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Depoe Bay assumes the correct title of
the Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast. A tall sea cliff bounds the entire city along the 101 next to the ocean. This elevated view allows easy spotting of the thousands of migrating whales along the coast in December and March. Depoe Bay even has its own resident pod of gray whales that hang out through the summer.
The ocean aesthetics of Depoe Bay cannot be overstated. Jaw-dropping views of big waves meeting volcanic rock shoreline entertain for hours on end. And public viewpoints and parks line the city from north to south. Plan to spend at least half the time of any visit simply staring from the city's edge out into the dynamic ocean expanse.