my top recommendations by group size:

The Drift Inn & Restaurant is a quant little spot right off highway 1 in Yachats and has a lot of history. If Dining and Music is your thing, this is the spot to stay! The food here is incredible!
Quiet Water Cabin on Air BnB has a cute and quiet vibe.
Adobe Resort is right on the water!
The Fireside Motel is a cute and waterfront stay as well.

Things to do indoors!

Oregon Coast weather got you down? Don’t worry, there’s so much to do indoors!

Grab a bite to eat at Luna Sea Fish House that’s been serving Yachats for over 10 years. They live by their fresh caught fish they serve to customers, and even better – the owner does all the fishing and catching! I really liked their cod fish and chips basket and the clam chowder was incredible.
Take a stroll and shop at the locally owned small businesses of highway 101. Some of my favorites were Just Local (where I got a super cute handmade ornament to add to my tree next year), Village Gift Gallery, Yachats Mystic Antiques, and the Yachats Mercantile. There is also a cute used book store mixed in with the stores listed above that is fun to visit.
Visit the Sea Lion Caves! These caves often are resting areas for seals and sea lions. The best time to visit is typically Spring time, but there will never be 100% chance you will see them as they come and go as they please. Below is some more information if you plan to visit! Pricing is as of May 2025.

Grab some fresh made candies and delicious ice cream from Topper’s in downtown Yachats! The chocolate peanut butter is to die for!

Things to do Outdoors!

Go tide-pooling! Yachats is one of the best places on the Oregon Coast for seeing sea urchins, star fish, and more. Some areas where I always see tons include:
- Bob Creek Wayside was one of my favorite spots while I visited Yachats and where we probably seen the most sea life. It was perfect!
- Yachats State Recreation Area is where we found tons of this type of sea urchin:

Be sure to check the tide chart here so you can have the best and safest chance to view the tide pools!

Check out the incredible structure and views surrounding Heceta Head lighthouse. During the Spring time, there are tons of different daisy’s and wildflowers that line the grass surrounding the lighthouse. They also have a gift shop you can check out from 11:00am-5:00pm that has some cool souvenirs.
Go hiking to Hobbit Beach. You can connect this trail from the Heceta Head Lighthouse, making it 4 miles round-trip with 1,100 feet of elevation gain. If you’re lucky, you could find some pelicans along the trail and down by the beach!

*Taken with a 200mm zoom lens from a good distance back!

Check out the epic views from the top of Cape Perpetua Lookout; The highest drivable lookout point on the Oregon Coast. You will not be disappointed!

Visit the Instagram famous spot, Thor’s Well and Captain Cook Trail – just a little over half a mile, you’ll walk down some stairs and a paved path until you get to stunning tide pools and rock formations. Thor’s well is the star of the show, it’s a perfect circle in the ocean made out of rock that allows water to spout from the top. Check the tide charts and watch for sneaker waves!
Take a peaceful hike along the Oregon Coast trail that walks you through fun trees and lush greenery and has a couple of peaks at the Coast line, though this is a nice one to feel far out and have some more solitude. It’s about 2.6 miles round-trip and is more of an easy nature walk.
If you’re wanting some more adventure, take a hike on the Giant Spruce Trail, a 2 mile round-trip rated as easy lush forested hike! As of April 2025 there is trail maintenance going on and a small detour through the Cape Perpetua campground while they’re fixing up the trail. There’s quite literally a large spruce tree at the end with a bench to sit on and take in the views.

Final Thoughts

Yachats is a beautiful town with so much personality and room for adventure. Whether you’re on a solo trip, a couple’s get away, or a group trip – Yachats has it all!

Enjoy this guide to Yachats? Be sure to save it for future travels!

Let’s get adventuring!

Mariah