Located on Oregon's rugged coast, this deep-water port city has miles of sand dunes and coastal forests. Popular for clamming, fishing, and crabbing in its sheltered bay.
Coos Bay lies on Oregon’s southern coast at the meeting point of the Coos River and the Pacific Ocean. As the largest coastal city in Oregon, it serves as a gateway to working harbors, thick forests, and the biggest stretch of coastal dunes in North America. Visit the Egyptian Theatre, constructed in 1925 with its original Wurlitzer organ still used during silent film showings. Explore the Marshfield District’s early 1900s buildings, including the Chandler Hotel and Carnegie Library. Travel west to Shore Acres State Park for oceanfront gardens and Cape Arago’s tide pools, where harbor seals often rest on rocks. The Oregon Coast Music Festival in July and Blackberry Arts Festival in August bring live performances, local art, and seasonal foods to the city.
Exploring the Oregon Dunes and Coastal Parks
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area starts at the southern edge of Coos Bay, stretching 40 miles with sand formations rising up to 500 feet tall. Rent an ATV to explore the dunes' shifting shapes or hike the John Dellenback Dunes Trail, passing through pine woods before reaching open sand. Drive ten miles southwest along the coastal route to reach Sunset Bay State Park, where a protected cove has swimming areas uncommon along this coastline. Visit Shore Acres State Park next to see gardens designed with Japanese influences sitting high above the ocean; from November through December, pathways here glow with more than 300,000 LED lights. Paddle through the still waters around Empire Lakes, part of a 120-acre preserve with trails covering 5.5 miles.
Downtown Coos Bay and the Marshfield District
Downtown Coos Bay, originally called Marshfield, displays early 20th-century buildings such as the Chandler Hotel and the Carnegie Library, both recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The Egyptian Theatre screens films and hosts concerts, using its original 1925 organ for special events. Stop by the Coos Art Museum inside a 1936 art deco building to view works by Pacific Northwest creators. Follow the waterfront boardwalk to the city dock, where signs explain how shipbuilding and logging shaped the area. From March through October, the weekly farmers market fills downtown with fresh berries, seafood, and handmade goods every Wednesday.
Festivals and Seasonal Highlights
July brings the Oregon Coast Music Festival, with performances by jazz groups, chamber musicians, and orchestras in parks and historic spaces. In August, the Blackberry Arts Festival takes over downtown streets with booths selling blackberry pies, paintings, and pottery. Join the Prefontaine Memorial Run each September, a 10K race through wooded paths honoring Olympic runner Steve Prefontaine, who grew up here. Winter visitors watch powerful storms from Cape Arago’s viewpoints or visit Shore Acres after dark to walk through its holiday light display.
Parks, Waterfronts, and Trails
Mingus Park, located near downtown, includes a duck-filled pond circled by a walking path, a seasonal outdoor pool, and an 18-hole disc golf course under Douglas firs. At John Topits Park (Empire Lakes), launch a kayak or follow trails that loop around two freshwater lakes. Bastendorff Beach, south of town, has rocky tide pools and picnic spots near the surf. Book a fishing trip through Charleston Marina to catch salmon or Dungeness crab, or try your luck in the Coos River for steelhead and striped bass.
Getting to Coos Bay and Visitor Tips
Coos Bay can be reached by taking the scenic coastal highway that links to North Bend and Charleston. The nearest airport, Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend, has regular flights to Portland and San Francisco. Stay at budget motels, waterfront hotels like The Mill Casino, or reserve a yurt at Sunset Bay State Park for a night near the beach. Many trails and parks, including key dune access points, accommodate wheelchairs. Check local tide charts before walking along beaches, as high tide reduces available space on some stretches of sand.
