Newport

Even when officially founded on Independence Day 1866, the first settlers came here in 1855 and discovered oysters.

Newport became a great tourist destination for the whole family – the city has nice shops and good restaurants.

But may be the wide beaches and the opportunity to make endless beach walks is one of the most attracting things to do here in Newport.

Some of the attractions are:

Newport’s Historic Bayfront

With turn-of-the-century storefronts, the scent of cooking crab and artwork depicting life on the Oregon Coast, the Bayfront offers a fascinating walking tour. The city has turned this one-mile strip into a gigantic canvas for artists. This seaboard district offers art galleries, gift shops, fresh seafood markets, chowder houses, restaurants, commercial fish processing plants and markets, and is home to Newport’s marine tours, whale watching and sport fishing fleet.

Burrows House Museum

Built in 1895, the Burrows House Museum features exhibits of Lincoln County history, including period rooms of the Victorian era with household furnishings and clothing.

Oregon Coast History Center

This log cabin museum focuses on the history of pioneering, the local Siletz Indian tribe, and the logging and fishing industries in Lincoln County.

Yaquina Bay Lighthouse

The Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, completed in 1871, is Newport’s oldest building. No longer operated as a lighthouse, the restored facility is now a historical museum and gift shop.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse

See Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

Oregon Coast Aquarium

Opened in 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium ranks among the top 10 aquariums in the nation. Experience their newest exhibit Passages of the Deep, where you’ll experience the mysteries of the open ocean through a submerged acrylic tunnel. Indoor exhibits feature marine life found in wetlands, sandy and rocky shores and the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean. Outdoor exhibits are home to sea otters, seals, sea lions and a giant Pacific octopus. The Aquarium has one of the largest walk-through seabird aviaries in North America.

Mark O. Hatfield Marine Science Center

The Marine Science Center reopened in 1997 after being closed for more than a year for a $5 million renovation and remodeling. Built in 1965, the Science Center is the hub of Oregon State University’s coastal research. The public wing focuses on the research efforts and studies of the Center’s more than 300 marine scientists. Among many discoveries, visitors can explore the geology of the ocean floor, learn about coastal hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and find out about advancements made in whale tracking and research. The Center’s exhibits include a “touch” tank of tidal animals and a live octopus.