What is better than summer in the Pacific Northwest? Not much. A few years ago, I would have told you that Kansas summer sunsets are the best, but I’ll gladly admit when I’m wrong. This summer has been nothing but open water swimming, hikes, grilling on the deck and epic weekend adventuring. We’ll talk more about those fun times later, promise.
To seize the summer, Dave and I decided that we needed to get out of the city and explore. Crossing into Oregon furthered the goal of seeing all 50 states. We’ve lived here for two years and, for some reason, never ventured to our southern neighbor. We rectified that a few weeks ago with a quick vacation to Cannon Beach. (Note: Dave took all the amazing pictures that follow. I deserve no credit.)
The town is adorable, with a mix of small boutiques and pet-friendly shops. For D and me, we’re happy if we can find the ultimate travel checklist:
- Coffee shop
- Wine Bar
- Dog-friendly restaurants
- Epic views
Cannon Beach didn’t disappoint. I wish I would have snapped more pics of the town, but we got the most images of the coast from our second day there. We decided to do an eight-mile hike in Ecola State Park so that we could reach the Tillamook Lighthouse viewpoint. This was Cosmo’s first hike and he was a champion. Afterward, I decided that if he’s going to be our hiking buddy, then he’ll have to carry his own water. Luckily, there was a shop that would sell us Cosmo’s very own hiking backpack (Thanks Ruffwear!).
While we were there, we also needed to check another first off the list: Cosmo’s first trip to the Pacific Ocean. We’ve encouraged him to swim at other parks in the Seattle area, but he’s been timid and unsure of what to do. So, Dave took the leash and ran.
I’m looking forward to fall with more family hikes and swims!
