Yachats (pronounced YA-hots, for those in the know!) calls itself the Gem of the Oregon Coast, and it’s easy to see why. Blessed with a dramatic, rocky coastline and the picturesque estuary of the Yachats River, this small town gives you easy access to surf and sand. The headlands to the north, including the astonishing Cape Perpetua, have more scenic stops per mile than most anywhere on the coast, with churning chasms, spouting horns, sea caves, old-growth trees and basalt cliffs that plunge into the sea. Yachats is an excellent place to station yourself for coastal exploration, but it’s also worth exploring in its own right. Meredith Lodging Yachats Vacation rentals provide the perfect home-base while exploring all that this extra-special part of the Oregon Coast has to offer.
Despite the town’s small size, delicious food and interesting eateries abound. For coffee, treats, breakfast or lunch, you’ll want to head to the Green Salmon, an intriguing coffee house right on Highway 101. There you’ll find sustainable practices and delicious fair-trade coffee and tea, home-made baked goods, soups and sandwiches and lots of locals meeting up. You’ll also want to try Bread and Roses, located down a side street beside the Yachats Commons and near a terrific kids’ playground. It also features locally sourced and fair trade food and drink, including breads made in the Bread and Roses oven.
Another spot that prides itself on healthy, local food (and beer brewed on the premises) is Yachats Brewing Company, which serves beers, ciders, wines and a choice local-foods menu for lunch and dinner. They also make fermented foods on site and have a small gardening and cooking bookstore.
There’s more eating to be done: try the Drift Inn, a bustling and tasty restaurant popular with locals and visitors alike. You’ll enjoy nightly live music along with a delicious pizza or seafood dinner and access to a full bar. Ona, a seafood restaurant that hugs the Yachats River estuary with ocean views, is an elegant choice. You might also like to try Luna Sea Fish House, a restaurant that features the day’s catch: the owners are a Yachats fishing family. Want something especially family friendly? LeRoy’s Blue Whale has served breakfast, lunch and dinner in Yachats since 1980.
Yachats has small shops fun for browsing, including Judith’s Kitchen Tools, Planet Yachats for rocks and gems, Toad Hall for gifts, and many more.
You can visit all of those shops and eateries on foot—Yachats is small. It’s worth walking through the town’s streets to see its sweet coastal homes and gardens. Walking the rocky coastline is easy if you catch the 804 Trail, which takes you from the estuary north for 1.7 miles. You’re likely to spot seabirds, seals, herons and gulls and plenty of gorgeous surf crashing on the rocks.
A getaway to Yachats is a great idea any time of year. This gem of a beach town truly offers something for everyone, from breathtaking views at Cape Perpetua, to beautiful beaches perfect for strolling, to a charming town full of restaurants and shops to explore. To find the perfect vacation home in Yachats visit Meredith Lodging’s Yachats Vacation Homes collection HERE. We hope to see you in Yachats soon!
