Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, Oregon

Beside an awe-inspiring lighthouse, encircling a freshwater lake, on the other side of undulating sand dunes and a hop, skip and a jump from Winchester Bay, is your destination--Umpqua Lighthouse State Park. Sample a variety of recreational riches here, from beach combing to lake frolicking, from hiking to elk viewing, from crabbing to whale watching. Umpqua not only features one of the most unique lighthouses on the Oregon coast (the only one with a red and white lens) but it’s nestled beside a magical stretch of the Pacific, where rugged views, inviting towns, stunning wildlife and hidden pockets of solitude co-conspire to create a perfect getaway. If you’re into exploring Oregon’s alternate routes, make Umpqua Lighthouse State Park the crowning destination point at the end of the Umpqua River Scenic Byway and follow an old highway beside the river to its source in the sea.