The commercial area of Newport is scattered along highway 101 a mile from the beach. Houses dot the low hills over the one mile drive to the waterfront.

A short drive from U.S. 101 brings you to residential areas near the coast. It is odd country that seems like a plateau cut into a labyrinth with a milling machine. Houses low, houses high and streets that find their way through.

In the immediate beach area are hotels, B&Bs, a boat landing & an area of shops. (shown above is one of the many B&B type establishments). I stayed at the water front Elizabeth Hotel and our room had a good view of the beach. The gas powered fireplace kept us warm and cozy. The waterfront has a slow pace about it but I understand it is quite busy in summertime.

During our visit, the weather was overcast, which is not unusual on the coast. The beach is long and straight and lacks many of the interesting features found elsewhere along the Oregon coast. Most of the coastal ports face bays with ocean access. Newport is one of the few places that directly faces the sea.