If you want to avoid lines and general tourist bustle, Waldport is a nice alternative to the resort towns surrounding it. Tourism is low-key here, and you can still sense the vestiges of the resource-based economy, a by-product of the town’s proximity to rich timber stands and superlative fishing. Stop along US-101 at the Alsea Bay Bridge Interpretive Center (541/563-2002) for interesting exhibits on coastal transportation and the local Alsea tribe, as well as a telescope trained on waterfowl and seals in the bay. The center sits at the south foot of the modern span that, in 1991, replaced the historic (circa 1936) art deco–style bridge. From the north end of the bridge, you can follow Hwy-34 seven miles upstream to the Kozy Kove Kafe (541/528-3251), a floating restaurant with good food and bucolic riverside ambience.
Four miles south of Waldport, Beachside State Park (800/551-6949) has a very popular campground, with hot showers, RV hookups, even a laundromat.
