Ever since I adopted my 2-year-old terrier mix, Chomper, in May of 2017, I have planned road trips that revolve around dog-friendly hotels and destinations. Fortunately, dogs are a common sight in the Pacific Northwest. For those who are looking for a scenic road trip over a long weekend with (or without) your furry friend, see below for my itinerary for a 3-day jaunt along the Oregon coast.
Day 1: Seattle -> Olympia -> Astoria -> Seaside
Olympia, Washington
We headed out of Seattle early morning on Saturday and drove 1.5 hours down to Olympia for brunch at New Moon Cooperative Cafe (113 4th Ave W, Olympia, WA 98501) in Downtown Olympia. There is plenty of street parking nearby, and you don’t need to pay the meter on weekends. Because New Moon is a popular place with delicious breakfast food and limited seating, there is usually a wait. Luckily, we only had to wait about 15 minutes for a group of four at around 10:30 am on a Saturday.
Before heading to Oregon, we stopped by Tumwater Falls Park (110 Deschutes Way SW, Tumwater, WA 98501) for a quick stroll. This dog-friendly trail is a 0.5 mile long scenic loop trail along the Deschutes River with three cascading waterfalls.
Astoria, Oregon
After stretching our legs at Tumwater Falls Park, we drove on down to Astoria, Oregon, which is another 2 hours and 15 minutes from Olympia. We stopped at the Astoria Column (1 Coxcomb Dr, Astoria, OR 97103), a 125-foot (38 m)-tall column with a 164-step spiral staircase ascending to an observation deck. It is located at the top of a hill overlooking the mouth of the Columbia River, and there is an entry cost of $5 per vehicle for a one-year pass. Dogs are not allowed inside the column, but they are allowed on the grassy area outside.
Seaside, Oregon
After we had our fill of the Columbia River, we drove down to Seaside, Oregon, where we would spend the evening. The drive from Astoria to Seaside is only about a half hour, and we arrived just in time for golden hour before sunset at Ecola State Park (Ecola Park Rd, Cannon Beach, OR 97110). There is a $5 day use parking fee per vehicle, and the photo below does not do the view justice. Dogs are allowed on a leash inside the park.
Once the sun had set, we checked in to our dog-friendly room at Ebb Tide Oceanfront Inn (300 N Prom, Seaside, OR 97138). It is a lovely budget hotel in downtown Seaside with direct beach access. We also had dinner that night at Bigfoot’s Steakhouse (2427 S Roosevelt Dr, Seaside, OR 97138) nearby, a wonderful restaurant that served big portions of food within a cozy wood cabin atmosphere.
Day 2: Seaside -> Cannon Beach -> Tillamook -> Yachats
After our continental breakfast at Ebb Tide, we set off to walk along the extremely dog-friendly Cannon Beach. There was plenty of free parking in a large lot at Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site (W Warren Way, Tolovana Park, OR 97145), and from there we began our sandy trek toward Haystack Rock.
We were hungry after our morning at the beach, so we headed south toward the Tillamook Cheese Factory (4175 US-101, Tillamook, OR 97141), which is less than an hour’s drive from Cannon Beach. Unfortunately, the main factory is currently under construction until summer of 2018, but a temporary Visitor’s Center is open.
After getting full from the generous “sampler” sizes of ice cream at Tillamook Cheese Factory, we headed south to Yachats, Oregon, where we would spend the night at Fireside Motel (1881 US-101, Yachats, OR 97498).
On our way south to Yachats, we had a few scenic stops. The first was Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area (Otter Rock, OR 97369), which is located about 8 miles (13 km) north of Newport. This natural area is known for its eroded yellow sandstone bowl, formed by the convergence and collapse of two caves. Waves enter the bowl and often violently churn, swirl, and foam.
Our second stop was a quick roadside stop at Siletz Bay, outside of Lincoln City, Oregon. Pine trees growing on a series of seastacks caught our attention, so we pulled over to take a look. From my Google search later, I found out that these seastacks are known as the “Four Brothers”.
Our last stop for the day was Devil’s Churn in Cape Perpetua (Yachats, OR 97498), where we watched the rolling waves and the sunset before retiring to our hotel for the night. The fee is $5 per day to enter the Siuslaw National Forest, where Cape Perpetua is located. We had the Northwest Forest Pass, so we were able to enjoy the views for free. Dogs are allowed on leash on all trails within Cape Perpetua.
Day 3: Yachats -> Newport -> Seattle
Since Yachats was a 6-hour drive from our home in Seattle, we woke up early to begin our journey home. However, we started off our day by going the opposite direction. After breakfast, we drove back to Cape Perpetua to see the Spouting Horn at Cook’s Chasm. The spouting horn is a salt water fountain driven by the ocean’s power, which looks like a whale’s blowhole. It was well worth the backwards journey.
We then headed north on US. Route 101 toward Newport, Oregon, where had our final stop on the trip: Yaquina Head Lighthouse (750 NW Lighthouse Dr, Newport, OR 97365). Built in 1872 and standing 93 feet (28 m) tall, Yaquina Head is the tallest lighthouse in Oregon. Dogs are not allowed on the path directly next to or inside the lighthouse, but it is a dog friendly area otherwise. Please also note the $7 entry fee per vehicle.
The 5.5-hour drive back to Seattle from Newport, Oregon, consisted mostly of uneventful highway driving along I-5 north. Chomper spent much of it napping, while I reflected on all the memories I had made on our New Years road trip.
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