Top 13 Things to do in Newport, Oregon with Kids

Newport, Oregon is a sleepy little beach town on the Oregon coast with lots of things to do. Some activities here happen to be much better than others! After spending spring break in Newport here are what our family considered to be the top 13 things to do in Newport, Oregon. I hope these help you plan your own family vacation to Newport, Oregon.

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13 Things to do in Newport, Oregon with Kids

Newport Coast Park

This newer playground is so much fun for kids and close to the beach. Free parking is available in there on site parking lot and nearby.

Hang at the beach

Look for shells, build sandcastles, or fly a kite. The beach in Newport is neat with lots of sea anemones. My kids love digging holes in the sand, so bring a shovel. Many recommend visiting Agate Beach for beach combing.

Oregon Coast Aquarium

This large aquarium is considered to be the best aquarium in the state of Oregon and I suppose it is. I cannot think of any other aquariums in Oregon. It is a large aquarium with lots to see and do.

Hatfield Science Center

This is a completely free science center and it’s awesome! They have a touch pool that your children will especially enjoy.

Visit the Sea Lions

Located near downtown, these sea lions can be fun to watch. Just ask around for where to find them. Every local in town knows where to find them.

Hike Drift Creek Falls

North of Newport is an excellent hike the whole family will enjoy. Plus, you get to see a waterfall. It is steep on the way back up, but not too bad.

Visit Lighthouse

You can also visit the Yaquina Head lighthouse or the Yaquina Bay lighthouse. Lighthouses tend to be quite interesting for kids, especially if they’ve never seen one before.

Devil’s Punchbowl State Park

This is an interesting rock formation, and worth the drive over to see it.

Newport Discovery Zoo

This is not a traditional zoo, this is more of a rescue. It’s a great place to see exotic animals and learn.

Aquarium Village

A neat looking area where families can shop or visit a restaurant.

Ripley’s Believe it or not!

I didn’t originally include this in my list because it was run down. They reached out to me and let me know that they’ve updated it.

Escape Rooms Newport

Trap your kids in a room with you for at least an hour while you solve puzzles, clues, and more to escape from one of their themed rooms.

Mike Miller Trail

The Mike Miller hiking loop is a 1 mile easy trail. This is a good place to enjoy native coastal vegetation and maybe even some native wildlife.

RELATED Steamboat Inn

For a complete run down on what to do, where to stay, and good places to eat in Newport read our Newport, Oregon Travel Guide!

Where to Stay in Newport

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Portland Oregon Travel Guide

Get Travel Insurance

Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that can go wrong on any trip. Be prepared for the worst with travel insurance. We use Travelex or Safety Wing (often cheaper).

Book Flights

I use Skyscanner to find flights. I use it so much, I wrote an entire guide to finding cheap flights with Skyscanner! My second favorite site to find flights is Momondo, another great site for finding cheap flights.

Book a Place to Stay

I recommend using Expedia.com or Hotels.com for most hotel bookings. I prefer to book directly with Marriott when I stay there because of their excellent military discount.

If you prefer staying in a vacation rental instead, I recommend VRBO.

Rent Clothes

Rent clothes for your trip with Travel Style Expert for only $50 a month! The first 30 days are free!

Choose Activities and Tours

To find great activities in any area I use Get Your Guide and Viator. If we are visiting a city with lots of popular attractions I always check CityPass and GoCard to see if they have discount cards available.

When I want to book a full-on multi-day tour I use TourRadar. They’ve got fantastic weekly deals. If I am going somewhere in Mexico or the Caribbean I use Apple Vacations.