Oregon Coast Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 89

ren beige shores. At the waterfront begins a five-mile scenic drive that heads south past
large sea stacks. These fantastic rock formations are especially impressive when silhouet-
tedagainstblazingsunsets,astheyoftenareatFaceRockWayside,locatedalongtheloop.
The town's biggest annual event is the Cranberry Festival, held in late September, when
Bandon celebrates its status as the Cranberry Capital of Oregon.
6. Cape Arago
For a short side trip that loops past a wildlife preserve and three coastal parks, go 12 miles
north of Bandon and take the Beaver Hill-Seven Devils Road to the South Slough National
Estuarine Research Reserve. Covering some5,200acres ofcoastal wetlands, SouthSlough
is home to black bears, black-tailed deer, salmon, and more than 150 kinds of birds.
DrivingwestonCapeAragoHighway,visitorsnextencounteratrioofstateparks,each
oneoffering something special. The first stop,Sunset Bay State Park—true toits name—is
dazzling at day's end. The park's calm, warm bay, hemmed in by high cliffs and Douglas
firs, is one of the safest swimming spots on the coast, as well as a good place to cast for
rockfish and sea trout.
Shore Acres State Park—once the estate of Louis J. Simpson, a timber baron—is truly
a feast for the eyes, with some seven acres of award-winning English and Japanese gar-
dens that explode with a riot of color. Irises, azaleas, rhododendrons, dahlias, and roses
seem to spring from every corner of this 743-acre park, which features plants from around
the world. At Christmastime, Shore Acres takes on an extra-special glow, with more than
100,000 miniature lights sparkling on its trees, bushes, and buildings.
Cape Arago State Park, the last one on the loop drive, is a good place to stop for a
quiet picnic. Set on a rugged headland, the secluded park overlooks the Pacific, offering
fine views of passing whales. During low tide, wander down to the coastal coves and look
for sea urchins, sea stars, hermit crabs, and other animals that thrive in the tidepools.