Oregon Coast with Kids: 15 Family Friendly Things to Do [2024]
Feeling overwhelmed trying to plan the perfect family vacation to the Oregon Coast? Don’t worry, after multiple trips over the past decade, I’ve found all of the best things to do on the Oregon Coast with kids. We’ve done everything from sand dunes to aquariums with a brewery for mom and dad thrown in. I guarantee after I tell you about our favorite tide pools that include a tour guide, you are going to want to book your trip to the Oregon Coast too!
Where to go on the Oregon Coast with Kids
Our favorite part of the Oregon Coast is the northern portion. We find it the easiest area to get too because if you don’t go any further than Florence, Oregon then you are three hours or under from the Portland International Airport. Making the Northern Oregon Coast easy for even us out-of-staters!
Where to Stay on the Oregon Coast with Kids
You can’t go wrong with any city on the Northern Oregon Coast! Each city or town has it’s own vibe and you can use this guide to help you determine which one is perfect for you. Some of my personal favorites are Yachats and Manzanita. These are sleepier towns than some of the more popular towns like Cannon Beach and Seaside but they still have all of the family friendly amenities your family will need!
When to Visit the Oregon Coast with Kids
Oregon isn’t like Florida, you are going to want to time your vacation carefully if you are hoping for more traditional beach weather. Peak travel season to the Oregon Coast is between Memorial and Labor Day with most visitors to the coast going in July or August. My personal favorite time of year to visit the Oregon Coast with kids is during late summer in August when the average high temperatures are 67 Fahrenheit. If you have young children who aren’t yet adhering to a school calendar then September is also the perfect time to plan a family vacation and you’ll enjoy a quieter than usual stay.
What to do on the Oregon Coast with Kids
Tidepools
You haven’t experienced magic until you’ve seen a small child experience a tidepool. This is definitely one of the best things to do on the Oregon Coast with kids. There are quite a few amazing tidepools but here are some of our favorites. We love the tidepools by Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach because it is so easy to go from building sandcastles and playing in the waves to hunting for starfish in a tidepool. We also love Seal Rock and Strawberry Hill near Yachats. Seal Rock had a special surprise for us, a docent! We were greeted at the beach by a trained docent who helped our kids find all kinds of sea creatures while teaching them about marine biology and conservation. It was such a unique experience!
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
A really unique thing to do on the Oregon Coast with kids. Go sand sledding! If you’ve never experienced massive sand dunes, think a really fun snowy sledding hill but covered in sand. The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is located near Florence, Oregon and is the perfect day trip from the Oregon Coast. You can rent sleds and sandboards from little vendors along the road so you don’t have to worry about bringing any of your own stuff. The only thing I’d recommend you remember to bring is goggles! Sledding in the sand is so much fun but can quickly end up with a face (and eyes) full of sand if you aren’t careful. I’d combine a day at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area with a visit to Florence.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Another must do if you visit the Oregon Coast with kids! The Oregon Coast Aquarium is family friendly fun. If you are more of an outdoors person then keep the Oregon Coast Aquarium in your back pocket for rainy days. The aquarium isn’t large so you probably only need a half day to see everything it has to offer. The aquarium is located in Newport, Oregon, which just happens to be home to Rogue Brewery. Plan the perfect day for adults and kids by combining a visit to the aquarium with a stop by Rogue. The brewery tour is even kid friendly since you get to ride on a small train to tour the facility!
Tillamook Creamery
Visiting the Tillamook Creamery should be a must do on any visit to the Oregon Coast with kids. I mean, ice cream and cheese in one place, yes please! However, I want to be honest. The Tillamook Creamery can get insanely busy. On our first visit, I had plans to eat all kinds of delicious cheese samples and was shocked to find Disney World sized lines for small (free) cheese cubes. We still enjoyed the ice cream and the general atmosphere but the crowds were pretty surprising.
Cannon Beach
Easily the most famous Oregon beach, no trip to the Oregon Coast would be complete without a visit to Cannon Beach. You’ve probably seen tons of photos of the famed Haystack Rock which dominates Cannon Beach but Cannon Beach has so much more to offer! We typically find the beach to be less windy than some of the other Oregon Coast beaches which is great considering the Oregon Coast never gets that hot! It’s the one place on the Oregon Coast where I really feel like I’m on a stereotypical beach vacation. When you get tired of building sandcastles, stroll the shops and restaurants along the charming town. We always make sure to pick up some sweets from Bruce’s Candy Kitchen and a souvenir t-shirt for the kids.
Shipwreck Beach
One of my northern most recommendations, Shipwreck Beach is located in Hammond, Oregon just north of Seaside. It’s one of the only places I can think of where you can play on a gorgeous beach right next to a shipwreck. Â The shipwreck is the ship Peter Iredale which ran ashore in 1906. At low tide you can walk out to the shipwreck, making this one of the easiest to access shipwrecks on the west coast.
Hobbit Trail and Beach
If everyone is going to Cannon Beach, no one is going to Hobbit Beach. Except for you now, of course, because I am sharing this hidden gem on the Oregon Coast. This one is an absolute must do with kids! You’ve probably heard of the Heceta Head Lighthouse. What you may not know is that you can hike up to the lighthouse, or you can take the short and flat trail through the Sitka spruce trees to Hobbit Beach. If you are visiting the Oregon Coast with young children then I definitely recommend you do the latter. After a short 15-20 minute walk, the trees will disappear and you’ll find yourself on a gorgeous stretch of white sand called Hobbit Beach. Not only is this one of the most gorgeous beaches I’ve ever been to but it’s relatively unknown. During peak summer months, we’ve manage to visit Hobbit Beach and be the only family on the beach for hours. It is truly one of the most magical experiences!
Hug Point State Park
Another magical beach, although this one is more popular, is Hug Point State Park. Hug Point is extremely easy to get to with parking and restrooms making this an exceptionally child friendly destination on the Oregon Coast. Kids will also love playing around the large rock formations and in the small waterfall on the northern end of the beach. Even though this beach is easy to access it never feels overcrowded. We’ve spent many long days playing in the tidepools and with driftwood at Hug Point. If you are staying near Manzanita or Cannon beach, I would consider Hug Point a must.
Sea Lion Caves
The Sea Lion Caves is a bit touristy but it is a unique and fun thing to do on the Oregon Coast with kids. But forewarning, it is loud and smelly! Sensory sensitive kids may not enjoy this activity. The Sea Lion Caves are also located in Florence, Oregon so you can combine a quick stop here with visiting the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The Sea Lion Caves are opened from 9am-4pm daily and you have to purchase tickets to enter the caves. I wouldn’t say this is the best activity on the Oregon Coast but I think it is worth at least one visit!
Tillamook Air Museum
Children who love airplanes and everything that moves will love a visit to Tillamook Air Museum. The museum’s Exhibit Hall features wartime artifacts from WWI to the present, including parts from German’s ill-fated Hindenburg. You can even climb into a British WWII air raid shelter. Some of the history may be lost on younger children but they are sure to be awed by all of the aircraft and adults will love all of the historical context! You can easily spend a few hours here before popping by the Tillamook creamery for some ice cream.
Rent Family Bikes
Not only should you rent a surrey bike in Seaside, I highly recommend renting beach bikes in Cannon Beach. These are 3-wheel lay flat bikes that grip the sand well. If you are planning on walking out to Haystack Rock then you can expedite your trip by biking there! We love FunCycles, they carry tricycles for kids ages 4 and up and have trailers you can rent and attach to your breach bike.
Walk the Seaside Promenade
I can’t think of anything that screams family beach vacation more than walking along an oceanside promenade. Seaside has one of the most famous promenades on the Oregon Coast. It’s a great way to spend the day at the beach without getting sandy. You can also rent family bikes called surreys which allow parents to pedal while kids just chill on the bench seat. It’s a great way to coast along the promenade!
Go for a Hike
There is so much hiking to be done on the Oregon Coast its hard to pick favorites. But if this is your first visit to to the Oregon Coast with kids then I recommend you start at Ecola State Park. There are numerous trails of varying length and difficulty and the views of the coast are amazing and sure to wow even tiny travelers!
Spend the Day at the Beach
This is a no brainer but if you are heading to the Oregon Coast with kids then you should spend a ton of time at the beach! There are so many great beaches but some of our favorites are Cannon Beach, Hobbit Beach, Short Sands, and Hug Point. There is something so unique about the Oregon Coast. It’s equal part charming and rugged and wild. This isn’t your stereotypical day at the beach. There is a good chance you’ll be in a sweater even in the middle of summer. And you probably won’t want to get in the water unless you brought your wetsuit. But these beaches are still some of my absolute favorites!
Have S’mores on the Beach
It sounds so simple but sometimes when you are a busy working parent, simple is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with your kids. One of our favorite memories from our first trip to the Oregon Coast with our kids – and one we’ve repeated numerous times – is making s’mores on the beach! If you stay at the Hallmark Resort in Cannon Beach then they’ll will set up a bonfire and chairs for you. If not, don’t worry! You can check beach regulations before you go but we’ve always found it possible to setup our own small bonfire on the public beaches.
Let’s Go!
I hope I’ve convinced you that there is so many unique and different things to do on the Oregon Coast with kids. A visit to the Oregon Coast should definitely be on every family’s bucket list – even if you have to fly into Portland to get there!
