Oregon Coast Explorations

Endless miles of sandy beaches, interrupted from time to time by giant rocky monoliths standing impressively high over the surf.  Jagged cliffs towering thousands of feet above rocky pools teeming with colorful sea life.  Vibrant green forests seamlessly giving way to rolling sand dunes.  Breathtaking sunsets over the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. If you haven’t spent much time exploring the Oregon Coast, I highly recommend it.

This is our second winter in a row taking advantage of one of the Pacific Northwest’s most incredible natural treasures. And with such a mild coastal climate, winter is the perfect time (in my opinion), for driving up and down the windy Highway 101, hiking along the sandy coastline, exploring the countless tide pools, and poking around the local shops in artsy beach towns that would normally be swarming with visitors during the summer.

And here’s the best part. We discovered during our last trip that nearly all of of the state parks that dot the coastline—and there are a surprising number of them—have pet friendly yurts available for less than $50 a night.  It’s one of the only times the pack and I will happily forego sleeping in our much too crowded 2-person tent for the luxury of a heated room with beds and actual mattresses that we don’t have to unroll or inflate before crawling into bed for the night.

The only downside is that I have real trouble convincing myself at night to leave the warmth of the yurt when the clouds clear and reveal a sky full of stars shining brilliantly overhead.  But somehow, I manage.