Top 12 Dog Friendly Beaches In Oregon
The Oregon Coast welcomes you and your furry friend!
The coastal side of Oregon offers you and your pup over 350 miles of beachy bliss, gorgeous oceanic views, and fun adventures that are guaranteed to give you a “p-awesome” time. Even better? All Oregonian beaches are easily accessible, open to the public, and very welcoming to your favorite furry friends. So, which beaches are the most dog-friendly? While it is difficult to include them all in this list, I have listed some of my personal favorite dog-friendly beaches along the Oregon Coast.
Keep reading to learn more about these 12 dog-friendly beaches and the unique details for each fantastic location. Who said your favorite fur baby (or favorite fur babies) can’t enjoy the sand beneath his paws, the salty air through his nostrils, and splashing through the white foamy waves? The Beaver State says that your furry friends can enjoy their time at the beach! Take a look at my beachy choices below.
1. Cannon Beach, Oregon
Located on the northwestern portion of the coast, Cannon Beach offers more than spectacular views of Haystack Rock and a serene seaside. It offers the most dog-friendly hangout on the coast of Oregon.
If your pup is well-behaved and does not interrupt other people, this is easily the best beach to bring him or her to as the dog leash is not a requirement. (If your dog struggles to obey commands and bothers other visitors, then a leash is required.) At Cannon Beach, you will enjoy uncrowded beaches where you and your pup can stroll together or even play a game of fetch. (Just don’t lose the dog toy in the sea!) There are marvelous trails to roam freely and plenty of massive sea rocks to investigate.
Cannon Beach is the most famous coastal area in Oregon as it is known for being the scenic set of popular Hollywood movies such as Twilight and The Goonies. Despite this fact, the beach is never crowded. It isn’t a beach scene you would find in Miami or Los Angeles. And believe me: Dogs love this fact!
Furthermore, Cannon Beach has a small population of 1,775 residents. It is one of the calmest, mind-clearing areas on the Oregon Coast for you and your furry friend.
2. Lincoln City Beach in Lincoln City, Oregon
If the name, Lincoln City Beach, makes you immediately think of the 16th President of the United States and black top hats, then you are thinking correctly. This beautiful coastal town was named after Abraham Lincoln by a group of school children.
Located on the Central Oregon Coast, it has a population of approximately 9,000 residents. Don’t worry though: Dogs are permitted on the beach as long as the pet owner has them on a leash and under their control. Otherwise, you and your furry friend can roam the windy beach together! And might I add: Lincoln City Beach has seven miles of beach fun to explore.
Lincoln City Beach is known for its windy conditions; therefore, kite festivals are nothing unusual for the community. Kite flying is a fun activity in which you and your dog can enjoy together. And let’s not forget about chasing the sand crabs!
3. Manzanita Beach in Manzanita, Oregon
Manzanita is located on the northern Oregon Coast and not far from Cannon Beach. In fact, Manzanita has fewer visitors than Cannon Beach! This beach offers a gentle and quiet scene where your dog can roam freely and you can soak in the serenity. (Again, by roaming freely I mean that your dog does not have to be on a leash as long as he is well-behaved and in your sight.)
You and your dog can enjoy the soft sand underneath your feet and paws and be serenaded by the sound of happy seagulls and swooshing waves. You may even find that you and your furry friend are the only visitors on the scenic shore!
And, you must know that Nehalem Bay State Park is adjacent to Manzanita and is a fantastic place to explore walking trails!
4. Pacific City Beach in Pacific City, Oregon
Located in the cheese-making capital of Tillamook County, Pacific City is a small beach town with only 1,000 residents. Their shores are so welcoming that they welcome furry friends, too! You and your pup would LOVE exploring the beach in Pacific City because it is full of large sand dunes that are fun for dogs and humans alike.
Do be aware that this beach allows horseback riding and some dogs can upset horses. While you can let your dog roam freely if he is in your sight at all times, you may want to leash him if people are riding horses.
(You may find it interesting that the infamous Haystack Rock can be seen in the distance from the beach in Pacific City.)
For a stroll on the beach with your pup, I recommend a nice brew, a tasty slice of cheddar cheese, and a love for fabulous ocean views. Afterward, have some fun sliding down the sand dunes! It is, hands down, the most fun you will have on an Oregon beach.
5. Yachats Beach in Yachats, Oregon
You will find the tiny coastal town of Yachats in the southern portion of Lincoln County in Central Oregon. With a population of 600 residents, you are guaranteed to have some solitude on its sandy beach. Yachats translates to, “dark water at the foot of the mountain”. This can only mean that you and your pup are in for an incredibly scenic experience. This place has such few people that you can unleash your well-mannered pup and enjoy the crisp sea air and a wide-open run.
It’s a great place to pull out a camera and capture happy moments with your furry friend filled with views of large boulders and white-crested waves. And let’s not forget about the hiking trails! While there are tough trails that are not dog-friendly, there are strolling trails for you and your pup. Overall, this place is a hidden gem filled with breathtaking beauty and dream-worthy serenity. I recommend having a picnic by the shore with your pup by your side. (Don’t forget the doggie treats!)
6. Oceanside Beach, Oregon
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
7. Cape Lookout State Park, Oregon
Parked in between the vast Pacific Ocean and picturesque Netarts Bay is Cape Lookout State Park. It is located along the Three Cape Scenic Loop in northern Oregon and is considered to be a popular spot for hiking and crab hunting. The scenery is unbelievably beautiful and perfect for a sunset stroll with loved ones and your favorite furry friend.
However, since Cape Lookout is a popular vacation spot, your dog has to be hooked to a six foot leash and under your control. This is to ensure that other beachgoers are not bothered, and that you don’t lose your dog. The more people on the beach, the safer it is to keep close tabs on your dog. However, you are allowed to remove the dog leash on the small portion of beach on the northside of the Cape Lookout State Park campground.
Overall, this is a great place to visit, camp out, and bring your favorite pup.
Just don’t forget the dog leash!
8. Rockaway Beach, Oregon
Rockaway Beach can be found in Tillamook County (Tillamook is the cheesiest place in Oregon. Yes, the pun is intended!). It has more than seven miles of beach to roam and explore with your loved ones AND your pups. However, it is recommended that the dogs be put on a leash if you think they may not obey your voice commands. The authorities in Rockaway Beach make it very clear that you are responsible for your dogs physical actions. Therefore, if you have full faith in your dogs to listen and obey your voice commands or signals, then enjoy them leash free!
Rockaway Beach is a great place to have fun. You will find many small, sandy dunes that are fun to climb and slide down while soaking in the tremendous views of the vast, blue Pacific Ocean. Since the beach has more than seven miles to be explored, you can often find spots without many people, if any at all!
Please keep in mind that Rockaway Beach is in the popular vacation area along with Cannon Beach and Seaside. For this reason, please keep your dog leashes on hand while you and your pups play on the beach. You never know when you may need to use it.
9. Seaside Beach in Seaside, Oregon
Located down the road from the historic Oregonian town of Astoria is Seaside. With a population of nearly 7,000 residents, it is a popular place for vacationers. Surfing is the biggest attraction to Seaside, so you will likely be surrounded by many fellow beachgoers. While Seaside does not have a specifically required leash law for your dogs on the beach, they do expect you to have full physical control over your dogs. Should you lose control of your dog’s behavior, you are still responsible for his actions.
And never think that your dog can’t surf! I have seen photos of dogs on surf boards riding a wave onto shore. (Although, I am fairly sure that these were just ingenious photo ops to match the mood of the area.) There are plenty of picturesque sights to see in Seaside including the Seaside Promenade. If you decide to take an evening stroll on the Seaside Promenade, I highly recommend putting a leash on your pup.
10. Gold Beach, Oregon
You will find Gold Beach in the southern portion of the Beaver State in Curry County. It is a breathtakingly beautiful area with the Siskiyou Mountains on one side, the Rogue River on another side, and the Pacific Ocean on the other side. Gold Beach satisfies the multiple desires to be in the mountains AND the beach all at the same time.
Furthermore, you can enjoy this golden nugget of Oregonian shoreline with your fur baby! A dog leash is not required if you have direct control of your pup, and he obeys your voice commands and signals. You and your pup can enjoy exploring the sandy shore or the forest trails that overlook the ocean.
Another tidbit that I love about Gold Beach is the year-round mild temperatures! Unlike other places in Oregon, Gold Beach resides in the meteorological sweet spot where mild temperatures hang around through every season. You and your favorite pup can plan for sunset strolls and a game of beachy fetch for any season of the year.
11. Bullard Beach State Park in Bandon, Oregon
Located in southern Oregon near North Bend and Coos Bay is Bandon, Oregon. In this cozy coastal town is one of the most pet friendly beaches in the Beaver State: Bullard Beach. Every dog that visits Bullard Beach wants to go back!
Bullard Beach stretches nearly five miles in length and does not require a leash on your pup as long as they obey your voice commands and signals.
You and your favorite furry friend can soak up some rays in the sun on the sandy beach or you both can enjoy a soothing stroll with maybe a game of fetch in between steps. Be sure to have your camera handy so you can capture photos of the picturesque Coquille River Lighthouse. It really does look like a scene from a famous oil painting!
If your pup desires to embark on another adventure while at Bullard Beach, there are ten hiking trails to explore! The hiking trails keep the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, but they take you through groves of pine trees and grassy pathways that are naturally refreshing and mind-clearing. If you get tired of walking on the dirt, sand, and grass, you and your furry friend will enjoy the paved bike trail that leads you back to the beach. If you decide to camp out at the campground, the same paved bike trail connects the beach to the campground.
12. Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, Oregon
Finally, in the most southern portion of the Beaver State is Harris Beach State Park in Brookings. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous with the waves crashing into the rocky boulders, fun tidepools to poke your toes in, and a plentitude of whale watching to be had. You will even see happy seals and sea lions bathing in the sun!
Your dog is welcome to join you in all fun events at Harris Beach State Park. However, he must be on a six foot leash at all times. Don’t worry though; the fun to be experienced at this Oregonian beach overshadows the leash requirement. You and your dog can take scenic sunset strolls and lunchtime swims.
Furthermore, the beach has a campground where your pup can join you for an all night adventure!
All restrooms at Harris Beach State Park are dog-friendly as well. After all, if you aren’t allowed to leave your furry friend unattended, he needs to be allowed to join you in the restroom as well.
There are also plenty of fishing opportunities at the beach for you and your pup. If you enjoy fishing with your best fur pal, take him with you!
Do keep in mind that Harris Beach State Park is a popular place to be during the summer months, so it is likely to be crowded. This is another reason the dog leash is required on all pups. It is important to know this detail before you take your pup in the summer months; especially if your pup has any social anxiety or misbehaves around crowds of people. I can easily say that in this list of 12 dog-friendly beaches that Brookings has the most crowded beach every summer.
