Bandon is a coastal town in Oregon often overlooked by tourists. But with so many things to do in Bandon Oregon, we’re stumped as to why. It’s charming, has a great beach, and offers great camping nearby too!
With the many things to do in Bandon Oregon, you could stay more than one night here, but it’s also just a great stop for a day when exploring more of the Oregon Coast.
If you visit Bandon, we’d love for you to jump back on here and share your experience with us! We’re always looking for new places to explore and updated advice on visiting places across the United States and elsewhere!
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Map of Things to Do in Bandon Oregon
Things To Do In Bandon
Find Sea Creatures at South Jetty Park
Bandon South Jetty Park is right at the mouth of the Coquille River. The jetty offers a place to find starfish and other sea creatures typically found in tide pools. While the beach can be a bit windy at times, it’s rock hunters frequent the place, looking for some of Bandon’s painted rocks!
While you’re at South Jetty Park, keep your ears open for the fog horn blows. A sound that brings on all sorts of feelings when at the beach.
Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Face Rock Scenic Viewpoint right in old town Bandon is a great beach area right in town. Try and make it to Face Rock when the tide is out so you can see some of the unreal sand art done.
When the tide is out, head through the little rock arch and explore more of the tidal pools on the other side of Face Rock. Just be sure to know the tide schedule, so you don’t get caught in the rising waters!
Old Town Marketplace
The Old Town Marketplace offers local artisanal goods, ranging from food to photography, and even homemade trinkets as well.
We’ve seen homemade honey, different kinds of jams, great ocean photography, mouthwatering artisanal bread, and more! It’s a rather small market, but is a great place to wander around and support the locals!
*The marketplace hosts events year-round. Check here to view the current events.
Grab Seafood on the Bandon Boardwalk
There are a couple of different fish shacks in old town Bandon, and there’s still a debate on which one is better. We’ve talked to many people and most have their own favorites and opinions about each, which often times different from the person next to them. No matter which restaurant you choose, be sure to get some seafood when in Bandon!
Shop the Local Shops in Old Town Bandon
Bandon is full of super cute local shops. You’ll find shops with typical beach toys, candy shops, and beach themed home decor shops. It’s similar to other towns you’ll find along the Oregon Coast, however, Bandon is unique because instead of all the shops just along the boardwalk, they make up all of old town Bandon.
Check out the Washed Ashore Art
Washed Ashore is an organization that makes art out of plastic found in the ocean. It’s to bring awareness of the plastic usage problem our world has.
It truly is insane how much plastic waste there is in our world, and just how much plastic gets lost at sea! Fair warning here, after taking in the plastic exhibits, you’ll most likely have a huge change in views on plastic waste!
Visit the Coquille River Lighthouse
The Coquille River Lighthouse dates back to 1896 and stands prominently at the edge of the Coquille River with its red and white colors. Tours are usually available in the summer months, though they are currently closed due to COVID.
Even though you cannot tour the lighthouse, it’s still a great place to head to explore the nearby jetty and beach access.
Drive the Beach Loop Road
The Beach Loop Rd, or Beach Loop Drive, is a short loop off of Highway 101, that takes drivers closer to the waters of the Oregon Coast. It turns off of Highway 101 about three miles south of Bandon and heads directly towards the water.
From there, you drive up to Devil’s Kitchen where there’s beach access, picnic tables, and restrooms. This is a great place to spend the day, read more below.
Play at Devils Kitchen
Devils Kitchen is a vista point just south of Bandon. With remotely easy beach access, it’s a great place to walk along the beach and even explore some of the interesting rock formations the Oregon Coast boasts in this area.
There are picnic tables and bathrooms in the parking lot area, and even a large grassy area to play at above the water.
With the limited amount of parking and lots of beach area at Devils Kitchen, it’s a great place to go that’s not too overcrowded.
Camp at Bullards Beach State Park
Just two miles north of Bandon is Bullards Beach State Park. This state park has “walkable” beach access.. though we’d argue it’s better to drive! It’s really not that close to the shoreline!
With that said, it’s still a great place to head for a campout. And, being just off the water, the sites are much more protected from the ocean breeze.
Bullards Beach Campground offers RV and tent sites as well as Yurts and horse camps. A little something for every kind of camper!
Learn a bit of Bandon’s History
The Bandon Historical Society Museum is a great place to pop in and learn about the history of Bandon. Entrance to the museum is free for children and only $3 for adults. Here you can learn about the 1916 Wreck of the Fifield, the cranberry farms in the area, and learn what life used to be like for the early settlers and native Americans in Bandon.
Things To Do Near Bandon Oregon
Drive through the Cranberry Bogs
Did you know Bandon is known for its cranberries!? Cranberry Bog Lane is a road that goes right through a bunch of Cranberry farms. It’s so interesting to see how cranberries are grown, and Cranberry Bog Lane is the perfect place to see that!
If visiting Bandon in September, there’s a chance you can join in on the Cranberry Harvest. All throughout the month, all throughout the town, there are events going on celebrating the harvest season. The shops in town enter a decoration contest for the harvest, there is music and live events, and even a Cranberry Queen crowned each year!
Learn more about the Cranberry Harvest Celebration here.
Deep-Sea Fishing in Charleston
Betty Kay in Charleston (a town just south of Coos Bay) offers deep fishing on half or full-day tours. When we went, we were promised to go home with loads of fish, and they surely fulfilled that promise!
Even though I personally only caught one fish, Jay and I went home with an entire cooler full of freshly caught fish!
Play a Round at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
We aren’t big golfers, but if we were, we’d certainly play a round or two at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The golf course is right on the ocean, reminding us oh so much of Scotland. With six different courses and the weather changing conditions of the game at every stroke, these courses are sure to challenge even the most advanced golfers.
Shore Acres State Park
Shore Acres State Park is about 40 minutes north of Bandon. It’s home to some beautiful coastal walks and a large garden with diverse species of flowers and plants. There are places to whale watch, and even a spot to observe a large colony of sea lions!
Unfortunately, the drive isn’t really a coastal drive on the way to Shore Acres, however, once you get there it’s gorgeous. If you want to make a full day of it, spend some time at Sunset Bay. Read more about this area of the Oregon Coast here.
Places to Stay in Bandon, Oregon
AirBnB Bandon | AirBnB is a great option for finding a place to stay in Bandon, however, prices are pretty high. With many people offering entire homes for rent on AirBnB, you could have a whole home to yourself. This is a great option for saving money on food and being able to spend more on adventures!
If you’re hoping to stay with a local, don’t worry, AirBnB offers local stays too! What a great way to find out even more about the local area and even other places you may be traveling to!
We recommend using the map version of the search tool. That way you can see where the homes are in relation to where you plan on visiting. The AirBnB Oregon Coast offers many tiny home / cabin-like stays! Perfect for a beach getaway!
Hotel Stays | If staying in someone else’s home doesn’t tickle your fancy, search for hotels in Bandon here. While there aren’t any real hotels in Bandon per se, there are places like the Bandon Inn, Lighthouse Cove Inn, and more that offer a hotel-like stay.
Camping | Camping is a great money saver and memory maker! Closest to Bandon is Bullards Beach State Campground. They offer showers, toilets, and campsites that are protected from the wind, yet close to the coast.
Learn more about free camping in the United States here.
Getting To And Around Bandon, Oregon
Flying | Portland brings in one of the biggest airports on the west coast of the United States. Look for flights from your location to PDX(or Portland, Oregon). This is the search engine we use when booking flights. Fly into Portland, then head west to Astoria, where you can have an awesome drive down the Oregon Coast. And yes, you guessed it, we have a guide to the Oregon Coast here.
Rental Cars | If you’re not from the area or don’t have your own car, you’ll want to rent a car to get you up and down the Oregon Coast, maybe even plan a proper Oregon road trip! There’s not much public transportation in Oregon, and it’s always nicer to have your own car when visiting a place of such spectacular scenery.
Training | Amtrak trains offer trains right into Downtown Portland. You can then rent a car and drive over to Bandon, Oregon. They connect larger cities all over the United States. However, fair warning — training in the United States is NOTHING like training in Europe!
Transport in Bandon | Your legs will be the best transport in Old Town Bandon. There are a couple of free parking lots in Old Town, and short-stay free parking along the streets too. You can walk all over Old Town Bandon, all of which is flat walking. You’ll want to drive to most of the ocean places and things to do near Bandon places as well.
More On Things To Do In Oregon
Yes, we truly mean the best places. After cycling the entire Oregon Coast, we’ve got a good idea of the don’t miss viewpoints and best coastal towns to visit!
We’ve been to the Oregon Coast more times than we can count. We’ve driven up and down Highway 101 and even cycled the entire highway as well. We’ve come up with the cutest Oregon Coast towns, and put them all in one spot for you in this post, including a map!
Both being from Southern Oregon and really spending a lot of time exploring the great outdoors, we’ve got a good list of things to do in Southern Oregon we think you’ll like! We’re including Crater Lake National Park, our favorite swimming holes, and even tips on Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor!
This post is just like this post on Bandon but in a small town on the southern bit of the coast in Brookings, Oregon.
Our Oregon page is full of unique things to do in Oregon. Find river access points, hikes, waterfalls, hot springs, and even information on cycling the Oregon Coast here!
Planning a trip to Bend? Wanting to visit Smith Rock State Park? Central Oregon is home to some of Oregon’s finest.. even outside of the winter months when you’ll find snow-covered peaks and snow-filled roads!
Things to do in Northern Oregon | Exploring Outside of Portland
Our Northern Oregon post is just like this one. You get to read and see all the things we recommend in Northern Oregon. Hiking, waterfalls, scenic viewpoints, you name it, it’s there!