SIGHTSEEING

SIGHTS TO SEE

Birdwatching

There are hundreds of spots along the Oregon coast popular with birdwatchers. In fact, more than 18 million people visit the coast annually to see the dozens of native species of birds that make the Florence area their home.

In the South Jetty area, birdwatchers gather in the third parking lot for a good view of the marsh. Shorebirds can be spotted past the foredunes and to the beach, as well as among the tidal flats. A cormorant rookery can be seen from the port.

Coatal lakes like Cleawox, Siltcoos and Woahink provide freshwater and mature forests for a diverse community of bird species. Also in the Siltcoos area, birders can go to the Waxmyrtle Trail and Lagoon Campground, where the many kinds of birds can be seen.

To the north, Cape Perpetua and Sea Lion Caves are popular viewing points for shorebirds.

To the east, head inland to area trails. Along the way, look for birds big and small, from eagles to finches.

Whale Watching

Every year, thousands of grey whales migrate from the frigid waters of Alaska’s Bering and Beaufort seas south to the warm shallow waters of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. There, the females give birth and then return in the spring — an annual journey of more than 10,000 miles.

The whales pass through Oregon waters near the end of December on their way south and again toward the end of March on their way back north with their calves. As many as 18,000 whales pass along the Oregon coast during those times.

Look for Oregon’s annual Whale Watching Weeks and visit 24 staffed locations along the coast. During these weeks, trained volunteers will be available to help visitors spot whales and answer questions.

The three designated whale watching locations closest to Florence are the Sea Lion Caves turnout, Cook’s Chasm and the Cape Perpetua Interpretive Center, all north of town on Highway 101.