Saturday May 15th, 2010~ Lincoln City, Oregon

If you love dogs & entertainment… here’s a fun Oregon Coast event you won’t want to miss!  Come watch the show or be part of it…  let your canine companion be at star at the Annual Mutt Masters Dog Show and Olympics.  This is a “for fun” show for all breeds, sizes and ages, so pack up Bowser and bring the whole family… you can enjoy the entire weekend at the beach as there is plenty of pet friendly lodging in the Lincoln City area!

Some of the categories include: Tail Wag Champ, Sweetest Smoocher, Fabulous Frisbee Catcher, Best Dressed &  Dog/Human Look-a-Like Contest (costumes are encouraged:-)

There will be food booths for humans, as well as booths offering  pet-related information, unique treats and gifts! Raffles will occur throughout the day… prizes include gift certificates, doggie and human goodies, glass floats and more.  You can take part in a 5K Dog Run & Walk at 8 a.m if you wish as well!

Location: at the OLD Taft Elementary School – 1545 SE 50th St, Lincoln City Oregon

Spectator Fee: suggested donation – $5 per person (kids 12 and under get in for free!)  A bag of dry pet food will also get spectators in for free!

Showtime: 12:00 noon

Registration: begins at 11:00 am

Registration Fee: $2 per dog per category or $15 per dog for unlimited categories (One handler gets in with each registered dog)

For more information on Categories, Rules, Prizes & Registration visit: www.OregonCoast.org (You can download registration forms and vendor forms too!) Or call 1- 800-452-2151.

*All proceeds will go to support the Lincoln County Animal Shelter and DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital which is opening a clinic in Lincoln City.

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

Yaquina Head Lighthouse Photo by Stuart Seeger

After visiting the Tillamook Head and Cape Meares lighthouses…  head south on Hwy 101 toward Newport Oregon where you’ll find 2 great lighthouses to explore….  For your overnight accommodations, you will want to check out these privately owned Newport vacation rentals and condos.  You can find anything from a one bedroom condo, to a large home big enough for the entire family…  This small beachfront house is even pet friendly!

Your destination is just three miles north of Newport Oregon, where you will find the first of these two lighthouses. The Bureau of Land Management operates the “Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area” where this stunning lighthouse is located. As the tallest lighthouse in Oregon at 93 feet, this tower stands 162 feet above the ocean on a narrow piece of land jutting into the Pacific Ocean.

This lighthouse started life in 1873 as an oil burning fixed white light that was operated from sunset to sunrise seven days a week. Today it is a fully automated Fresnel lens that is powered by a single 1000 watt globe light producing over 130,000 candlepower… For a passing ship to identify a lighthouse, each one has a unique pattern of flashes called a “signature”.  The Yaquina Head lighthouse uses a 2 seconds on, 2 seconds off, 2 seconds on then14 seconds off pattern that operates 24 hours a day.

Yaquina Head Lighthouse… it’s a beautiful sight to see!

Next up located just a few miles to the south near the entrance to Yaquina Bay…  let’s explore the “Yaquina Bay” lighthouse.

~ Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

Dakota at the Oregon Coast

Is Bowser begging you for a trip to the beach? Then you might check out this quaint little town called Oceanside. It’s located just west of Tillamook on the North Oregon Coast… about an hour and a half drive from Portland. Be ready to run your buddy on the miles of beach with nothing to do but hunt for agates and play fetch!

The Oceanside area is a great place to retreat when all you need is quiet getaway. When you arrive, it feels as if you are at the end of the world… you see nothing but ocean, sand and a hillside full homes with a view to die for. The good thing for both you and bowser is… many of these Oceanside vacation rentals are pet friendly and close enough you can walk to the beach. One of our favorite places to stay is just past the town and around the corner where there is another beach called Lost Boy, if you love to hunt for agates while Bowser is exploring… this is a great spot too. The Lost Boy Beach Cabin sits atop a hill with a stunning view of the ocean, complete with its own viewing deck.

The village of Oceanside consists of a coffee shop with homemade soups, baked goods and Tillamook ice cream too! Then there is my favorite ocean front restaurant… Rosanna’s, for a fine dining experience to remember.  There can be a wait on weekends but its well worth it… especially during a romantic sunset… sorry Bowser you will have to sit in the car!

Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH with Bowser:)

Want to take Fido to the Oregon beach and have beachfront access to? Well, you can! A nice selection of  pet friendly vacation rentals in Rockaway offer oceanfront views with sand just outside your door. The whole family can vacation together and not sacrifice ”the view” just because you want to bring Fido.  Here’s a favorite on my oceanfront pet friendly getaway list… its called Cozy Beach Front Cottage, complete with a deck, an oceanfront sunroom and a fireplace!

Rockaway Beach is on the North Oregon Coast boasting seven miles of pristine beach for you and ”sandy paws” to explore. It’s a nice little drive (about 7 miles) heading south from Manzanita around Nehalem Bay to Rockaway. You will want to allow time to stop while going through these quaint little towns… especially if you like to hunt for antique treasures… and save your appetite for breakfast or lunch…there is a yummy little restaurant called Wanda’s Cafe & Bakery in Nehalem. The food has been consistently great every time we go, the wait is worth it. Its a fun 50′s retro style that sort of feels like going to Grandma’s house.

And speaking of fun… Rockaway has a site seeing train ride that runs May through November (and I read on their web page) they will allow well behaved leashed dogs too! That could change, so you might want to double check before Fido gets too excited. In May they have the annual Kite festival and in June you can enjoy Wine, Cheese & All that Jazz which includes an all day event of food, wine tasting and dancing…  Makes me want to pack up the family and head to Rockaway!

~Thanks & have fun AT THE BEACH!

Don't forget the ball!

If you own a dog… or two, you know how much they LOVE the beach and taking them with you is just part of the fun!

Thank goodness, pet friendly lodging is becoming more and more available everywhere. We don’t have to worry about leaving them at the kennel or with relatives while we are on vacation any more!

The Oregon Coast has some great choices for privately owned vacation rentals that will accommodate Bowser too! Some pet friendly rentals will even include dog towels for those sandy paws and dishes for his chow!  But you should pack these items just in case, along with some “scoop bags”.

One thing you might look for while searching for the perfect vacation home, is a fenced yard or an area where he can easily “go” in the middle of the night. Of course beachfront accommodations are a plus for him… oh, and don’t forget the ball:)

~Have fun AT THE BEACH!