Face Rock Beach - Bandon

We don’t care how windy, foggy, or overcast it is when we are in Bandon we have to go visit Face Rock Wayside.  I would dare to say that we almost have a spiritual connection to it as a family.  We really find ourselves at peace when we visit.

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When you get there you will see the ‘Face Rock’ sticking out of the water.  As legend goes “Ewauna slipped away from her sleeping camp, running out into the Wecoma where she swam and  until she was grabbed by a fearsome creature.  Seatka (the creature) held the girl tightly, trying to make her look at but she told him she never would and kept her face toward the friendly moon.At sunrise her father awoke and found her with her beautiful face lying on the sea smiling up at the white clouds.  To the west they saw her cat and kittens and near the beach poor Komax baying for his mistress.”  You can see the complete telling of this haunting story HERE.

So it goes without saying that you must get a picture of the beautiful rock formations even if you are just traveling along the 101 it’s worth a stop.  As we head down the staircase to the beach we always take in the magnificent views before we start our trek to our special spot that we always go set up for the day.  My tip is to get close to a big rock and you will usually be pretty guarded from the wind because most of the time Face Rock is pretty windy, but Olivia loves the sand on this beach because it forms well for sandcastle building and we love to just watch her and Ilias play.  It’s usually not too crowded because of the wind, so that makes it nice!

If you visit at low tide you can see starfish, sea anemone, and other sea life which is always a highlight of our visit, and don’t forget to visit the sea caves.  If you are adventurous enough you can go through the keyhole that drops you out in the ocean and if you catch it at sunset, simply stunning.

The last thing that you do not want to miss is Circles in the Sand.  Their season runs from spring through summer and into fall and then impromptu draws November through April.  It is one of the funnest, whimsical experiences you can have on the Oregon coast.  Wend your way through a hand drawn labyrinth in the sand by artist Denny Dyke.  You can watch him create it two hours before the walk is scheduled.  There are always fun messages, rock decorations, and pictures drawn in.  You can see the schedule HERE.

So I lied. One more cool thing you can do at Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint is whale watching. It’s one of the designated spots for Whale Spoken Here volunteers and it is especially active in December and March during their migration. Bring your own binoculars and you will really be able to see them pretty clearly.

No matter if you spend the day or its just a stop along your road trip you won’t want to miss this beautiful place then complete your day with a stop at Tony’s Crab Shack or Bandon Fish Market for a fresh seafood bite to eat.  See more stories about Bandon and the Oregon coast on our blog and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what we are up to on a daily basis!

As always please Keep Oregon Green and Leave No Trace while visiting!