Cannon Beach Oregon-A Weekend to Remember-Travels from Fishhawk Lake

Going to the beach in December might sound a bit crazy and yet it can bring about wonderful surprises to those who choose the “off season” to head to the Pacific Ocean for a weekend.

My husband and I were celebrating his birthday and our 11th anniversary. Our favorite coastal town is Cannon Beach Oregon only an hour away from our home at Fishhawk Lake where I specialize in real estate. We also have our favorite dog-friendly hotel, located right on the beach, called the Surfsand Resort on the beach.

 It’s always a delicious pleasure to sneak away from the 24-7 business that he runs and my all hours of the day and night real estate biz. We don’t care what the weather is like at Cannon Beach because it’s just us enjoying US and having our dogs with us completes it.

 Night time at the Surfsand resort with its Christmas decor at the lobby entrance.

After getting checked in, we headed for our room. There was a nice surprise for us as we walked in. 

Locally made candy from Bruce's Candy Kitchen (gooey and good since 1963) and a bottle of Walnut City WineWorks Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. (Wine and chocolate--OH YEAH....)makes you feel special and that's always how we feel we are treated at the Surfsand.

 Meanwhile our dog Takoda was getting antsy...

We headed out the backdoor of our beachfront room and basked in the afternoon sun. It actually was warmer on the beach than on the main street. What we did not expect was the glory of sunshine and almost balmy temperatures on the beach in the first week of December!

While playing ball with our Golden Retrievers, a sweet little four year old girl named Maya came over and asked if she could play, too. She took a hankerin’ to Takoda and they became fast friends.

 I caught some shots of a gorgeous amber-toned sunset from our door. With these colors, it could easily have been a sunset in Hawaii!

Friday night’s meal was a casual one at The Lumberyard Rotisserie and Grill. It is owned by the same company that owns the Surfsand resort.

This is a great spot to pop in for a bite or a brew as you enter Cannon Beach. Microwbrews galore to choose from (a full bar if you want something stronger), sportsbar-like atmosphere and genuinely service-oriented staff.

 The portions are big and I would take the suggestions from the staff, because they won’t steer you wrong! I ordered nachos (oh my goodness, fattening, but SO GOOD with all the fixins'). My hubby dug into his rotisserie chicken and it was juicy and perfectly cooked.

What is it about vacations that make you more hungry more often?  All we did was eat, plan where to eat next, walk on the beach, EAT, shop and well, EAT AGAIN. We aimed for no-guilt eating, but being so used to eating healthy foods, it was tough. We survived to EAT ANOTHER DAY.

The dogs had a marvelous time and we took them out for moonlight frolicking on the beach two nights in a row. They were sandy and dog-tired by the end of the weekend, but they were also nicely treated by the Surfsand from the very start. When we checked in, there was a big chalkboard with Jenna’s and Takoda’s names on it, welcoming them to the hotel!

In the room they had their own towels, blankets and dog bowls, along with a bag of snacks for each of them. We found out that Cannon Beach is one of the top dog-friendly towns in Oregon.

 They even have a shop called Puppy Love, where you can take your pets in (on leash) and let them choose their favorite toys and snacks and you will see MANY people walking down the main streets with dogs in tow—or leading—depending upon who’s in charge!

  Some of us older gals need our beauty sleep after a big day at the Beach. See you tomorrow!