Oregon Coast Accessibility Adventure: Seaside to Lincoln City with 2 Service Dogs

We kicked things off in Cannon Beach with a walk to the iconic Haystack Rock. The beach was dog-friendly (off-leash allowed), and our girls loved it! We found a Little Free Library near where we found free street parking and then treated ourselves to a snack at Lazy Susan Cafe, where we were greeted with a smiling face and a welcome invitation to seat all four of us (two humans and two service dogs). This was a cozy spot where we grabbed a delicious scone to share farther down the road. We then walked over to Ecola Seafood Restaurant & Market for lunch. The restaurant is service animal–friendly, but we opted to sit outside to enjoy the view. The salmon fish and chips are a must-try!

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, OR

One of my favorite spots from the whole trip was Hug Point State Recreation Site. While parking was tricky to find in the afternoon, it was 100 percent worth it. We enjoyed the beach using our K9 Sports Packs, which made it much easier to navigate uneven ground while keeping our pups safe and supported. The location was adventurous but manageable with breaks.

Exploring the beach at Hug Point State Recreation Site

Continuing our trip south, we stopped at The Winery at Manzanita for a wine flight on the dog-friendly balcony. The ocean view was breathtaking, and the peaceful vibe made it a relaxing stop. Just down the street, Dixie’s Vino has a curated selection of local wines, which makes an easy pit stop for adult beverages for the hotel.

No coastal trip is complete without a visit to Tillamook Creamery. We sampled free cheeses, browsed the market, and took advantage of the complimentary EV charging stations (two Tesla Destination Chargers and four ChargePoints).

Our stay in Lincoln City was at the Surfland Hotel by the Sea, and it was a dream. We upgraded to a room with a fireplace and a jetted tub, which gave us a larger room and additional windows to enjoy the ocean view. There’s a path to the beach with multiple benches along the way, which made it accessible and manageable for my POTS symptoms (frequent rest with elevation change is key). We saw a beautiful sunset and fell asleep to the sound of the waves. I highly recommend this hotel.

Surfland Hotel Signature Room

Path to the beach from the hotel

Lincoln City, OR, sunset

The hotel staff was friendly overall, but we did have one hiccup when the breakfast attendant questioned the service dogs and insisted they be on the floor, which conflicted with one of them providing deep pressure therapy and needing to be on my lap. Since I didn’t want to attempt to explain that when I could feel people looking in my direction, I decided to sit at a table with the girls while my partner loaded up our breakfast plates and coffees to take back to the room. Pro tip: Take the breakfast back to the room and enjoy the ocean view. We got to enjoy our breakfast to the sound of waves instead of the noisy eating area and were able to utilize the French press and fresh coffee beans that were provided in the room for our coffee refills.

Coffee with a view!

We then spent the morning playing finders keepers (looking for hidden glass floats along the seven miles of Lincoln City). We didn’t find any, but our service dog, BB, who loves chasing balls in her off time, was very enthusiastic about the search.

Lincoln City, OR, beach outside the hotel

We wrapped up our coastal food tour at The Wildflower Grill, a welcoming restaurant that seated us in a private room, which helped ease the social anxiety of dining with an invisible illness with service dogs. The clam chowder was so good we took a second bowl to go.

The best clam chowder!

Every stop welcomed the service dogs. We called ahead to alert the hotel, but didn’t alert any of the restaurants before our arrival. Along our beach stops, there were multiple seating areas for those needing a rest. There are also several areas to pull over to enjoy the view along the road.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Oregon page.