Tell me about the Oregon Coast

I live near Pacific City so I can answer questions for you.
My suggestion would be:
Plan for September, May can be too rainy.
Think about a vacation rental home to rent and use that as a home base. You can make day trips within the area you talked about. There are vacation homes up and down the coast. They can be cheaper in the long run.
There are many events taking place in September at the Coast that you can partake in or watch and enjoy.
All the Counties and Cities have tourist board so go online and get as much information as you can.

Paul

I'd suggest going from Lincoln City south. Northward, places like Astoria and Cannon Beach are much more crowded. Lots of traffic coming from Portland. If you're looking for something to do, check out the Lighthouses located along the coast.

If you start in Astoria, there are three forts that guarded the mouth of the Columbia River, two in Washington (Canby and Columbia), and Stevens in Oregon. The wreck of the Peter Iredale is on the beach at Fort Stevens. Lesser known fact is Clark Cable did some acting in the Liberty Theater in Astoria in his early career.Astoria/Warrenton is where Lewis and Clark wintered, and there is a nice interpretive center to visit. The L&C center at Cape Disappointment on the WA side is very nice, and also has a history of the light houses at the mouth of the Columbia River (and the original Fesnel lens used in two lighthouses).

Going south, Seaside is a tourist trap, Cannon Beach is a tourist trap... I like the Manzanita area (and Nehalem Bay State Park for camping). If you can spare the time and like to hike, the climb to the top of Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain is well worth the stunning vista on a clear day. Bring your treasure hunting skills, native legend tells of a pirate ship wrecked on the rocks and the treasure buried somewhere. Many have looked for it, but it hasn't been found. Also watch for beeswax left by another shipwreck (we have a small piece found many years ago). Heading south, the Tillamook Creamery is a must see tourist trap. The Air Museum is also well worth seeing (the engine display is my fav). A drive around Cape Kiwanda is great, and there is a wreck of a B-17 bomber out on Tillamook Head if you care to hike out to it.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. There is much to see and your week will be full... and you will want to come back. If you can go during the whale migration, all the better, the gray whales are becoming quite common (at the north entrance to the road that leads to Cape Foulweather, I've seen nearly 20 whales right off the rocks, all feeding in and around the kelp beds. Oh, and if you get to Newport, be sure to stop at the Hatfield Marine Science Center, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, AND, most importantly, the WORLD Headquarters of the Rogue Brewery.

Have a wonderful trip!!
Steve

We spent two summers volunteering at Canon Beach at Haystack Rock with FWS. Summer doesn't start till June 21 the sun may come out then and the tourists sure do. High times then till September when the children go back to school. September still and maybe the best weather. We loved the north coast never went south of Newport but did wander up the Washington coast a bit. If the choice is May or September I'd pick the later.

Just do it. There's more than enough to do all along the coast. I liked Tillamook, interesting area with the cheese factory and the air hanger museum.

I stayed a night at the airport in August. No hookups but it wasn't crowded and I enjoyed watching the planes take off and land. Missed the adjacent air museum as I didn't want to leave my dog in the RV but plan to visit it next time. During the eclipse I was at Pacific City and it was a zoo.

Plan on a couple of weeks.

Wishful thinking. We'll only have a week. I would LOVE to just wander down the coast but we won't have the time this trip.

Oceanside Beachfront RV Resort is one of our all time favorite places, no spot more than 5 minutes from a great beach.
Beside the RV and tent sites they have safari tents and cabins and cottages.

the southern oregon coast is more scenic,the weather usually warmer, the ocean a little warmer and it is less crowded.

The Oregon coast is crowded in the summer but still not too bad compared to many tourist destinations. We like to hit it in the summer to escape the heat back home in Idaho, and it's a really good destination for family activities. I personally like Newport because it's centrally located and has lots of activities, and it seems a little less crowded than further north. As a rule of thumb the further you get from Portland the less crowds you'll find.

Just do it. There's more than enough to do all along the coast. I liked Tillamook, interesting area with the cheese factory and the air hanger museum.