Take in views of the Pacific Ocean from this southern Oregon Coast city.
Situated in the southernmost reaches of the Oregon Coast, Brookings is a cute beach town with beautiful scenery and easy access to outdoor adventure, both in southern Oregon and in Northern California. There are plenty of spots to camp in and around town, including Harris Beach State Park, just north of Brookings, and Alfred A. Loeb State Park, about a 15-minute drive from town on the banks of the Chetco River. Both parks offer year-round camping, but Harris Beach is the more RV-friendly of the two, with full hookup sites and a dump station.
Stretching for 18 miles along Highway 101, from Brookings to Gold Beach, this stretch of coastline is considered by many as the finest in the state. It's also a great place to hike, with options ranging from easy mile-long hikes to longer stretches, and while many people opt to drive and stop at viewpoints along the way, it's not uncommon to see hikers tackling the whole thing.
Stretching across much of southwestern Oregon and into Northern California, this forest offers miles of trails, tons of campgrounds, and around 200 miles of lakes and streams. It's also home to one of the world's largest pine trees, a ponderosa that measures a whopping 268.35 feet in height.
Just over the California border, the Redwood National and State Parks collectively preserve some of the largest trees in the world. There's a lot to see from your car, including a few drive-through trees and the scenic Avenue of the Giants driving route, but it's worth sticking around to camp or hike if you have the time.
Brookings is a great place to visit no matter the season, but the camping conditions are certainly at their finest during the summer months, when there's less rainfall, but don't expect many hot, sunny days, as summer highs usually top out in the mid- to upper 60s. July and August are the busiest time of year in and around Brookings, so if you want to avoid crowds and rain at the same time, visit in September.