Posts in Vanlife
The John Dellenback Dunes Trail is the Best Day Hike on the Oregon Coast

Ian and I have been traveling for almost a year now, and we have hiked thousands of miles of trails across the country. The Oregon Coast was one of the most unexpected places that we have discovered during our travels. The biggest surprise of all was the John Dellenback Dunes Trail, which is one of our favorite day hikes we have ever done.

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4 Destinations We Love in Western Oregon

We love western Oregon and the Oregon Coast. Heceta Head Lighthouse and the Siltcoos Lake Trail in the Siuslaw National Forest are great destinations on the coast. There’s a lot to love inland too! Take the Umpqua River Highway inland to spot some elk in the Dean Creek Elk Viewing area. Then get your bike out for a ride on the Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway.

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A Day of Vanliving on the Central Oregon Coast

The central Oregon Coast is one of the most unique and surprising places that we’ve visited. We explored the solitude of sandy beaches and investigated colorful tide pools and polished black rock at Seal Rock State Park. We discovered some cheap eats on Walport’s Main Street. At sunset, we watched the Pacific drain at Thor’s Well. Plus find our recommendation for camping for free on Highway 101.

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Four Reasons You Have to Visit Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Outstanding Natural Area

Yaquina Head is a basalt peninsula that stretches a mile into the Pacific Ocean near Newport on the Central Oregon Coast. On the tip of the basalt headland stands the tallest lighthouse in Oregon. Below lies a black polished cobble beach and tidal pools teeming with sea creatures.

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Cape Kiwanda State Park and Hart’s Cove at Cascade Head

With sandstone cliffs sculpted by wave action and Oregon’s largest sand dune, Cape Kiwanda State Park should not be missed on any Oregon Coast road trip. Nearby Cascade Head and the Harts Cove Trail is the perfect experience to discover a mossy, green coastal rain forest and to hear sea lions barking.

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Strange Trees and Secret Beaches: Cape Meares State Park

While Tilamook might be most famous for its cheese, Cape Meares is also well worth a visit while in the area. Cape Meares like many Oregon Coast state parks has a beautifully preserved historic lighthouse, and just a short walk from the lighthouse is a very oddly shaped tree called the Octopus Tree. Before we left we even saw a pod of gray whales that were feeding and breaching fairly close to shore!

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Stopping to Smell the Roses at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland

Portland might be known for hipsters, coffee, and bicycles, but just up the hill from downtown, there is a formal English rose garden that would surprise any visitor. The International Rose Test Garden is tucked into the sprawling Washington Park and has more than 10,000 rose bushes!

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Wandering through the World’s Tallest Trees: Exploring the Redwood Forest

If you're planning a road trip through the Redwood Forest in Northern California, there are many stops and special trees along the way that you won't want to miss. Here are our favorite things to do in the Redwood National and State Parks. Plus find our recommendations for free campsites for vanlife near the Redwood Forest.

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8 Places To Go On Your First Visit to Yosemite

Here are 8 stops we visited that any first time visitor wouldn’t want to miss on a visit to America’s first protected park land! As always at the end of this post, you’ll find free camping suggestions near Yosemite.

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Our Misty Half Dome Summit Attempt

Half Dome is a mountain that is on a lot of people’s bucket lists. The iconic mountain is probably the most recognizable landmark in Yosemite National Park, and each day of the summer season hundreds of people make summit attempts. But can you hike up Half Dome if it’s wet? We hiked up most of Half Dome on a misty, rainy day in October…

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