One of my favorite parts of living here is visiting the Oregon Coast with kids. But as often as we travel, we sometimes get crummy weather, especially in the winter. That doesn’t dampen our fun, though (ha!). A rainy day at the Oregon Coast is just a great reason to get creative in how you travel Oregon!
Yes, building sand castles and beach combing are amazing Oregon Coast activities. But Newport, Florence, Lincoln City and other coast destinations have so much more to offer on a rainy day, or in any weather.
So when you head to the beach, here’s what to do on a rainy day at the Oregon Coast. You’ll have an amazing time—rain or shine.
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12 fun activities for a rainy day at the Oregon Coast
1. Oregon Coast Aquarium
Visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport is my #1 recommendation for a rainy day at the Oregon Coast with kids. Much of the aquarium is indoors, so kids can explore without getting drenched.
In addition to the displays of fish, jellies and other sea life, the Oregon Coast Aquarium also has interactive activities for kids to expend some energy.
For a full run-down, read my post on visiting the Oregon Coast Aquarium with kids.
(And for even more fun, download my free Aquarium Scavenger Hunt printable!)
2. Hatfield Marine Science Center
Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center is a research station in Newport mere blocks from the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Like an aquarium, it features exhibits of sea creatures, where kids can get a closer look at fish and an octopus. It also has a tide pool touch tank, where you can gently touch starfish, anemones, sea cucumbers and more.
The Hatfield Marine Science Center is quite a bit smaller than the Oregon Coast Aquarium but is free.
3. Pick out saltwater taffy
Saltwater taffy is a delicious tradition on the Oregon Coast. From Florence to Astoria, you’ll easily find this sugary treat at any ice cream shop!
My favorite way to eat them is a game I made up when I was a kid:
Pick one or two pieces of saltwater taffy in each flavor you like. Then after you’ve paid for your candy, take turns closing your eyes and eating a piece. Try to guess what the flavor is without looking at the color!
4. Go antiquing
What is it about beach towns and their antique stores? I have no idea, but the Oregon Coast is full of ’em!
So on a rainy day at the Oregon Coast, pop into one of them to explore. Antique stores are kind of like museums to kids, but ones where they can touch (some of) the stuff.
Play this game my family made up when I was growing up: Give a set amount of money to each family member—say, $5. Then roam through the antique store and find the oddest, quirkiest thing you can get for that amount. The person who buys the weirdest antique wins!
5. Ride the carousel in Seaside
Any trip that includes a carousel is a win in my kids’ book. So if it’s raining on the Oregon Coast, ride the carousel in Seaside! The carousel is in the middle of a shopping center full of souvenirs (so be prepared to tell your kids that no, they can’t get the lifesize seal stuffie/sand dollar shell with glued-on googly eyes/blown-glass jellyfish replica).
Your kids can choose to ride a horse, of course, as well as a rabbit, bear, giraffe or even an ostrich!
Seaside Oregon carousel from Catherine Ryan Gregory on Vimeo.
6. Play on the beach—yep, in the rain!
We Oregonians don’t let a little drizzle stop our fun. So if it’s raining on the Oregon Coast, do like we locals do and play on the beach anyway!
My friend Emilee is the queen of playing outside with her kids in any weather. She introduced me to the Muddy Buddy, a full-body waterproof suit for kids. Wearing these, her two boys build sand castles all day long even if it’s raining on the Oregon Coast.
Go ahead—a little rain won’t hurt you. Proof: My kids are still talking about this stormy day we spent near Lincoln City. It was one of the highlights of the year!
7. Check out Sea Lion Caves
The largest sea cave in the United States is just north of Florence, Oregon, and it’s home to a huge colony of sea lions. At Sea Lion Caves, you can ride an elevator down into this cavern, where the animals’ barking overpowers even the sound of the ocean.
At 12 stories deep, the cave is enormous—and loud! (And stinky; sea lions aren’t known for smelling great.)
To visit Sea Lion Caves, you’ll park in a dedicated lot on the east side of Highway 101. Visiting the caves doesn’t take a long time; you definitely won’t need more than an hour.
Level 10 travel tip: If your kids are sensitive to sensory input, like my older daughter is, you’ll want to either skip this Oregon Coast activity or bring noise-canceling headphones. These are the noise-canceling headphones we use and love.
For more recommendations in this stretch of the Oregon Coast, see my 24-hour itinerary for Florence, OR.
8. Try cheese curds at Tillamook County Creamery
In Tillamook, it’s near-impossible to miss the Tillamook County Creamery’s visitor center. It’s the rancher-owned dairy where the region’s milk goes to be turned into delicious cheese, yogurt and, of course, ice cream!
The Tillamook County Creamery has a fun visitor center. The highlight is watching each step of the dairy’s process turning milk into yummy foods—you can look out over the floor from giant windows above. At the end, sample all the different varieties of cheeses Tillamook makes.
On a rainy day at the Oregon Coast, kids will also have fun playing in the farm exhibit. Here, they can pretend to feed or milk life-sized cows, and interactive displays teach kids about the different varieties of cows.
You’ll also want to eat, of course. The creamery’s grilled cheese sandwiches are the perfect combination of toasty and gooey, and their hand-scooped ice cream comes in a million flavors—though my girls always order their go-to: chocolate.
9. Watch the glass blowers at Icefire Glassworks
The Oregon Coast is also full of blown glass studios, and you can often catch some of them in action at Icefire Glassworks in Cannon Beach, OR. Checking out their impressive skill is a quick rainy day activity at the Oregon Coast.
10. Eat a warm meal
Everyone recommends Mo’s for clam chowder, and it certainly is an Oregon Coast landmark—but tbh, it’s not the best food on the coast. (It does have great views, though; the Mo’s in Florence is also built on a pier where sea lions take very noisy rests.)
Whenever friends ask where to eat on the Oregon Coast, I send them to Local Ocean Seafood in Newport. Downstairs, you’ll find a fish counter where you can pick out the cut or the fish you want prepared; upstairs is a sit-down restaurant for a slightly less casual meal. This unassuming restaurant is an absolute gem among overpriced, touristy seafood restaurants on the Oregon Coast.
If you’re looking for a ridiculously kid-friendly place to grab a bite, head to Ruby’s in Seaside, OR. My notoriously picky eaters chowed on the burgers, fries, grilled cheese and PB&J. Plus, they offered soft-serve ice cream for dessert. My kids couldn’t have been happier. (They also have a menu for dogs!)
11. Watch the storm from inside
We went to the Oregon Coast as often as we could when I was a kid. We often rented a beach house near Yachats, OR even more often when my mom got sick with cancer. (She’s more than 20 years in remission now!)
We went even when the weather called for rain and storms, and I have wonderful memories listening to the rain falling on the roof, the wind lashing the trees and the surf pounding the shore. I always felt so safe and cozy inside.
So don’t cancel your Oregon Coast trip just because the weather’s bad. Staying inside and watching the storm is one of my favorite rainy day activities on the Oregon Coast.
12. Go beach combing
The absolute time to go beach combing is right after a storm: The extra-big waves wash more than usual onto shore, making it the perfect time to hunt for treasures—or just really long pieces of kelp.
If it’s still a bit rainy, just go for a short beach combing adventure. Your kids will have such a blast searching for treasure!
Level 10 travel tip: Look in particular behind logs—stuff gets trapped there, pulled by outgoing waves.
A perfect, rainy day at the Oregon Coast
Oregonians know how to make the most out of a rainy day at the Oregon Coast—or anywhere, for that matter. When you visit Oregon with kids, do like the locals do: Make the most of our beautiful state no matter what the weather has in store.
Do you have more suggestions for rainy day activities at the Oregon Coast? Share them in the comments!
I’ve never been to the Coast on rainy or winter days. Thanks for sharing these ideas. I definitely want to check out the sea lion caves sometime. Watching the storm from inside while enjoying a warm meal/beverage sounds perfect to me!
Me too! It’s so cozy to be inside when it’s stormy out, and the Oregon Coast is the perfect place to do just that.
YAY to all of these awesome activities! Also, how amazing that your mom has been in remission for 20 years! We haven’t been to Ruby’s yet but can’t wait to check it out. Thanks for these great tips!
I’m so proud of her every day! And yes, we loooooove Ruby’s. Anyplace where my kids are excited to eat is a-ok in my book!
These are all awesome ideas, Catherine! I especially love browsing through antique stores when I get the chance because there’s usually treasure to be found. I’ve never visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, but I’ve heard that its wonderful.
We love antique stores too. Even if you don’t find anything you want to buy, it’s fun to browse!