Celebrate lush, temperate forests that tumble onto pristine beaches, where pure and clean ocean water surges ashore to cleanse and renew.
Lincoln City is surrounded by nature, and that’s a big reason why visitors come to the beach, and locals love living there. People who travel to immerse themselves in everything outdoors are part of a growing group of vacationers known as ecotourists. Ecotourism is the practice of responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains local residents, and involves education about sustainability and minimizing negative impacts on the environment. Lincoln City is the perfect place to experience the full spectrum of what ecotourism has to offer, from Shinrin-yoku and one-of-a-kind “Exploriences” to actively helping to make the beach a better place and everything in between.
The Japanese have long practiced Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” a therapeutic practice in which a person spends time in a forest or natural setting, focusing on sensory engagement to connect with nature. With over seven miles of beach to walk, explore, beachcomb, and surf, and a variety of hiking options through temperate forests and expansive headlands in, around, and just outside of town, the possibilities to become one with nature are numerous! Birding is also a big deal here; find many kinds of year-round, seasonal, and migratory birds from one end of town to another, including some rare species that are uncommon to other areas.
Lincoln City features unique Explorience Programs which provide a series of free, hands-on learning events led by local experts. The program seeks to introduce attendees to some of the many ecotour activities that Lincoln City has to offer. Identify and explore tide pool marine life such as sea stars, anemones, urchins, and other colorful creatures with a Tide Pool Explorience. The Bird-Watching Explorience begins with an informative overview of local and migrating birds and becomes a guided walk through a variety of locations around Lincoln City. The Cascade Head Biosphere Explorience is a 90-minute walking tour through a portion of Cascade Head, which is Oregon's only UNESCO Biosphere Region.
In addition to the Explorience Programs, the Cascade Head Biosphere Collaborative, in partnership with Explore Lincoln City play host to the Biosphere Beach Ambassador Program. These informative sessions take place from May to September during low tide, and begin just above the beach at the NW 15th Street Beach Access point in the middle of town. Meet with Josh Havelind—local photographer and naturalist—or other marine experts who share insights into tide pool life and the significance of the Cascade Head Marine Reserve and Marine Protected Areas, and how to protect fragile habitats. The program fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of the coastal environment and encourages responsible behavior and stewardship.
Lincoln City is also an ideal location for Astrotourism—or dark sky tourism—a relatively recent addition to ecotourism, which focuses on sky-related tourist activities, such as stargazing, astrophotography, chasing eclipses and auroras, and visiting observatories and planetariums. Knight Park, Cascade Head Biosphere Region, Siletz Bay Wildlife Refuge, low-light areas on the beach between the Nelscott and Delake neighborhoods, and East Devils Lake State Park are a few areas inside town that are excellent for stargazing. There is far less light pollution here than many cities of comparable size on the Oregon Coast and elsewhere in the state. In fact, Lincoln City has its own dark sky club, the Central Oregon Coast Friends of the Night Sky. Visit their website for information about meetings and events that focus on all things associated with Dark Sky/Astrotourism.
Most people feel a strong sense of purpose in the world and a greater level of satisfaction with life when they are interacting with nature, whether they’re walking, running, exploring, hiking, surfing, camping and viewing birds, wildlife, and the night sky. These small-scale, low-impact activities allow people to form a deep connection with the environment and allow them to take that connection to the next level. A fundamental part of ecotourism seeks to protect and conserve the natural spaces that make Lincoln City so amazing.
Lincoln City encourages everyone to use good stewardship at the beach: keep beach fires small and controlled and make sure they’re completely extinguished when finished, follow fireworks regulations, keep pets leashed, don’t approach or disturb wildlife, keep the volume low if playing music, use established paths and walkways to and from the beach, and be aware of light pollution and use only as much light as needed, shielded and directed where it needs to go.
Here are a few of the programs and events that not only help the environment but also invite everyone at the beach to strengthen their connection to flora and fauna and become stewards of the natural world that they love and want to preserve.
Trash for Treasures
For 26 years, Finders Keepers has been placing locally handblown glass floats on the beach for people to find. In addition to hundreds of floats that are regularly hidden on the beach throughout the year, special monthly drawings award glass floats to lucky participants who submit evidence of trash pickups through Trash for Treasures. This program, designed to encourage treasure hunters, beachcombers, and everyone else out on the beach to collect a bag of trash on any stretch of Lincoln City beach from Roads End all the way south to the Siletz Bay. Take a photo of the full bag of trash collected and upload the photo including name, email, and mailing address, or bring the photo to the Lincoln City Welcome Center (located inside City Hall at 801 SW Hwy 101, 4th Floor. Open Monday - Friday from 8 AM - 5 PM).
SOLVE Beach Cleanups
SOLVE is an environmental nonprofit that began as a grassroots initiative and has grown into a nationally recognized model for volunteer-driven stewardship. Each year, SOLVE mobilizes thousands of volunteers across Oregon and Southwest Washington to clean and restore neighborhoods and natural areas, fostering a culture of environmental care and community pride. SOLVE hosts the Oregon Spring Cleanup on Earth Day, April 22, 2026; plan a trip to Lincoln City to be a part of this citywide beach cleanup and check their website for other cleanups at the beach and around the state.
Ocean Blue Project
The Ocean Blue Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans and waterways. Their main focus is on collaborative community-driven efforts to address plastic pollution. The project’s goal is to protect the health of humans, oceans, beaches, and rivers through service-learning projects, scientific research, and youth education. The organization is committed to making a positive impact on the ocean blue, a term that represents the importance of ocean conservation. Visit their website to volunteer with a group or create a group of friends or colleagues to help eliminate plastic pollution from Lincoln City beaches.
Interested in learning more about ecotourism and how to strengthen connections with the natural world? Follow Explore Lincoln City on Facebook and Instagram for additional outdoor activities, volunteer opportunities, and lodging and dining suggestions.
Whether you’re beachcombing, hiking, or exploring town, being a good steward means treading lightly. Pack out trash, leash your dog, and stay mindful of tides and sneaker waves. Stay fire-safe, and follow city and county firework regulations. Your care keeps the coast thriving.
Collect a bag of beach trash between Roads End and the Siletz Bay as part of Trash for Treasures. Take a picture of the full bag and upload the photo of your good deed, including your name, email, and mailing address, or bring the photo to the Lincoln City Welcome Center.
Lincoln City is unique in the fact that skies are relatively dark here, but there are also plenty of places to stay, eat, and explore—making it easy to enjoy both the night sky and the coastal experience without sacrificing comfort or convenience.
