(Pacific City, Oregon) – The Three Capes Loop is the dividing line between the north and central Oregon coast, and it’s where the beach veers away from Highway 101, leaving this wild, winding stretch of roadway to skirt the edges of cliffs, thick forests and pristine beaches. It’s a mere 25 miles of shoreline that cloisters the tiny burghs of Oceanside, Tierra Del Mar and Netarts – villages so sleepy they’re practically comatose. Then there’s Pacific City, which is somewhere between a sleepy village and a bustling little burgh, with its wind-swept cliffs of gold and a burgeoning upscale community of part time residents.

All along this rather intense drive are bunches of hidden spots tucked away behind the massive forested canopy that hovers overhead much of the way. There’s a lighthouse, Netarts Bay, a rocky cliff with a tunnel through that allows you access to a stunning beach, an oddity called the Octopus Tree, and dozens of other intriguing delights.