Oregon Coast Travel Guide

I jumped at the chance to visit the Oregon coast with a few of my blogger babes: Brooke from One Small Blonde, Lynlee from Gal About Town, and Allyson from Allyson in Wonderland. We were so happy to enjoy some sweater weather and have some time to relax and unwind in Pacific City.

OREGON COAST TRAVEL GUIDE

WHY VISIT

The Oregon coast has been on my list for awhile now. I’ve always heard it so beautiful and it’s a perfect place to go during the summer to escape the heat in the South. The weather was seriously perfect! You get to enjoy the beach on the coast, but are also so close to a ton of Oregon wineries and aren’t far from Portland. It makes a great trip on its own, but we spent some time in Portland and hit up a winery en route, which allowed us to see a little more of what Oregon has to offer.

Cami // Sweater // Jeans // Mules // Necklace // Bag

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Headlands Coastal Lodge and I could not recommend it enough. We loved that it was right on the beach and had everything we needed on site. They have 33 rooms and 18 cottages right on the ocean. All of which have a balcony with a view of the ocean and Pacific City’s famous Haystack Rock.

Headland’s is a perfect place to recharge. I felt so relaxed while there! There was no need to rush around and try and cram too much in while visiting. The entire staff was so welcoming and did everything we needed to ensure a perfect visit! Everyone was focused on hospitality and did so in a way that felt warm, relaxed, and welcoming without being overbearing.

The four of us split into two rooms with queen beds. The rooms were a great size for us (and all of our luggage) and the bathroom was also spacious and had a great set up for sharing. If you’re wanting a place to relax, unwind, and feel right at home, Headlands Lodge is the perfect location!

WHERE TO EAT

Pacific City is a small town, so there aren’t a ton of restaurants, but there are some really good ones. Most places have a pretty relaxed vibe and reservations aren’t necessary.

• Meridian: This is the onsite restaurant at Headland’s Lodge and the entire vibe is amazing. We actually ate here both nights! We loved getting a bunch of things for the table to try. I think the cheese board (duh) and the risotto were my favorite. They also have a great wine selection! When the weather is nice, they open the windows and it’s just so perfect.
• Stimulus Café: We went to this cute little spot just across the street for our hotel each morning for coffee and breakfast. They have a good selection of different  items and we loved how convenient and casual it was! Plus, they made a great almond milk chai latte, which you know always is a bonus for me.
• Pelican Brewing Company: We went to this popular spot for snacks and drinks one afternoon. It’s located right next to the Headlands Lodge and is also beach front. We tried a few appetizers and everything was great. All the food everyone around us was ordering looked delicious, too.
• The Grateful Bread Bakery: We wanted to go here for the name alone! How cute, right?! Unfortunately, they were closed both mornings we wanted to go, but we heard so many good things. All of the breakfast food and sandwiches are supposed to be amazing making it no surprise that this is one of the most popular places in Pacific City.
• Sportsman Pub and Grub: This is a relaxed local spot that has a fun atmosphere and good food. I heard from the locals to go and try the Fish and Chips because they get the first straight from the local fisherman. They also have other fresh catches of the day.
• BJ’s Burgers and Tacos: We didn’t make it here but I heard the baja fish tacos and the clam chowder are delicious and that this is a great spot to grab a good, easy lunch.

My Shirt // My Sweater // My Leggings // My Shoes // My Necklace

T-shirt // Sweater // Shorts // Booties // Bag // Sunnies // Necklace

Sweatshirt // Sports bra // Leggings // Sneakers // Sunnies

WHAT TO DO

There are so many fun things to do along the Oregon coast without having to feel like you have to ‘sight see.’ We did so many fun things and there was even more to do than we were able to get to. There are adventure coaches at Headlands Lodge that will coordinate everything you need for different outings which makes it so easy! We used them organize a few fun activities and they were so great.

• Bonfire on the Beach: Headland’s set this up for us and it was hands down our favorite thing we did! We had wine, s’mores, and brought a speaker from our room down to hang out and enjoy the fire on the beach. It was SO much fun. The hotel set it all up for us and took it all down, so all we had to do was show up and have fun. We got the complete s’more kit and a Pendleton blanket to use during the fire and to keep as a souvenir.
• Bike Riding: Headland’s had several bikes available that we all borrowed to ride around town one morning. This was such a fun way to get in a little activity and see more of Pacific city.
• Cape Kiwanda dune: Hike up the highest dune on the Oregon Coast to get an unebeatable view of Pacific City, the ocean, and Haystack rock. We loved doing this because it was a little workout and the views were so amazing!
• Horseback Riding: We did this one afternoon with Green Acres and I’ll admit, it was rather disappointing. For someone who grew up riding horses, this is more horseback sitting. You have to walk along the beach in a certain order and don’t actually get to ride your horse. It’s a pretty view of the beach, but I don’t think it was worth the cost if you actually want to ride horses. They wouldn’t even let us stop to take photos or use our phones. We tried to get them out of a few times and were legit yelled at. If you just want to sit on a horse and are a true beginner, then go for it! Otherwise, I’d skip this.
• Pacific Cit Farmer’s Market: This market is open to the public seasonally on Sundays. There are local food producers, artisan craftspeople, and live  music!
• Spa Day: The Tidepools spa at Headlands is the perfect place to unwind even more. They have tons of great spa services and also have wellness classes.
• Wine Tasting: There are so many amazing wineries that aren’t too far away! We stopped at Stoller Wines on the way in from Portland and had the best time.
• Other activities you can do that an Adventure Guide at Headland’s can set up for you include: surf lessons, fishing, paddleboarding, a brewery tour, hiking, digging for clams, wellness classes, bird watching, three capes scenic loop, cooking class, kayaking, whale watching, tidepooling, sandboarding, and more!

Cami // Jacket // Jeans // Booties // Bag // Sunnies // Necklace

TRAVEL TIPS

• Fly into Portland and rent a car. It makes it easy to stop at wineries on the way there or back.
• Dress pretty casually. It’s a relaxed beach town vibe and everything is pretty laid back, so embrace it. You can see my outfits from this trip and our time in Seattle (travel guide coming soon) in my Pacific Northwest Outfit Recap post.
• Bring comfortable clothing and shoes for all the fun outdoor activities!
• Bring sweaters or layers. It’s cooler in the morning and by the water at night, so sweaters and jackets are perfect for layering to keep warm.

Thank you so much to Headland’s Coastal Lodge for hosting us. As always, all opinions are my own. Photos are my own or borrowed from the Headland’s website.