Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/992987
14 BCA A .COM SUMMER 2018 Justin Bailie, Gregor Halenda, Alamy TRAVEL From Tillamook, it's a roughly 175-km drive along the water, passing tiny coastal towns, dramatic headlands and pretty promontories, to reach another must-see: the surreal Sea Lion Caves. Here, an elevator descends 63 metres into the country's largest sea cave, where you can see sea lions – often by the barking hundreds – basking on the rocks. The nearby town of Florence is home to Siuslaw River Bridge, a 1930s feat of engineering called a bascule (a type of drawbridge). Admire it while sipping single-origin coffee from the patio of local fave River Roasters. Florence also marks the top of a 68-km stretch of seaside sand dunes, in Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Explore the dunes (some of which reach heights of 150 metres) on foot or rent an ATV, sand board or dune buggy from one MEMBER BENEFIT BCAA's online TripTik ® planner lets you print, save and email high- quality custom maps that include up-to-date route and delay info, gas prices and details about hotels, restaurants and attractions along the way. bcaa.com/trip-planning of the local outfitters. Group buggy tours are available, too. Before you head for the state line, make a pit stop in Bandon, known for its cranberry farms, quaint Old Town, wild beaches and more sea stacks. Among these is Face Rock, which, according to Nah-So-Mah native legend, is a maiden turned to stone, gazing up at the sky and surrounded by her retinue of animals. Colossal California Crossing into California, Hwy. 101 winds through a Shangri-La of cliffs and massive, ancient redwoods. One of the most beautiful stretches of road in the country is the 50-km Avenue of the Giants, which runs parallel to the main route, through Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Pick up a map at the visitor's centre and allow plenty of time to explore Visitors gather "gems" at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, California; (above right) dune buggies give family-friendly thrills in Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area; (below) Florence, Oregon, is home to Siuslaw River Bridge, a bascule, or drawbridge.