Devils Punchbowl naturally formed in the rock beside the Pacific Ocean. The cavern’s ceiling collapsed ages ago, leaving this breathtaking site open to the sky. You feel as if you’re walking into an enormous bowl when you explore inside.

Most visitors see this formation only from the top. The Devils Punchbowl Natural Area includes an easy-to-access viewpoint where you can watch waves crashing into the open-air cavern. Fewer people, though, time their visit to hike into Devils Punchbowl. In fact, not many people realize it’s even possible!

Consider yourself in the know. Below, I share how to hike into Devils Punchbowl, how to get there and what you’ll find.

How to get to Devils Punchbowl Natural Area + hike

Devils Punchbowl Natural Area is located on a piece of land that juts into the Pacific Ocean. The natural area lies between Depoe Bay and Newport. (It’s also a ten-minute drive from the famous Yaquina Head Lighthouse.) What’s more, Devils Punchbowl is a terrific stop if you’re on an Oregon Coast road trip along Highway 101.

To get there, turn off Highway 101 onto Otter Crest Loop. The road is well marked—look for a sign that announces Devils Punchbowl and the Inn at Otter Crest.

Follow the road to the end of 1st Street, where there’s plenty of parking and a public restroom. Most people just head to the viewpoint overlooking Devils Punchbowl. But here’s how to get to the hike.

From the parking area, walk north on C Avenue. Halfway between 3rd St. and the dead end. you’ll see a path on your left (marked by a star on the map above). Simply follow the path to the beach.

You’ll have to climb a bit to get to the beach from the path, as the tides have thwarted attempts to maintain the end of the trail. That means this beach access point is difficult for people with mobility limitations, and it’s not stroller-friendly.

Walking Otter Crest Beach

Otter Crest Beach stretches between the cliffs at Otter Crest to the north and Devils Punchbowl to the south.

This isn’t a long stretch of beach but it is diverse. At low tide. you can walk along the flat sand alongside tall cliffs. And low tide reveals shelves of rock you can (carefully) explore.

Tide pools here shelter critters most people see only in aquariums (like the nearby Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport). Look for sea anemones, sea stars, barnacles, limpets, little fish and crabs.

Level 10 travel tip: The best way to see wildlife in a tide pool is to wait patiently. Stay still and you’ll see a bump you thought was just sand reveal itself as a fish, or watch as a crab wanders around looking for a snack.

The rocks here are covered in seaweed, which makes footing slippery in places. Be extremely careful and help little ones maneuver the rocks.

Hike to Devils Punchbowl

From the beach access trail, turn left to walk south along Otter Crest Beach. I call this a hike, but it’s more of a quarter-mile stroll. You’ll need to clamber over rocks and carefully step your way toward the entrance to the Devils Punchbowl cave.

As you walk, watch for smaller caves and hidey holes in the cliff. Kids love exploring these naturally occurring caves! They also make terrific photo spots.

A two-story arch marks the entrance to the cave of Devils Punchbowl. (Look in the horizontal cracks at about knee level to spy crabs and sea stars here!)

Exploring inside Devils Punchbowl, Oregon

Low tide reveals hundreds of rocks and boulders on the floor of Devils Punchbowl. A second archway leads to the ocean, where waves crash even during calm seas. The most dramatic feature of Devils Punchbowl, though, is the overhead opening.

Carefully climb over rocks to explore this enormous, hollow rock formation. The opening at the top is narrower than the base of the bowl, so it feels as if you’re gazing up out of a crater.

Geologists suspect that this was once a cave open only to the ocean, not from above. The roof of the cave likely collapsed years and years ago, leaving the bowl formation behind. Since then, waves continue to shape the cave little by little.

Devils Punchbowl is made of both basalt and sandstone. Basalt, a hard, volcanic rock, erodes much more slowly than sandstone. So over the years, the tide and the elements wore down the sandstone more quickly than the basalt. That’s why grotto-like undercuts ring the base of Devils Punchbowl.

The force of waves also moves rocks and debris around in the cave so it’s different every time you visit. On our most recent trip, we found a jaw bone! At first we thought it might be from a sea lion, but texting with a marine biologist friend revealed we were way off. Turns out it was the jaw bone of a deer.

While you’re inside Devils Punchbowl, look through the second, smaller arch that leads to the ocean. You’ll see waves crash on the rocks surrounding the cave. Water rushes a little way into the cave, too, which gives you an inkling of what happens as the tide rises.

When I recently visited, we spent about a half-hour inside the cavern. That’s plenty of time to explore the area.

Must-know details of Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area

Remember that hiking into Devils Punchbowl is only safe at low tide. Always keep an eye on the tide, time and waves. If the water rose when you weren’t paying attention, you’d be stuck inside the punchbowl and drown.

**Link to low tide times for Devils Punchbowl**

If you hike inside Devils Punchbowl, wear sturdy shoes. Flip flops will slide off your feed and you’re likely to twist an ankle.

This area is public and free; there is no access fee.

Cliffside Coffee & Sweets and the Flying Dutchman Winery are right next to several of the parking areas. As of the time of publication, these spots are open for to-go orders only. Picnic tables overlooking the Pacific make terrific lunch spots!

So tell me: After reading this, are you as excited to check out this unique thing to do on the Oregon Coast as I am? Keep your eye on the tide chart and plan your visit now!

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Located less than two hours from Portland, OR, Lincoln City is an easily accessible beach town close to the city. Lincoln City is one of our favorite stops on the Oregon Coast. Highway 101 runs all along the coastline. Lincoln City is about halfway between Newport and Tillamook, OR—an ideal stop on an Oregon Coast road trip!

Read on for all the best things to do in Lincoln City, OR. From hiking and agate beaches to kite festivals and lighthouses, you’ll never face a dull moment in this Oregon Coast town.

This post contains affiliate links. By clicking and buying, I earn a small commission so I can continue to bring you free travel content. This does not affect prices for you!

Quick note: Make sure to get a copy of my book, Road Trip Games & Activities for Kids, before your Oregon Coast road trip! It includes instructions for 33 super-fun games good for littles and grown-ups, plus free activity printables. Click the image below to get your copy!

Visit the beach (of course!)

It should go without saying that one of the best things to do in Lincoln City, OR is to visit the beach. The beaches on the Oregon Coast are gorgeous, even in rainy weather. Do like a local and don’t let a little wet stop you from exploring the beaches!

Fun fact: Did you know Lincoln City has the longest stretch of beach among all Oregon Coast cities?

These are a few of the best beaches in Lincoln City.

South Beach

We typically access this stretch of the beach in Lincoln City via 51st Street. Plenty of parking and public restrooms make this a convenient spot to hit the beach.

We also like walking west, past Mo’s and along the mouth of the Siletz River. It’s fun to wander beneath the pier. The water of the Siletz is shallow here (and a bit warmer than the Pacific).

Finally, you can borrow (for free) a beach wheelchair from the Looking Glass Inn.

D River Beach Access

This stretch of beach is probably Lincoln City’s most famous coastline. The wide, flat beach seems to stretch forever.

Kids love to play in the D River here, too. Just watch out for seagulls: These birds know that the beach gets a lot of visitors, so keep an eye on your picnic supplies!

The D River State Recreation Site also has public restrooms.

Road’s End State Park: North Beach

This stretch of beach in Lincoln City also has huge rocks exposed at low tide. You know what that means: tide pools!

The thing that makes this part of the beach unusual is that cars can drive onto the sand in a designated area. A paved ramp on NW 15th St leads down to the beach, where you can park to watch the sunset or set up for a day of play.

Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area

I love the beach at Fogarty Creek, a few minutes south of Lincoln City. As the name suggests, a creek runs through this beach. You can access both sides of the beach (without getting your feet wet!) by following either path from the parking lot.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for agates. Fogarty Creek is a terrific agate beach near Lincoln City.

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Hike and bird watch in Siletz Bay

On the south end of Lincoln City, the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge is home to songbirds, waterfowl, newts and hundreds of other species. Coho and Chinook salmon also make their way from the ocean upriver to their spawning grounds via the Siletz River, making this area critical to preserving these at-risk fish.

Wildlife are best seen in the morning and evening, but you’re likely to see animals anytime. What’s more, the type of animals you see will vary by season as well as the tide, so you might see different creatures each time you visit.

Walk the half-mile nature trail, bring your binoculars for bird watching or paddle the Siletz River by canoe, kayak or paddle board. Just know that dogs are not allowed in the wildlife refuge.

Explore Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Cobble Beach

Just a half-hour south of Lincoln City, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse stands watch over the dramatic cliffs of the Oregon Coast. Oregon’s oldest lighthouse also overlooks seabird nesting grounds and a resting spot for local sea lions.

One of my favorite things to do at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse is to explore Cobble Beach at low tide. This unique beach isn’t made of sand but rather round volcanic rocks. And when the tide is out, you can check out the many creatures that live in the tide pools here.

For more details, read my guide to visiting Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

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Explore the cave in Devils Punchbowl

Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area is a dramatic and beyond cool stop on the Oregon Coast. Over centuries, the relentless waves carved a cave into the cliffside here. Then the roof of the cave collapsed, leaving a hollow rock formation shaped like, you guessed it, a bowl.

Incoming waves churn and bubble in the punchbowl during high tide. At low tide, you can hike into the cave and explore the tide pools on the north end of the park. This is an easy, kid-friendly walk that starts on a steep path then continues along the beach. Just make sure to keep an eye on the tide tables. You don’t want to get caught by the incoming tide.

Devils Punchbowl is also a popular spot for whale watching. You might be able to snag a picnic table for an open-air lunch, but know this is a busy site.

Curious! Click for all the details to visit Devils Punchbowl!

Find a float in a beach-wide treasure hunt

Year-round, locals hide handmade glass floats along the seven miles of coastline in Lincoln City. They tuck these gorgeous floats behind driftwood, under seaweed and in the sand above the high tide mark. And while the city used to hide these floats one weekend a year during a festival, glass blown floats are now hidden on the beach year-round through the Finders Keepers initiative!

You never know when you might find one. Local artists donate 3,000 floats every year—that’s nearly 10 a day—so it might just pay off to keep an eye out for a beautiful glass orb! And if you do find one, register it on the Finders Keepers float web site. You’ll get information about the artist who created the float.

Note: Float Fairies, aka the people who hide the glass floats in Lincoln City, have temporarily stopped the program during COVID-19. Check the organization’s web site for details on reopening.

Walk among flowers at the Connie Hansen Garden

I’ve been visiting Lincoln City, OR my entire life—and only discovered the Connie Hansen Garden this year!

This hidden gem on the Oregon Coast is tucked away on a residential street. Pretty much only locals know about it, which makes this garden a restful spot year-round.

Botanist Connie Hansen turned this land from a swamp into a beautifully curated garden. She grew her favorite flower, the iris, along with rhododendrons, azaleas, primroses and more. Then, when she passed away, her family turned the estate into a Lincoln City park.

Stroll along the winding paths and over adorable footbridges, pause at the ponds and listen to songbirds. The Connie Hansen Garden is now one of my favorite things to do in Lincoln City.

Ready to start planning your trip to Lincoln City? Find a place to stay!

Find fossils at Prehistoric Oregon

Prehistoric Oregon is one of the many shops along Highway 101 in Lincoln City. Stop by to browse the gifts, and don’t miss taking a look at the many fossils in this shop!

Depending on the day’s stock, you might see a megalodon tooth, a cave bear skull, trilobites or a spinosaurus claw. The shop also sells jewelry, rocks, gems and minerals.

Browse books at Robert’s Bookshop

I love independent book stores and my kids, both voracious readers, have inherited my obsession. That’s just the first reason why we love Robert’s Bookshop in Lincoln City, Oregon.

Yes, the narrow aisles between packed bookshelves are perfect to get lost in. But the most unique thing about this Oregon Coast book store is the plane that sticks out of the wall!

Yep, you read that right. The quirky owner of Robert’s Bookshop bought an old plane and installed it in the wall. It looks as if the plane is crashing through the side of the building. In reality, the owner uses it as an office.

Make sure to stop at this unique book store, along Highway 101, the next time you stay in Lincoln City.

Find antique treasures

Like many towns on the Oregon Coast, Lincoln City hosts dozens of antique stores. Vintage clothes, collectibles, antique furniture, first editions and more—these densely packed shops hold just about every treasure you can think of (plus many more you never knew you wanted!).

I like the Streetcar Village, on the south end of Lincoln City, OR, in part because each of the shops is housed in old streetcars. (My kids think it’s so cool.) Or check out the Little Antique Mall, which isn’t little at all. With roughly 80 vendors, this spot is the largest antique mall on the Oregon Coast.

These shops are also locally owned, so your money stays in this coastal community.

Watch artists blow glass

I’ve never been able to figure out exactly why, but the Oregon Coast is glassblowing central. Shops up and down Highway 101 sell art, ornaments and orbs handcrafted by local artists. Check out the blown glass galleries (carefully!) or watch artists in action at the Lincoln City Glass Center. You can see glassblowers turn hard hunks of colored glass into a vase or float by turning their work in piping-hot kilns. Keep an eye out for other blown glass galleries, too.

The Lincoln City Glass Center also offers classes and workshops on glassblowing if you want to try your own hand at the ancient craft.

Dive into the past at the Northern Lincoln County Historical Museum

The Northern Lincoln County Historical Museum is a volunteer-run site that shares this area’s history. Learn about how logging shaped this region and how fishing still fuels the economy.

Our favorite part, unsurprisingly, was the terrific kids’ area. On the second floor, a big room includes dress-up clothes, coloring pages, books, games and a forest’s worth of hand puppets. Maxine didn’t want to leave!

Downstairs, check out gigantic sea floats and artwork from the area’s Native American tribes.

The historical museum in Lincoln City’s admission is free/by donation, so you have nothing to lose by stopping by. You’ll definitely learn something.

Check out the murals in Lincoln City

We love stopping for a picture in front of the Oregon mural in Lincoln City. They paint the current year, so we can keep track of our many visits to Lincoln City—and how much our kids grow!

The Oregon mural in Lincoln City is located on the wall of the Lincoln City Collective, a local shop selling t-shirts, hats and more. A public parking lot is directly next to the shop. This mural is also directly across the street from the Northern Lincoln County Historical Museum.

We also stop at the To the Beach mural in Lincoln City. This mural is located on the corner of Highway 101 and SW 51st St. This is where you turn to go to Mo’s Clam Chowder.

Finally, stop at the awesome crab mural next to the D River Wayside Park. The street art is on the wall of Pier 101, a seafood restaurant off Highway 101.

Fly a kite

Throughout much of the year, steady winds make Lincoln City, OR an ideal spot to fly a kite. Pick any of the town’s many beaches, unspool a bit of string and let your kite soar!

Lincoln City is full of shops that sell kites, if you don’t have your own.

Finally, the Lincoln City Kite Festival brings hundreds of enthusiasts to the beaches in the summer and fall. These aren’t only your usual diamond-shaped kites, though. At the festivals, they come in all different shapes (whales, squids, giant teddy bears) and sizes (big, bigger, biggest!). Fun activities, from a kid’s parade to expert performances, make the festivals all-day activities.

Hike across a suspension bridge

If you’re not afraid of heights (or are willing to muscle up, buttercup), don’t miss Drift Creek Falls. This easy 3-mile hike takes you across a 100-foot-high suspension bridge. Looking down is optional!

This Oregon Coast hike is just a 40-minute drive from Lincoln City. Want more? Read my full post on the Drift Creek Falls trail.

Play in Siletz Bay

Do like the local wildlife and play where the Siletz River stretches to the Pacific Ocean. Siletz Bay’s northern side includes a wide stretch of sand at low tide (though it’s largely underwater at high tide). 

You’ll recognize it from the very determined tree growing on a tiny island in the bay. 

Walk toward the ocean to explore under the docks and get close to the resident seal colony. Or climb over the driftwood closer to Highway 101. Either way, you’ll have plenty to explore in this unique thing to do in Lincoln City!

Bike on the beach

Have you ever heard of a fat tire bike? These specially designed bicycles have extra-wide tires to grip the sand so you can cycle up and down the beach.

Sounds fun, right?!

You can rent fat tire bikes at a handful of spots in Lincoln City. Check out fat tire bike rentals here.

So many things to do in Lincoln City

With all these things to do in Lincoln City—and more—it’s no wonder that my family continues to return to this Oregon Coast town again and again. We visit as often as we’re able, and we still haven’t explored all the attractions here.

If you’re as excited about Lincoln City, OR as I am, check out the hotels in the area so you can visit ASAP!

I’m excited to continue to update this guide of things to do in Lincoln City as we discover more beaches, hikes, gardens, parks and more!

The post 15 unforgettable + fun things to do in Lincoln City, OR: Oregon Coast appeared first on To & Fro Fam.