Road-Tripping the Oregon Coast With Toddlers
A four-day drive along Highway 101 broken into toddler-manageable segments, with notes on where naps actually happened.
Highway 101 along the Oregon coast is scenic but long, and with toddlers the key variable was segment length, not sightseeing density — shorter driving stretches with a clear stop in mind worked far better than ambitious full-day legs.
Cannon Beach and Yachats both had easy, flat beach access suitable for short legs and sandal feet, while parts of the central coast required longer walks down from parking that were not worth it with a tired toddler in tow.
Naps happened reliably in the car only when departure times were scheduled around the usual midday lull rather than around sightseeing logistics, which meant building the itinerary backward from nap timing.
