If you’re in search of a travel destination even more laid back than Portland, you don’t have to travel too far beyond the city.
Interest in remote landscapes are on the rise this year, according to vacation rental platform HomeToGo — and one of the most-looked-up travel destinations is situated just a couple hours outside Portland.
That would be Depoe Bay, an Oregon coast town HomeToGo described as “wild, rugged (and) windswept.” The spot is perhaps best known as the state’s whale-watching capital, though it also holds its own as a charming beach town teeming with nature and restaurants.
In a Tuesday article, travel site Islands named the city the United State’s top remote destination for 2026.
“About 100 miles from Portland, Depoe Bay embodies many of the images one conjures when dreaming of a rugged coastal enclave away from the world,” Islands said of the town.
“Homes back onto seaside cliffs, with views of crashing waves and flying gulls from their windows,” the article continued. “An arched bridge passes over the mouth of a creek-fed inlet, the Pacific Ocean stretching to the horizon on one side. Boats rest in a marina surrounded by trees, sea caves form natural rock bridges over the water, and quaint restaurants and shops coax visitors inside with friendly local faces.”
The scenic Otter Crest Loop along the Oregon Coast Highway got a shoutout from Islands, as did the Boiler Bay State Wayside lookout.
As for dining options, the publication pointed to Bay View Thai Kitchen and The Sticks, a casual fish-and-chips restaurant.
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