Introduction to Bandon

24 miles S of Coos Bay, 85 miles W of Roseburg, 54 miles north of Gold Beach

Once known primarily as the cranberry capital of Oregon (you can see the cranberry bogs south of town along U.S. 101), Bandon is now better known for its world-class Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. It's also set on one of the most spectacular pieces of coastline in the state. Just south of town, the beach is littered with boulders, monoliths, and haystack rocks that seem to have been strewn by some giant hand. Sunsets are stunning.

Just north of town, the Coquille River empties into the Pacific, and at the river's mouth stands a picturesque lighthouse. The lighthouse is one of only a handful of Bandon buildings to survive a fire in 1936. Even though most buildings downtown date only from the 1930s, Bandon still has the quaint feel of a historic seaside village, and a waterfront boardwalk connects Bandon with the Coquille River. Be sure to take a stroll along the boardwalk while you're in town.