Partner Story
Plan the ultimate kid-friendly adventure on the South Coast.
Stretching from just north of Port Orford to Oregon’s southern border, Curry County is chock-full of fun for families. Picnicking on the beach, flying a kite or embarking on a prehistoric adventure are just a few of the many ways to make memories together on this slice of the South Coast.
1. Treasure hunt or fly a kite. There’s something magical about unearthing a bit of treasure, gifted by nature and formed millions of years ago. One of the most fruitful spots to find agates in translucent hues is on the wide black sands of Tseriadun State Recreation Site in Port Orford — known by locals as Agate Beach. This free activity can be enjoyed any time of year, and no tools are needed, just a bit of patience as you scour the sand. If it happens to be a windy day, take the fun to another level and launch a kite. Two other good spots for kite flying are the wide beach at Port of Gold Beach or Sport Haven Beach, a flat, kite-friendly beach that stretches almost a mile from Brookings’ South Jetty.
2. Picnic on the beach. Pack a lunch and head to the sandy beach at Otter Point State Recreation Site in Gold Beach, where unique sandstone formations along this quiet shore make a pretty backdrop for an alfresco dining adventure. Views from the park’s bluff stretch from Cape Blanco to Oregon’s southern border on a clear day, but be sure to use caution near unfenced drop-offs. Fill your picnic basket with tasty provisions at the Old Agness Store in Gold Beach, where you’ll find sandwiches, fresh-made soups and salads, charcuterie plates, baked goods, and more.
3. Play disc golf. Curry County is home to several fantastic disc-golf courses designed for players of all levels. Buffington Memorial Park in Port Orford has a nine-hole course great for beginners yet challenging enough for more seasoned players, as well as mini-golf and a skate park. If you play at Gold Beach’s Collier H. Buffington Memorial Park, save time to romp around the Kid Castle — an elaborate, old-school wooden play structure that spells fun for all ages. Azalea Park in Brookings has a compact, moderately challenging 18-hole course played mostly under a canopy of shade trees.
4. Eat world-famous hot dogs. Thirteen miles north of Port Orford at Langlois Market & Deli, sink your teeth into a world-famous hot dog. For more than 40 years, this little store has tempted taste buds with its juicy, peeled frankfurters dressed with house-made sweet mustard. One bite and you’ll see what all the fuss is about. Follow it up with a scoop of ice cream for an old-fashioned afternoon in Curry County.
5. Stop for sweets. Is it really a trip to the beach without saltwater taffy or kettle corn? Slugs ’N Stones ’N Ice Cream Cones in Brookings, has got you covered with dozens of taffy flavors, along with Oregon’s own Umpqua ice cream scooped into old-fashioned banana splits, sundaes, shakes and malts. It even stocks adorable banana slug plushies.
6. Grab kid-friendly eats. With options to suit even the pickiest of palates as well as a full menu for grown-ups, head to Port Hole Café & Tap House in Gold Beach, a local favorite for more than 30 years. In a former cannery building overlooking the mouth of the Rogue River, Port Hole Café serves fresh local seafood and a range of microbrews in a kid-friendly atmosphere with a special menu just for little ones. Be sure to save room for a slice of homemade pie.
Playgrounds, Games and Fun
7. Tugboats and floats. Get the inside scoop on what to do in the area at the Visit Gold Beach Visitor Center. While there, the kids can play captain at the adjacent tugboat playground. There’s accessible beach access here as well — perfect for families traveling with strollers — and a charging station for electric wheelchairs. If you’re here in April, turn a visit to the beach into a scavenger hunt for one of the 1,500 glass floats hidden in the grass or nestled beside driftwood.
8. Visit Kid Town. Head to Azalea Park in Brookings to get the wiggles out at Kid Town — a large wooden castle and ninja-style obstacle course. Kids love exploring this huge, accessible playground or roaming along the paths that wind through the park’s 30-acre display of native azaleas, some of which are more than 200 years old.
9. Indoor games and more. Nostalgia collides with the future at Legends Arcade in Brookings, where vintage arcade games, pinball and redemption games spell fun in any type of weather. On the first Wednesday of the month, bring your Pokemon or other trading cards for a hosted game night.
10. Jurassic fun. Kids of all ages love Prehistoric Gardens, one of Oregon’s most beloved roadside attractions. Nestled in a lush coastal rainforest 12 miles south of Port Orford are 21 life-size dinosaurs and prehistoric animals at this circa-1950s adventure park. Pathways have signage with fun facts about the local ecosystem and massive dinosaurs that roamed the earth more than 70 million years ago.
Top photo by Barb Dunham
