One of our favorite stops so far was The Sea Lion Caves in Florence Oregon. The cave is privately owned and is America's largest sea cave. It is the home of a group of Steller Sea Lions who spend several months in the cave, roughly November through August. The sea lions were not yet in the cave when we visited but they out in the water nearby. We were able to see them playing in the surf, hanging out in large floating groups called "rafts" and lounging on nearby rocks.





The day we arrived was a blustery overcast day as a storm was rolling in. Many of the photos we took did not turn out because it was so dark and hazy. The kind workers at the cave were nice enough to give us a rain check though and we were able to come back the following day which was much better weather wise.


We were able to see so much more the second day. From the caves we could see Heceta Lighthouse off in the distance. We decided we should take a little hike out to see the lighthouse since it was such a beautiful day and we had experienced so few of those on this trip to the coast. The trail was about a mile and a half, and other than being very muddy it was quite beautiful.



The light house itself was quite beautiful and there were spectacular views from it as well.
As an added bonus to the beautiful day, we were able to find a scenic overlook on the drive back where we were able to see a huge group of the sea lions enjoying the sunshine on the rocks below and splashing in a little swimming hole. It was such an amazing place, and even though the sea lions were not in the cave when we went, we felt like it was worth every penny of the entrance fee. The cave and the surrounding walks/overlooks were spectacular!