A Weekend in Cannon Beach

In the spring I stopped in Cannon Beach, Oregon for lunch on my way home from a weekend trip in Lincoln City, Oregon. I had been to Cannon Beach a handful of times for quick visits before, and each and every time I was hit with very thick fog that prevented me from seeing the iconic Haystack Rock.

In the multiple moody moments with all the fog, nothing is more annoying than being part of The Goonies generation, growing up in Washington, and frequenting the Oregon Coast and never seeing Haystack Rock. But in the spring, that finally changed! Woot Woot!

I was so giddy by my little pit stop in April, that when I got home I zeroes in on a weekend for a return trip in October and booked a stay at a hotel I had been following for a long while on Instagram – Hallmark Resort and Spa Cannon Beach – without any hesitation.

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An October trip was the perfect time to visit. Most places were still open for outdoor seating (a necessity when traveling with dogs), crowds were moderate, and the weather was sunny with a breeze. Just ask anybody from the Pacific Northwest… that is perfect weather.

Mark, Hayden, and our two dogs arrived late Friday after about a three hour drive, had only Saturday to explore the town, hotel and beach, and then we departed around 9 am on Sunday. Hallmark Resort and Spa Cannon Beach was wonderful. There are countless amenities available to guests, most of which we unfortunately did not utilize due to time, and is perfect for families and pets. We did however book a couples massage as a little splurge to ourselves (advance appointments necessary). 10/10 recommend. I think we have officially become “lets get a massage while on vacation” people.

This is the closest hotel in Cannon Beach to Haystack Rock with direct beach access from the property, but it is located on the outskirts of town and is about a 20 minute walk to downtown (5 minutes by car). Most rooms have a clear unobstructed view of the beach and is the perfect location to list to the waves with a hot cup of tea and people watch. Having a view was important to me for this trip after all my other visits being ruined by fog.

I highly recommend a stay at this hotel, but definitely give yourself more time than I did so you can properly take advantage of everything this hotel has to offer.

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Once you have explored the town, walk back to your lodging via the beach. Cannon Beach does not allow vehicles on the beach, so you and your dogs have so much more space to explore without the worry of being ran over by a truck.

I personally like to walk towards Haystack Rock rather than away from it so I always have a fabulous view ahead of me. Even better if you booked a stay at Hallmark Resort & Spa Cannon Beach because you’ll be able to take the resorts staircase back up to your hotel and use the dog rinse off station to clean up those pups that played in the water and sand.

Traveling with a Dog Essentials

Road trips like these where we can take our dogs are great, but our dogs unfortunately do not travel well and are high maintenance. One dog has tons of anxiety in the car and the other get so excited that he becomes a bit too much to handle sometimes.

Here are my must haves with traveling with dogs:

a portable pet water bottle dispenser
their dog beds and blankets for both the car ride and hotel
dog waste bags (and don’t forget to bring extras and tuck them in a purse and/or car)
a dog backpack for when your little legged friends get tired
dog jackets, especially for smaller dogs

Plus, the basic essentials such as their food, treats, leashes, and any medications. Although additional planning is needed when traveling with dogs, having them with you makes for some special unforgettable memories and I highly recommend it, but only if you’ll be outside a lot and they can go with you. Most hotels and rentals do not allow for pets to be left alone in the unit.