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Visitor information about Florence, OR.
Florence, Oregon is located on the Central Oregon Coast at the
junction of US Highway-101 and Oregon Highway-126.
Getting There
The easiest access to Florence is via OR-126 from Eugene at
Interstate-5 Exit 194. This route
will take you from the I-5 corridor in the Willamette Valley over the
Coastal Mountain Range to the Pacific Coast at Florence.
Florence is 173 miles or a almost 4 hours from Portland,
OR via I-5 and OR-126. Florence is
194 miles south of Astoria via US-101 and 177 miles north of the California
State Line on the same 2-lane highway.
About Florence
Florence probably got its name from the French ship that
went aground in the Siuslaw River in 1875 but the political answer is that
it was named in honor of A.B. Florence, a State Representative that served
the people of Lane County in the mid-1800’s. We like the second version.
Florence has a population of over 6,000 people. It lies at the outlet of the Siuslaw
(si-oos-law) River where it empties into the Pacific Ocean.
As with most cities, Florence began when water was used for
transportation and roads for trucks didn’t exist. Not only were goods brought from farm to
market by water, public transportation was by ship and river boat.
Because water was the form of transportation of the time
the original buildings in Florence were riverfront. Several of those original buildings still
stand in “Old Town” Florence and have been renovated into interesting
restaurants and shops.
“Old Town” is located on the north bank of the Siuslaw
River just up river (east) of the Historic Bridge over the river that
carries the traffic on US Highway-101.
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Sand Dunes
Florence is the
northern gateway to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. You can look right across the river to
see the beginning of the dunes. It
seems that some time ago someone was going to build houses across the river
and the community got together to save their sand dunes.
The world’s first
sand board park is located on the northern edge of Florence. Sand boarding is similar to snowboarding.
Golf
Florence is the only city on the Oregon Coast that has
two 18-hole golf courses in its city limits. Sandpines Golf Course, the newest one,
won Best New Public Course in America in 1993.
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Some of the
Buildings in “Old Town”
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Florence has a population of just over 6,000. It serves an area wide population of
about 22,000 according to the Chamber of Commerce. Florence was rated the number one place
to retire in the United States by Retirement
Places Rated.
Attractions to Florence
Florence is on Oregon’s Pacific Coast so it’s all about
the ocean. That is true, the Pacific
Ocean and the sand dunes caused by the relentless pounding of the waves and
ocean winds and here in all their glory but Florence’s attractions don’t
stop at the coast.
There are more than a dozen fresh water lakes in the area
that also serve fishermen, boaters, and swimmers. Florence is also adjacent
to the Siuslaw National Forest and the Coastal Mountain Range with all of
the outdoor activities available in the forests.
About 6 miles south of Florence is Siltcoos Lake. It is the largest lake on the Oregon
Coast and has a public boat ramp and fishing dock.
11-miles north of Florence you will find the Sea Lion
Caves. They have a gift shop and
sell tickets in the gift shop for access to the walkways and elevator down
to the largest sea cave in the world.
If you are lucky the sea lions will be in residence when you visit.
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South of Florence
you will find Sandland Adventures which has dune buggy tours, ATV rentals,
go-carts, bumper boats, and miniature golf.
North of Florence, about 8 miles, you will find C&M
Stables. They offer horseback rides
both on the beach and in a meadow with stands of alder trees. See listings below for more information.
Fly Eating Plants
Don’t miss the
Darlingtonia Botanical Wayside 6 miles north of Florence on US-101. These carnivorous plants eat insects.
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A Restaurant in “Old Town”
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The Darlingtonia
This insect eating plant attracts insects to enter into
the bottom of the bulbous top and get stuck and a sweet sticky surface and
consumed.
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Recommended Attractions
in Florence, Oregon
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Antiques
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See listings
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Gift Shops
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State Parks
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See listings
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Visitor Information
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Museums
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Florence Area
Chamber of Commerce
290 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Visit their website.
Open 9am-5pm M-F / 10am-2pm Sat May thru September. Closed Sunday
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Siuslaw Pioneer Museum
85928 US Highway-101
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-7884
Open May 1 to Labor Day Noon – 4PM
Tuesday – Sunday.
Displays of Indian artifacts, pioneer life, and early logging.
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Listed
Attractions in Florence, OR
We have not necessarily
visited or recommend listed businesses.
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Antiques
Brown Dog
Antiques – 541-902-7980
575
Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Good Stuff
– 541-997-1700
498
Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Mon Ami –
541-997-9234
490 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Purple
Pelican – 541-997-2220
2775-C
Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Art Galleries
Blue Heron Gallery
– 541-997-7993
1385 Bay Street,
Florence, OR 97439
Wind Drift Gallery
– 541-997-9182
1395 Bay Street,
Florence, OR 97439
Gift Shops
Family Tyes – 541-997-2066
1421 Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439
Card Quest – 541-997-2025
1545
8th Street, Florence, OR 97439
Cottage by the Bay – 541-997-4993
1297
Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439
Dahlia’s Secret Garden Co. – 541-997-5860
1255
Bay Street, PO Box 1528, Florence, OR 97439
Incredible & Edible Oregon –
541-997-7018
1350
Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439
Lakeshore Myrtlewood – 541-997-8563
83530 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Marvels by the Sea – 541-902-7815
1234 Rhododendron Suite 7, Florence, OR
97439
Natural Beauty Leather Treasures –
541-902-9263
1367
Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439
Odds-n-ends – 541-997-0316
138 Bay Street #2, PO Box 685, Florence, OR
97439
Reigning Cats and Dogs – 541-997-8982
1384
Bay Street, Florence, OR 97439
Silver Lining – 541-997-2440
2217 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Quilting
Joy of Quilting – 541-902-8863
2970 Highway-101,
Florence, OR 97439
Scrapbooking
Ink Spirations – 541-997-5996
575 Hwy 101 #B, Florence, OR 97439
Theatres
Florence Cinemas – 541-997-2727
1930 Hwy 101, Florence, OR 97439
Tours & Attractions
Action Jackson’s Guide Service – fishing – 541-268-6944
PO Box 337, Mapleton, OR 97453
C&M Stables – 541-997-7540
90241 Highway-101 North, Florence, OR 97439
Sea Lion Caves – 541-547-3111
91560 Highway-101 North, Florence, OR 97439
Sand Dunes Frontier – We drive: 541-997-3544 – You drive:
541-997-5363
83960 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Sandland Adventures – Dune buggies, etc. – 541-997-8087
85366 Highway-101,
Florence, OR 97439
Sand Master Park – 541-997-6006
87542 Highway-101, Florence, OR 97439
Three Rivers Casino – 541-997-7529
5647 Highway-126, Florence, OR 97439
Wine Shops
Grape Leaf – 541-997-1646
1269 Bay Street,
Florence, OR 97439
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