Top 10 Dog-Friendly Places: Pacific City
- griffithk4
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
10: The Dory House
This unfussy dog-friendly 2 bedroom house sleeps 6, has a huge kitchen, and is very reasonably priced. You are right above the garage that keeps one of the local dory charter boats, so be prepared for a little noise early in the morning, and some crew in the afternoon at the home taking care of crab and fish from the day's charter catch. Great location, nice owners, and some action you won't see everyday at any other rental.
PROS: Price; Unique experience
CONS: Not a super private-rental experience; No fully-fenced yard
9: Tierra del Mar and McPhillips Beach Access
Both of these beach access points allow you to drive right out onto the sand (4x4 or AWD only), and enjoy the day near your car. Be mindful of people driving on the beach, this might not be the best spot for dogs that like to run around a lot, but really great for older dogs (or dogs with more chill than mine) that love the beach but don't want to be on it the whole time.
PROS: No walk required to get to the beach - good for mobility issues
CONS: Vehicles on the beach, can be unsafe for fetch/running. Map: Tierra Del Mar
8: Sitka Sedge State Natural Area
This beautiful, unique coastal space is great for bird watching, and has viewpoints of all kinds - Sand Lake, the ocean, wetlands, forest, and a beach access - just keep walking the trails and you'll feel like you're in multiple different parks, and you only had to find one parking spot.
PROS: Nice, tame hike/walk; multiple views
CONS: No cell service
7: Hart's Camp
Hart's Camp is right across the street from Cape Kiwanda. There's tent and RV camping, and all kinds of cabin options, many of them dog-friendly. The place can feel a bit pricey, but considering it has showers, mini-golf, a pool, has a trail to the local skate park, and other mini-resort-style activities (not to mention walking distance from Cape Kiwanda, so saving on those daily parking fees), you're definitely paying for location convenience at this location. While the RV sites are fairly standard, the cabins are a great place to stay with dogs - many of them have semi-fenced yards to help corral, and plenty of space for your fur babies inside each cabin.
PROS: Great location especially if you're staying for multiple days
CONS: Pricey, RV/Tent sites are pretty tight
6: Clay Myers State Natural Area and Whalen Island County Park
I know these are different entities, but if you stay at Whalen Island, you'll inevitably end up at Clay Myers, as they essentially share the island. The Tillamook County campground has 32 tent sites, and is situated right along Sand Lake's finger that actually creates the island itself. Clay Myers has great walking trails through the forested area that take you right to the edge of the Island where it meets Sand Lake. Though not technically the ocean, there's a beach area very close to the campground with easy water access as well. It appears to be a fairly quiet place to stay.
PROS: Quiet and Peaceful;
CONS: Limited cell service
5: Sportsman's Pub-N-Grub
Sportsman's features local dory-caught fish, great beer selection, reasonably-priced good food, and outside seating right next to the parking lot, so you can either keep an eye on your dogs in the car, or bring them with you to the table. This place doesn't have outdoor waitstaff typically, so if you've got a group, order at the bar, but in my experience, if you run in and let them know you're by yourself seated outside with a dog, they'll come wait on you!
PROS: Good food; well-priced
CONS: Outdoor seating is uncovered;
4: Pelican Brewing
Ah yes, the staple of Pacific City. Pelican Brewery is knows for it's delicious beer, and at this location especially, their amazing dog-friendly back patio that overlooks Cape Kiwanda. The patio has full service with views of the ocean, famous dune, Haystack Rock, and some of the best people-watching as people come and go through the parking lot. If you're lucky to get a table at the edge of the patio, the dogs can chill in the sand while you eat. If you never have, try a Cream Ale or a Cream Soda (both are delicious), and enjoy the views.
PROS: Good food; Amazing views
CONS: Pricey; Long wait times; Lots of dogs on the patio
3: Bob Straub State Park
This park grants access to a HUGE swath of coastline, which means even if the parking lot is crowded, you still won't likely be tail to tail with another dog when you get down to the beach, especially if you're willing to walk a short distance South. The only downfalls here are: Parking Fee (but get an annual Oregon State Parks parking pass, and that's covered), and a decent-sized dune to hike over to get to the beach itself. There are plenty of trails, but access can be more challenging for people or dogs with limited mobility. This beach has lots of horse trails, which is super cool to encounter, unless you have horse-reactive dogs.
PROS: Huge, long beach; Parking fee; Horses
CONS: Uphill walk required to access beach; Horses
2: Winema Road Beach Access
This beach access point is a super score. With just a few parking spots and no bathroom, I don't think anyone goes here very often, unless you're a local, or the nearby camp is in session. This is an excellent access point for shy or reactive dogs - mine got to go free here because absolutely no one was around for the entire hour we were on the beach.
PROS: Few visitors; Long expanse of beach
CONS: Very little parking; no restroom
1: Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area!
Ok, yes this place is popular, but that is for a reason! There's so much to do at Cape Kiwanda. If you get up early you'll be able to watch the Dory boats launch (a unique Oregon Coast experience), and during the afternoon you can watch them all come in from the ocean with their catch from the day. The famous Pacific City dune will challenge you and your dog's sand hiking skills if you want to put them to the test. You can watch surfers (or of course, surf if you're so inclined), check out the tidepools (minus tides required here), watch the sunset (they are usually very bright and gorgeous here), of course fetch or walk along the sand, have a small beach fire after dark, and all within a short walk of the parking lot. There are restrooms, outdoor showers, foot wash stations, and most important - dog watering stations right in the parking lot as well. Numerous food and coffee options are within a block, most with at least some outdoor seating. All in all, this is a great place to visit in Pacific City!
PROS: Lots of entertainment options
CONS: Parking fee, BUSY BUSY location with lots of dogs, children, people, and vehicles on the North side of the beach.
Want more? Check out the Pacific City Map!
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