88 miles SW of Portland, 44 miles S of Tillamook, 25 miles N of Newport
Despite its name, Lincoln City is not a city at all but a collection of five small towns that grew together over the years and now stretch for miles along the coast. The result is that there’s no specific town center, and little to distinguish Lincoln City from a commercialized stretch of suburban highway. Motel rates here, though often high for what you get, are generally better than those in coast towns with more charm and better beaches
Thanks in part to the arrival of a big casino in Lincoln City, the stretch of U.S. 101 between Otis to Depoe Bay, which includes Lincoln City, has become congested sprawl, and a summer weekend in Lincoln City can mean coping with bumper-to-bumper traffic. If at all possible, come during the week or during the off season to avoid the endless traffic and the crowds.
Once you get off U.S. 101, however, Lincoln City has neighborhoods as charming as any on the coast, and at the south end of town, in the Taft District, the city has been working hard to bring back a historical character and provide an attractive, pedestrian-friendly area.
Just north of town, in an area known as Road’s End, you’ll find a long, uncrowded beach with spectacular views to the north.
