I'll try not to gloat.....

[jeeps]

.....in front of those of you who are dealing with harsh winter weather right now.......but we just returned from three days at our beautiful-beyond-words Oregon coast where it was 60 degrees, sunny, no wind, and crowd-less.  We found a lovely RV park in the charming little artsy town of Cannon Beach (Cannon Beach RV Resort) that offered cheap winter rates and required no reservation nor membership, and was walking distance to the beach where the sunsets were spectacular.

This is is exactly why we bought a trailer.  We love camping and can now do it year round, taking advantage of the patches of fair weather that Oregon frequently offers during its winters.  I think we may find we now prefer off-season camping.

Anyway, does life any better than this?  I think not. 8-)

[joanne]

But if it's a sunny 60f, how could I try out my new expedition weight 'Minus 33' merino wool long johns?

[pinstriper]

Brenda, can you please tell more about the park ? How much space between the sites ? Is there a little elbow-room ? Or is it more like a parking lot with hookups like so many RV resorts ?

I presume it was lightly populated...

Also, dog friendly ?

[tinkeringtechie]

Brenda, can you please tell more about the park ? How much space between the sites ? Is there a little elbow-room ? Or is it more like a parking lot with hookups like so many RV resorts ?

I presume it was lightly populated...

Also, dog friendly ?

We've stayed at Cannon Beach a few times and the resort there is pretty nice. You get a good 20-30 feet of grass between you and your neighbor and there are quite a few trees. Definitely not private, but not crowded either. You do get hookups. Access to the beach is hard to beat (parking in town is horrible).

Make sure if/when you go that you find when the lowest tide is and walk out to Haystack Rock. There are all kinds of cool tide pools and neat rock formations to explore. And bring your telescope/binoculars to watch the puffins. We go there at least once a year since we've found it.

Also, save a day in your trip to go up to Astoria... take the trolley tour and get a beer at one of the local breweries. Take a drive up to the Astoria Column on a clear day and you won't be disappointed. 

Hmmm... now I want to go dewinterize and take a trip down there...

Maybe a good spot for a west coast meet up?

[dh50]

[quote source="/post/6370/thread" timestamp="1422798227" author="@brenda"].....in front of those of you who are dealing with harsh winter weather right now.......but we just returned from three days at our beautiful-beyond-words Oregon coast where it was 60 degrees, sunny, no wind, and crowd-less.  We found a lovely RV park in the charming little artsy town of Cannon Beach (Cannon Beach RV Resort) that offered cheap winter rates and required no reservation nor membership, and was walking distance to the beach where the sunsets were spectacular.

This is is exactly why we bought a trailer.  We love camping and can now do it year round, taking advantage of the patches of fair weather that Oregon frequently offers during its winters.  I think we may find we now prefer off-season camping.

Anyway, does life any better than this?  I think not. 8-)


[/quote]No, you can't improve on God's creation!  Blessed be! 8-)

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/6399/thread" timestamp="1422816431" author="@tinkeringtechie"][quote source="/post/6380/thread" timestamp="1422807749" author="@pinstriper"]Brenda, can you please tell more about the park ? How much space between the sites ? Is there a little elbow-room ? Or is it more like a parking lot with hookups like so many RV resorts ?

I presume it was lightly populated...

Also, dog friendly ?[/quote]We've stayed at Cannon Beach a few times and the resort there is pretty nice. You get a good 20-30 feet of grass between you and your neighbor and there are quite a few trees. Definitely not private, but not crowded either. You do get hookups. Access to the beach is hard to beat (parking in town is horrible).

Make sure if/when you go that you find when the lowest tide is and walk out to Haystack Rock. There are all kinds of cool tide pools and neat rock formations to explore. And bring your telescope/binoculars to watch the puffins. We go there at least once a year since we've found it.

Also, save a day in your trip to go up to Astoria... take the trolley tour and get a beer at one of the local breweries. Take a drive up to the Astoria Column on a clear day and you won't be disappointed. 

Hmmm... now I want to go dewinterize and take a trip down there...

Maybe a good spot for a west coast meet up?[/quote][p]Fort Stevens of Cape Disappointment might work as well.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Better plan it soon if we want to get spots in the same loop.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Our shakedown cruz this spring will be mid-April at Champoeg if anyone has a mind to tag along.[/p][p]
[/p]

[jeeps]

[font size="3"]All good responses.  And yes, the RV resort in Cannon Beach is dog friendly.

There is a lot to do in the area.  Nearby Seaside is a fun tourist attraction and one of my favorite coast towns.  Just don't visit it on the last weekend in August when it hosts the finish line of the famous Hood to Coast running relay.  Although I dearly love this event, (ran in it four times), traffic is bottle-necked for miles.

I highly recommend visiting Ft. Stevens and tour the old military buildings......and a gem from my childhood is Battery Russell, an abandoned military fort, last used in WWII, and is the only spot on the mainland where the U.S. was shelled by the Japanese.  It's huge and spooky and fun to explore.

Plus there's the replica of the Lewis and Clark Ft. Clatsop.  

South of Cannon Beach, along 101, is some of the most spectacular coastal views ever.[/font]

[sandyu]

Thanks for sharing,

Cannon beach is one of the wife's favorite places to stay also. She is a Washington State girl that lives is Ky now, my home state.  We have driven there a couple times and took the camper there two years ago. We didn't camp there however, a friend of hers has a time share there and let us stay with them there on the beach.  The four solid walls were nice to have for a change after two weeks on the road in the camper full of family. You are right it's a beautiful place.  I've been to the replica of the Lewis and Clark fort and done the Seaside touristy stuff a couple times, however I'll have to check out the old WW2 forts you are talking about, sounds neat.

We are heading that way again this summer. We plan on spending a lot of time in Washington State camping this time, with lots of stops along the way.  

Can't Wait, thanks for again for sharing,

KyBrowns

[pinstriper]

For some reason we tend do run down highway 18 to Lincoln City or Newport. South Beach SP is a favorite of ours, and you have Newport right there for supplies or just the obligatory chowder at the Newport Café (best chowder on the coast - Mo's is not even close).

New this year will be jetty fishing.

We'll hit there 2 or even 3 times this year.

We're also planning to branch out to Detroit Lake.

Particularly in the shoulder seasons we frequent the "local" SP's like Champoeg or Stubb Stewart. You can work all day Friday and still get there by nightfall. Both have off-leash dog areas.

[dh50]

[quote source="/post/6479/thread" timestamp="1422978064" author="@pinstriper"]For some reason we tend do run down highway 18 to Lincoln City or Newport. South Beach SP is a favorite of ours, and you have Newport right there for supplies or just the obligatory chowder at the Newport Café (best chowder on the coast - Mo's is not even close).

New this year will be jetty fishing.

We'll hit there 2 or even 3 times this year.

We're also planning to branch out to Detroit Lake.

Particularly in the shoulder seasons we frequent the "local" SP's like Champoeg or Stubb Stewart. You can work all day Friday and still get there by nightfall. Both have off-leash dog areas.
[/quote]Okay, now I understand why we get 'stiffed' by ya, Pinstriper, with invitations to rally over here on the right side of the Mississippi.  You're way over on the left!  That said, never have heard of any of these places named in your post above.  However, my ears are perked when I hear of any off-leash dog parks or areas on waterfront of any kind.  



Wouldn't a handy list of known, (that is, visited by LL proboarders), of off-leash, waterfront dog parks be swell?  If an RV campground were near by, include it too.  Personally, this could be a potential destination in itself, (though I'm sure Hubby might disagree).  Camping close to dog-friendly recreation is appealing to me....don't think I'm alone.  



Again, the criteria is 'off-leash dog' and 'waterfront' areas/parks/campgrounds visited by LL proboarders.  Sure wished I could start the list, but in all of east central FL, all known waterfront dog parks/areas are 'leash-only', with one known exception: there is a dog park on a small lake in Orlando where 'off leash' is allowed.  However, I do not consider this park to be 'dog-friendly' since Fido had better be able to outpace rumored 'gators.  



Any LL'ers ever visit or know of any 'Off-leash dog' and 'Waterfront' parks/areas in the U.S.?  Would you share it with us below, along with campground,  if known?THANK YOU....sure do appreciate it!  

[font color="#1919e6"]'Off-leash dog' and 'Waterfront' parks/areas (and campground, if available)

[/font]1.
2.
  

[jeeps]

For some reason we tend do run down highway 18 to Lincoln City or Newport. South Beach SP is a favorite of ours, and you have Newport right there for supplies or just the obligatory chowder at the Newport Café (best chowder on the coast - Mo's is not even close).

New this year will be jetty fishing.

We'll hit there 2 or even 3 times this year.

We're also planning to branch out to Detroit Lake.

Particularly in the shoulder seasons we frequent the "local" SP's like Champoeg or Stubb Stewart. You can work all day Friday and still get there by nightfall. Both have off-leash dog areas.

I haven't heard of the Newport Cafe, but will keep an eye out.  Thanks... always up for restaurant recommendations.  For us, the best seafood on the coast is Local Ocean in Newport, down on the old waterfront.  I now compare all fish and chips to theirs.  Haven't tried their chowder though.   Tidal Raves in Depoe Bay is also good, and hangs right out over the water.  Great whale watching while you eat.

Darn.....now I'm hungry.

[jeeps]

Gwbushhog -- Maybe this will help:   http://www.petswelcome.com/vacations/oregon-coast/oregon-coast-beaches

I see dogs running freely on the beach here all the time.  Their owners are always close by, and it's fun to watch the dogs run and chase the surf, catch frisbees, bark at the kites, etc.  I never knew there were leash laws on any of our beaches until I checked the web just now.  I can understand the reason, but have never seen a problem.  In fact, now that I think about it, I don't ever recall even seeing dog poop left on the sand -- which would be my only complaint for dog owners. 

[daplumbr]

Thanks for the tip(s)! We are likely headed to Oregon this summer of fall to visit my wife's family. Cannon Beach looks really nice. I took a look at their website which seems to indicate the minimum length is 28 feet. I've seen ads for exclusive RV parks that have type/size requirements and I wondered if this is one of them? I love the Oregon coast and envy the great job the state did with keeping so much of it in public ownership. That makes a HUGE difference in access and adds so much potential for tourism/recreation/conservation. Let's keep the conversation going about a NW meet-up. There are at least a few folks on here I'd like to meet someday  . As an aside, I'm really enjoying winter right now. I like living in a place that has 4 distinct seasons of about the same length. I could not live happily too far north or south of the 45th parallel, but I sure enjoy visiting the tropics and the arctic for interesting birds. 

[tinkeringtechie]

I took a look at their website which seems to indicate the minimum length is 28 feet. I've seen ads for exclusive RV parks that have type/size requirements and I wondered if this is one of them? 

I never noticed that before, but they didn't seem to mind when I showed up with my 18' rpod in the past or my 24' camplite more recently. If you include your vehicle in your "rig" then we're probably all over 28'.

[dh50]

[quote source="/post/6483/thread" timestamp="1422987076" author="@brenda"]Gwbushhog -- Maybe this will help:   http://www.petswelcome.com/vacations/oregon-coast/oregon-coast-beaches

I see dogs running freely on the beach here all the time.  Their owners are always close by, and it's fun to watch the dogs run and chase the surf, catch frisbees, bark at the kites, etc.  I never knew there were leash laws on any of our beaches until I checked the web just now.  I can understand the reason, but have never seen a problem.  In fact, now that I think about it, I don't ever recall even seeing dog poop left on the sand -- which would be my only complaint for dog owners. [/quote]Thank you, Brenda, for the link.  Maybe authorities there are easy on owners who allow their dogs off-leash.  But on this website, each park does state that dogs are allowed with 6 foot leash.  That's pretty much what I find everywhere.  Florida's Atlantic coast does have beaches where dogs are allowed, but with similar leash requirement.  It's hard for our pooches to play 'fetch' tethered to me....not much fun for me either.  'Powers that be' don't mess around when it comes to enforcing the law in these parts.