Sunday, August 2, 2015

Oregon Coast Camping Trip - Cannon Beach

Here it is... the second half of our annual summer family vacation!
 
 
After spending a few days at Fort Stevens, we headed south to Cannon Beach (one of the eight most adorable beach towns in the country according to ABC News, and one of the world's 100 most beautiful places according to National Geographic).

What an adorable place!

We camped out at Sea Ranch Resort Park & Stables with my parents, my aunt and uncle, my sister and her family. The campground is located on the north end of town (easy walking distance to the beach and shopping). My parents had an RV site right next to a grassy tent site for my sister's family. Stew, Ryder and I reserved a tiny cabin just behind them, and I loved how all the sites were interspersed like that so we could basically combine into one big site! And we all had a view of the trail where the horses went by on their way to the beach every couple hours, which Ryder loved!


The campground was also full of adorable bunnies, which Stew and Ryder enjoyed befriending.


After getting settled in at camp we headed directly to the beach, Ryder's new little slice of heaven.

 
The weather was absolutely gorgeous. I have been going to Washington and Oregon beaches basically since I was born, and this was the first time ever that I've worn something other than long pants and a sweat shirt. We are having such an amazing summer! The hot weather and sandy beaches made our time at the ocean seem almost tropical...
 
Sophia and Aubrey loved the beach just as much as Ryder.
 
 

I never get sick of watching the cousins play together...
 

We found a cool shallow spot with warm water that was great for the little kids to play, but it didn't take Ryder long to head out toward the big ocean with Daddy...
  
 
 

Once again, he wanted to stay in the water until he was blue with cold. I didn't mind warming him up with some snuggles.


We basically spent our five days at Cannon beach alternating between the campsite, wandering through town, and hanging out at the beach.

It was such wonderful opportunity to just relax and reconnect with family!

 



 One morning Stew and I visited the stables and took the Cove Beach Ride to Chapman Point. It was so much fun! I always forget how much I love riding horses on the beach. Stew's horse ended up being a little feisty, but other than that it was a beautiful ride on a gorgeous morning.


Typically when we camp we do meals family-style at the campsite, but for our last night in Cannon Beach we decided to make an exception and eat at Mo's. The famous chowder, plus the view of iconic Haystack Rock (featured in The Goonies!) which rises 235 feet out of the ocean in the distance, were both awesome!


I had never been to Cannon Beach before, and I was overwhelmed by its beauty and all the fun things there were to do. Ryder was in heaven with miles of scenic sandy beaches with dramatic offshore rock formations, viewpoints and natural areas. We also loved the picture-perfect village full of adorable shops and restaurants (plus epic candy stores and ice cream shops featuring bubble gum ice cream -- Stew's favorite!)

No matter how hard I try, it feels like I never take enough photos to fully capture a trip. So in case you can't tell, this particular vacation will probably go down as one of my favorites. Everything seemed to go right -- the weather was perfect, our toddler behaved like an angel, and all of my beloved family members were able to make it to at least one leg of the trip.

The time passed far too quickly...

Camping along the Oregon coast is definitely something that I'd like to do again in the future, and I look forward to what next year's adventure has in store! 
 
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3 comments :

  1. So glad you had a perfect time because vacation with small children can be really challenging and not relaxing at all. The weather was gorgeous and it's always nice to soak in the sun. Glad your bug loves the water! I also love watching my kids interact with their cousins. Lots of kiddie adorable-ness.

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  2. I love the photos! It looks like you all had so much fun..I'm jealous!

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  3. You have me sold on checking out these campsites! Sounds like a great time, Ryder is the perfect age for traveling right now and I'm so glad y'all enjoyed it!

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