The beach at Oceanside Beachfront RV Resort.
Why camp here? I think the name explains why! The Oceanside Beachfront RV Resort resort is located on the beach at Coos Bay in Charleston, Oregon. We can’t see the ocean from our site, but we can hear the waves and the foghorn from the Cape Arago Lighthouse, and can walk to the beach in less than two minutes. There are tent sites that are actually on the sand.
Trail to the beach
We learned about Oceanside from a couple of different people in the RV Tips Group on Facebook, and were thrilled when we were able to reserve a week without a lot of notice. There are sites to accommodate big rigs, and some smaller sites tucked into the trees next to the beach for pop-ups. There are also some really cute cabins with rocking chairs on the front porches.
The beach itself is beautiful, with private access trails from the campground. It’s located right next to the Bastendorff Beach, which allows well-behaved dogs to run off leash. There are fire rings at the campsites, and you can build campfires on the beach as well.
Other amenities: It’s a full-service campground, with hookups, laundry rooms, bathroom facilities, picnic tables, fire rings and a small store. There’s even an on-site crab shack, but it was out of crab when I walked up. It’s well-maintained and the staff is friendly.
Connectivity: There is wifi available. It’s a little confusing to get connected. I spent a few minutes on the phone with customer service, but it’s fast once you’re on. We have fairly good coverage with AT&T, three bars of 4G.
Seals at Cape Arago
Fun fact: Shell Island and Simpson Reef, located at the southern end of the Cape Arago Loop, are home to thousands of California sea lions, Stellar sea lions, harbor seals and northern elephant seals. We could hear them as soon as we opened the doors of the truck. There are two different vantage points, stop at both. Take a picnic lunch to the loop, there are tables with incredible views. Dogs are allowed on the trails as long as they’re leashed.
Would we camp here again? In a heartbeat. They have monthly and seasonal sites available. Sounds like a good place to spend next July.
Boardwalk at Coos Bay
What’s nearby? This is a long list! Coos Bay, Charleston and North Bend are all nearby, along with several state parks. You can go whale watching; charter a boat; go fishing, clamming and crabbing; ride ATVs on the dunes or beach; play golf; visit museums; watch drag races at the Coos Bay Speedway; try locals wines and beers and eat some amazing fresh seafood. We were here for the Blackberry Arts Festival at Coos Bay, which was a lot of fun with live music, a street fair, samples from local wineries and the 7 Devils Brewery and good food.
The Cape Arago Highway Loop has stops where you can view the Cape Arago Lighthouse and a large off-shore seal colony. The Coquille River Lighthouse in Bandon and Cape Blanco Lighthouse are both on Highway 101 within an hour’s drive to the south. This makes an excellent day trip.
Cabins at Oceanside
Getting here: This was a little confusing because the website said to be sure and use GPS coordinates rather than the address, but I couldn’t find the GPS coordinates. Our GPS actually led us here, even though they advised against it. (Click for an RV-friendly route.) There are some really steep hills, so look twice before turning off of 101 with a camper in tow.
Helpful links:
Oceanside Beachfront RV Resort
Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more Tales From the Empty Nest.
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