Super Dog Friendly Lodge - & More!

(This blog is part travelogue, part advice on traveling with a dog, part discovery of what’s on the minds of Americans, Canadians and other nationalities, part commentary, and other musings.)

First off, it’s difficult to describe the beauty and diversity of Coastal Oregon (along Highway 101), particularly north of Coos Bay. Just take my word for it, and look up more on the Internet if interested.

Super Dog Friendly lodge: Because of a rain forecast, I stayed in the charming, beach-themed Deane’s Oceanfront Lodge in Yachats (pronounced Ya-HOTS), right on Highway 101. Huge lawns flank front and back, but almost all rooms have views of the ocean, which is just beyond the expansive lawn and down a short wooden staircase. But for you dog lovers and owners, what really impressed me was how dog friendly Deane’s is. When I arrived, I was given a doggie bag with a bed, towel (to wipe off sandy paws), dog bowl and treats. Manager Chad told me he doesn’t hire anyone to work at Deane’s unless they have a dog!

(Recommendation for travelers with or without dogs: Stay at Deane’s!)

(Beach in front of Deane's Oceanfront Lodge)

Every few miles, it seems. . .: There are state parks, campgrounds, scenic viewpoints, rivers, lakes, estuaries, bays, Entering & Leaving Tsunami Zone signs, seaside inns (almost all flanked by verdant forests) – and pot dispensaries. There’s even a chain of dispensaries called Mr. Nice Guy.

Recommended stops on Highway 101 in or near Yachats:

• Heceta Head Lighthouse & Lighthouse Keeper’s House, which is reached by a short hike from a parking lot ($5 fee) on the side of Highway 101. The lighthouse was constructed between 1892 and 1893 and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

As a bonus, you can nestle into a BnB room at one of the last remaining Lightkeeper’s cottages on the Pacific Coast.

• Cape Perpetua, a stunning U.S. Forest Service park with miles of hiking trails, both on the coast and in the forest. Luca and I hiked the Spruce Tree Trail, where we saw a 600-year-old tree that stands over 185 feet tall and has a circumference of 40 feet.

(Recommendation: Although parking at Perpetua is just $5, it was free for me because I had previously purchased a National Parks Lifetime Senior Pass for $80. The pass gets you into all national parks for free and gives you free entrance to U.S. Forest Service sites, as well as discounts on National Park and Forest Service campgrounds. I believe you have to be 62 to qualify for the pass.)

• Yachats: A charming village with shops, coffee houses, restaurants, lovely beaches and more.

Best baguette in America? I’m not a foodie, but I am a baguette snob. Having spent quite a bit of time in France, I am constantly in search of a baguette in the U.S. that matches the French ones. I’ve found some in L.A. that come close, but not quite as good. So, much to my surprise, I found one in little Tillamook, a coastal Oregon town best known for its cheese, that would match the best baguette in Paris! The Blue Heron French Cheese Company not only has baguettes, it also has wines (and wine tasting), cheeses, a great deli, jams, gourmet foods, desserts and sweets of all kinds, and more. It’s worth a stop!