I'll never forget this trip and look forward to dipping my toes in the sand in warmer temperatures…read more It's not too crowded and you'll want to kick your shoes off as soon as you see the soft white sand. We couldn't resist climbing the top of the giant steep sand dune, and I'm glad we made it! Stunning views of the ocean from the top, and it's fun to people watch too. Our dog made it too. Some ran back down, others skipped, some used sleds. It's fun either way! You'll be able to rinse your gear as you head to the parking lot. There's clean bathrooms and plenty of parking. Hungry? There's restaurants near too.

What a great little getaway! Did I think it was secluded? No. Did I expect it to be busy? No,…read morebut it was. We first checked out this place on a lovely Juneteenth Friday afternoon. The temperature was in the low 80s, but the cool ocean breeze made everything just right. It had been raining all week prior, so we thought we'd explore and give our little mutt, Tha 'il Nana, some much needed sun. So, here's a few things about Cape Kiwanda: First off, there's a public parking lot at the beach where Pelican Brewing is located that requires a Daily Fee of $10. Just remember to place the parking pass on your dashboard. The lot probably holds about 125-150 spaces, so we had no issue finding a spot. People coming and going as well. Second, expect high winds and sand blowing down the dune and along the beach. And expect those high windy days to kick up the sand along the beach. It's also pretty scenic so bring a camera or make sure your phone is fully charged. Speaking of dune, there were plenty of folks challenging themselves running up it. And usually folks would end up heading towards the tidepools. There's definitely a lot of interesting things to see from crabs, to green anemones, to fancy sandstone rocks, and starfish. Oh yeah, and speaking of high winds, there were plenty of folks flying kites too. Third, the beach is a long and wide straightaway stretch, so everyone has plenty of room to run and play in the cold water. Great for dogs to play fetch and intermingle with other dogs. Our mutt was all over the place and I could tell she was having fun. She simply loved it! As far as the sand in general, it looks fine and bright. Not as white as the beaches in Cancun, but definitely cleaner than the ones in Cali. Bring a towel or two and enjoy the sun. Hell, some folks even had a whole tent set up. Fourth, some fellow yelpers mentioned there are no public restrooms, but there actually is one public restroom way up in the corner of the parking lot. Maybe because of covid they were closed, I don't know. But from relaxing on the beach, I can see how long of a walk it would be just to wanna relieve yourself. In closing, we accomplished our goal of making our old dog happy, and getting away from the inland heat. I truly enjoyed it here and plan to return someday. One final note; I was told from a local, "pretty much from here to Astoria (north) the beaches will be packed, but south of here will be a bit more secluded". Gotta love the Oregon coast! Enjoy!

Town of Rockaway is awesome Very friendly Lots of places to stay Lots of places to eat 7 miles of…read morebeach to explore A train runs you to Garibaldi and back

This is actually a nice beach. We spent a few days here and we were able to find parking reasonably…read moreclose to the beach at multiple different locations. The sand is fine and great for digging with the kiddos, building sandcastles or just walking barefoot. It can get pretty crowded but the water is decent and it has nice views. I can't in good conscience give it more than three starts though; The flying carpenter ants are quite a nuisance and you will have to deal with dozens if you plan on staying more than an hour. I liked that they allow bonfires at first, but unfortunately as they have very few restrictions, you will find that people are burning all evening and all night and the smell of smoke overpowers everything. There were people burning in large pits they dug in the sand and teens running around with sticks lit on fire all night. Just being in proximity filled our clothes and gear and car with a thick smoke smell. In the morning it was difficult even to breathe in the fresh air from the beach with the smoldering fires and thick smoke smell. If you love bonfires, this is definitely the beach for you though and you would probably rate it more of a 4 or 5 star beach. If you go to the beach for the fresh, clean air, I would only recommend a short visit here during the day.

Every year we travel to Surfside for at least a week. Family had a 2nd home here for many years…read more.. and at each visit we would play a round on this great 9 hole course and be challenged frequently! The owner takes excellent care of the course, always adding a new twist to a hole or two.... You may see deer, Eagles or an occasional bear to keep it even more interesting. Always a fun round.. and a nice deck to enjoy a cold sip after. Make sure you grab a tee time next visit to the Long Beach WA Peninsula!

Updating due to price increases Started coming here as it is…read morethe only driving range on the LBP, or even the greater Astoria area unless you're a member at an expensive golf club. The driving range has mats, arti turf, or you can step down to swat from the trimmed grass. Lovely little 9-hole golf course, super affordable green-fees ($25 for 9); carts are $16. I'd say these are the best greens for miles around (comparable to prestigious Gearhart Golf Links) For us, as beginners, its challenging enough, lots of stealthy sand traps, ponds. Not many dog-legs. You can usually find your balls in the out-of-bounds area, unless its someones yard, in which case, respect the property owners. Deer abound, birds singing and flying everywhere (in spring/summer at least). Well maintained fairways and greens - i did notice the greens suffer a bit in the late summer due to the drought, but they've brightened up nicely that the rains are back. Watch out for monster goathead bush on the back fairways, best to leave the ball than tangle with them. Dastardly 8th hole you must clear a water obstacle, be ready with spare balls if you suck like me! Couldnt find a friendlier proprietor/pro Jon K. I havent seen any signs up advertising lessons, I assume they offer it. Rental clubs available. Carts always clean and run good. Nice deli/sandwich shop inside the clubhouse, but their hours dont always match the pro shop so might call to check if you intend to eat there.

Cute little 9 hole in Neskowin, great for walking as there are no cart paths (carts available) but…read morelack of paths makes for a scenic golf experience imo. Nice flat play but still posing many hazard challenges from creeks and trees. Enjoyed playing here!

Guy that was running the shop was rude and saw us ready to T up for 15 min then we T off and walk…read moreall the way down to let us know that every person must have a set of clubs. Was an a**hole about it being rude even though our group paid about 600 dollars there. Would not recommend!

It was a great day on the course. The greens are in great shape. People are cool here. There's…read morenever any waiting on the tee to hit your ball unlike the other golf course in woodland. If you have not been here in awhile it's time to check it out.

Customer service sucks very rude and did not seem to want to help or even look at tee times , bad…read moreattitude.

A highlight reel experience along the Oregon coast. Our family of four took a two-hour kayak tour…read moreof the Salmon River and estuary. Finding Three Rocks Road was easy. And it's just a spectacular area with mountain and ocean views everywhere. This is a pretty chill expedition requiring modest skill or fitness. With a tandem kayak, I'd say the workout was moderate (you can always ask for more or less distance). Kendal guided us to towards Three Rocks and back to the estuary. Let me tell you, Kendal is the ideal guide for this Biosphere environment. He loves this stuff and he's an expert. He studied chemistry and marine biology and is a research diver. We learned so much about how the unique geography and weather systems shape this intricate living system of nutrients, water dynamics, and organisms. We met crabs, fish, and a variety of birds, including an osprey, kingfisher, and bald eagle doing their things. If you go, take your camera! We traveled the Oregon coast for a week in late July and this was our top excursion.

My husband booked fat tire bikes for us to ride for the day. For some reason he thought they were…read moree-bikes, which was slightly funny at the time. They clearly expected us to last maybe 2 hours tops. They gave us good direction as far as where to ride and where on the sand to stay. They gave us one bike with an adjustable seat, and one that was not adjustable. They adjusted it to fit my son, but didn't tighten it enough to keep it in place. By the time we got to the beach it was all the way down with no way to fix it. It was a very windy day, which is part of the beach experience, but it was much harder given that we are tall and the bike was too small. I felt like we were not given all the information we needed. I would not rent the bikes again.