Florence sits at the mouth of the Siuslaw River, where the water meets the Pacific among tall dunes and spruce forest, and it is both a handsome old river port and the doorway to the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area runs for about eighty kilometres along the coast to the south, an extraordinary landscape of sand ridges up to sixty metres high, interspersed with forest islands, lakes and wetlands. Some dunes are used by dune buggies and others are quiet, protected zones where you can walk for hours and see no one.
The old town beside the river is a short stretch of weathered wooden buildings housing cafes, galleries and antique shops, with fish markets beside the quay. The Siuslaw River Bridge, an elegant Art Deco and Gothic design by the engineer Conde McCullough, opened in 1936 and is one of several of his bridges that define the Oregon coast. The town hosts a rhododendron festival in May, when the hills glow pink and purple. About half an hour north, the Sea Lion Caves is a huge sea cave where Steller sea lions gather, and nearby Heceta Head Lighthouse stands on a headland above a cove, a regular postcard.
For riding, Highway 101 here is a pleasure but not a wild one. The road is broad and well kept, with rolling curves through forests and along the shoreline, and glimpses of the surf and beaches. Traffic is steady in summer, with RVs and logging trucks, so expect to be patient. The weather is often cool and breezy, with fog drifting in from the ocean, and sudden showers are common even in July. Cross-winds at the bridge can be strong. The best months are often September and October, when the fog lifts and the days are clear and crisp.
With nearly nine thousand people, Florence has plenty of fuel, grocery stores, motels and restaurants, and it is a good place to base yourself for the central coast. Fresh Dungeness crab, clam chowder and local oysters are everywhere, and the smell of salt and spruce is constant. Wear layers, because the temperature can drop quickly, and bring a visor that handles glare from the sun on the wet road.