Fun Family-Friendly Stays on the Oregon Coast

Vacations are even more fun with one of these special lodgings as a base camp.

If you’re planning a family getaway on the Oregon Coast this spring, these unique stays will extend your adventures beyond the surf. Cozy up together close to nature in a cabin or yurt, stay in a cluster of tiny homes or explore a reimagined vintage motel. We’ve rounded up a list of memorable digs sure to satisfy every budget and taste. 

Boutique Tiny Homes and Chic Cabins 

You’ll love Sheltered Nook’s tiny homes, circled around a central courtyard in Bay City. Owner Mark Harguth even helpfully suggests itineraries around Tillamook Bay for outdoors enthusiasts, seafood lovers and more. The six themed 385-square-foot cottages that make up the complex are nestled in forest teeming with wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for bald eagles or hit the nine-hole disc-golf course. The Nook is stocked with board games and cards for indoor fun, or head out to the nearby interpretive trails of Kilchis Point Reserve to learn about the area’s natural and human history.

Bay Point Landing is a soothing, Scandinavian-inspired resort near Coos Bay with stellar views and all the creature comforts — like an indoor heated saltwater pool — to keep the whole family smiling. Sleek, modern cabins accommodate families of varying sizes, along with stunning views and private fire pits. A clubhouse rises above the saltwater marshland, appointed with a fitness center and activity room. After a workout, stop by the general store stocked with everything from kombucha to cold brews. Don’t feel like cooking? A resident food truck slings burgers, fish and chips, salads, and soft-serve. While there’s plenty to do on-site, you’re only a short scenic drive from an afternoon of exploration at the gardens of Shore Acres State Park or the tide pools at Cape Arago State Park. 

Vintage Stays with Games Near the Beach

Anchor Inn Resort was built in 1942 as a motor court and remains the oldest hotel in Lincoln City. Over the years, it’s evolved into an enclosed compound of sorts, designed with families and fun in mind — including a croquet course, an arcade and a pizzeria. There’s even complimentary s’more kits for the fire pit. In the morning, hit Depoe Bay for whale watching or snap a selfie with the Anchor’s vintage whales, Captain Kip and Pixie. The cozy wood-paneled cabins have quirky decor and kitchenettes, and they sleep four comfortably.

Channel good old-fashioned summer-camp vibes at Hart’s Camp in Pacific City, where you’ll find a range of accommodations and tons of fun just steps from your front door. Choose from luxe Airstreams with private outdoor spaces, fire pits and gas grills, comfortable tiny homes, or rustic cabins (BYO bedding) on the edge of a pine forest. Take a dip in the indoor pool or hot tub, play some corn hole, or tackle the putting course. Marshal the troops for a trek across the street to the wide sandy beach, where you will pass the 340-foot Haystack Rock — even bigger than the sea stack with the same name in Cannon Beach — a mile offshore.  Watch double-ended dory fishing boats launch right from the beach or take a rigorous climb up the sandy dune at Cape Kiwanda for world-class Pacific views.

Glamping at Oregon State Parks

Spring weather can be hit or miss for camping on the Oregon Coast. The solution? Book a yurt or cabin up to six months in advance for a taste of camp life without being too exposed to the elements. Nehalem Bay State Park yurts are close to a paved bike path, while the yurts at Devil’s Lake State Recreation Area provide easy access to kayaking, canoeing and fishing. South Beach State Park includes access to horseshoe pits and an 18-hole disc-golf course when you stay at one of its yurts near Newport. Just north of Brookings, birders will love staying in the yurts at Harris Beach State Park, with binocular access to avian action at Goat Island — part of the Oregon Islands National WIldlife Sanctuary — just offshore.

Most yurts have a large bunk bed and pull-out futon, and many are also pet-friendly. Deluxe yurts even have a small kitchen and bathroom. Similarly, rustic and deluxe cabins with bathrooms, showers and even TVs can be found at many Oregon State Parks on the Coast, including Fort Stevens, Umpqua Lighthouse, Cape Lookout and Cape Blanco. 

– By Rachel Bucci

Top photo Bay Point Landing by Ken Hagen and Anton-Hugo