Exploding Whale Memorial Park — Attraction in Florence

Unfortunately, this place is literally a misnomer. Yes, there is a famous story about a whale that washed ashore near Florence, and which was dynamited in an effort to remove the rotting carcass from the beach, BUT THIS PARK IS NOWHERE NEAR THAT BEACH! This park is on a riverbank, not the ocean, and the site of the exploding whale is actually miles away, and not even visible from this location. The park was named because it opened in 2020, around the 50th anniversary of the historic exploding whale event. But aside from the name, it has nothing to do with the exploding whale, and oddly, despite the name, there are no references or informational panels that explain why. I got the answer by asking a local who was walking her dog. It’s a nice little park for that, but it has no historic or particular scenic beauty to make it worth a...

I love this smaller park. With ~6 parking spots the park is never crowded, which is a huge plus for me. The park offers sandy river banks, and a nice wooded area to walk and enjoy. You get views of the bridge, dunes that are not accessible to ATVs, and the river. Admittedly the park is not a great place if you are trying to get some steps in, but if you are looking for some peace and beautiful views this place has you covered. Plenty of benches and picnic tables facing the water that are up in the trees protected from the wind. People do bring their dogs, but are good about cleaning up after them. There is a cute covered area with two picnic tables and a giant chair photo op. Overall it is a place I go to once a week with my kiddo. 2 years in and it's still my favorite...

Although it's a small park, I think it's a great place with a variety of experiences. On the left, you can see the Siuslaw River Bridge, and on your right, you can briefly walk through a forest path. Following that path, there's a small beach that makes it perfect for walking your dogs. You can also get a view of the sand dunes at South Jetty State Park across the river. There's a giant chair that you can take photos on, and many benches are scattered throughout the park, which I think people enjoy. It's a wonderful place to relax and...