When the Guinness Book of Records weighs in on a topic to award a title of distinction, it’s quite a reputation to live up to. So being known as America’s largest sea cave had better show visitors all that it has to offer — and it does. From the sea-lion sanctuary below ground to the take-home treasures above ground, the experience begins with a 208-foot descent in an elevator.
Located 11 miles north of Florence, Oregon, Sea Lion Caves is the year-round home of the Steller Sea Lion, according to cave’s official website. “One of the owners’ grandmothers would take groups of people down to the cave before there was an elevator,” says Jim McMillan, general manager of the Sea Lion Caves Gift Shop.
The elevator made its debut in 1961. And while the exact date of the gift shop is not immediately clear, photos of the 1950s and 1960s show the existing cream-colored building perched on a cliff along U.S. Highway 101 high above the cavern believed to stand about 12 stories high.
For McMillan, the place was love at first sight. He landed a job there at 16 years old working summers in the parking lot, graduating to cave attendant, and eventually climbing to his current position. All told, he’s dedicated 20 years of his career to the cave operation.
“I just love this place,” he says. “The views, the atmosphere. Most of the people coming through here, they’re having a good time already, and we’re just going to keep that going for them. There’s people from the Midwest that have never seen the Pacific Ocean, and the views all along the Oregon coast are just beautiful.”
Sales In The Store
The self-guided tour begins and ends at the gift shop building, which also serves as the operation’s headquarters for its 22 employees.Once inside, visitors are immediately beckoned by the smell of gourmet treats and snacks.
“The first thing you probably smell is the popcorn,” McMillan notes. “We make our popcorn here, and then we have fudge that we make in the shop as well.”
Among the wood-paneled walls lined with hanging T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and jackets are spinners loaded with jewelry, sunglasses, magnets, keychains, I Love Sea Lion Caves stickers, windchimes, toys and stuffed animals. Meanwhile, glass cubes prop up more delicate glass platters, plates and serving dishes — most adorning sea turtles, crabs, whales and other marine life.
“We try to find a lot of unique items because you’ll see a lot of shops up and down the coast that have the same items.” — Jim McMillan
“We try to find a lot of unique items because you’ll see a lot of shops up and down the coast that have the same items and we’ll have some of that, but I also … travel with the owners to gift shows [to] find things that are unique,” he says.
There are the stone figurines that feature designs like whale tails made to look like they are disappearing into the ocean below and sea turtles with outstretched flippers, ready to take on the waves that continuously meet the shoreline.
Prairie Mountain Screening and Dynasty Wholesalers top the list of go-to vendors that supply the T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets and hats that are capturing the attention of guests at the shop. McMillan notes that part of traveling for the job is to seek out “artists that can make unique brands with the Sea Lion Caves’ artwork on it.”
“People want to take a shot glass home or sometimes people buy high-end items,” he says. “Sometimes they just want to have something from Sea Lion Caves that has our name on it that’s a collectible.”
Magnetic Attraction
And just what is it that draws people in? In addition to the cave’s rich history, the destination and shop are etched into the minds of guests as they walk down Memory Lane.“Some people remember coming here when they were little kids,” McMillan shares. “I talk to a lot of people who were here 50 years ago and we’re still here.”
These days, the operation is in the hands of the third generation of two of three families who originally turned the spot into a business and tourist destination in the 1930s.
In 1958, the revolutionary elevator shaft project began that delivered the site to the masses. Before the elevator, the trek to the cave was long and treacherous and for some — impossible. Today, “the elevator has a capacity of 23 passengers, a descent of 208 feet and a travel rate of 250 feet per minute,” the website states.
Once the doors open, McMillan notes, guests are greeted by an unexpected smell. “The smell of the sea lions,” he says of the one comment he hears the most. “When they’re full in the cave.”
Once past the initial shock of the stench, guests move on to enjoy the view of the main cavern — a room with a floor area of nearly two acres and a vaulted rock dome about 125 feet high, the website notes.
While the sea-level cave serves as home and breeding ground to sea lions, it’s no stranger to other wildlife.
“We have much more to offer than the sea lions,” McMillan points out. “The cave itself is an awesome attraction. We get different migratory birds. I saw some gray whales today. We’re an excellent vantage point to watch for whales. Occasionally, we’ll see orcas come by and that’s pretty special.”
McMillan says he has learned to follow the seasons according to when the 2,400-pound bulls first appear in spring as well as the patterns of migratory birds singing in the cave. He says the sound of migratory birds singing in the cave is like music to his ears, signifying another opportunity to share this hallowed ground with new visitors.
“And one thing here is the view. It’s so beautiful. We’re on top of the ocean, you can see the lighthouse to the north of us,” he explains. “Right now, I’m watching sea lions play out in the water. Bald eagles — we pretty much see those almost every day. It’s pretty awesome.”
