Everyone’s heard about great family vacation opportunities at Disney theme parks or on the warm beaches of Hawaii or Florida. Less-known are exciting family getaways in the Pacific Northwest. But for a fun-filled, cost-friendly vacation for families with children of all ages, Newport, Oregon can’t be beat.
Newport is located roughly mid-way up the Oregon coast. For exciting ideas on where to stay and what to do in Newport, check out the ideas below.
Where to Stay
Find a Home Away From Home
Tired of that abrupt knock at your hotel room door from the people downstairs, asking you to please keep your children from running around the room? Consider renting a house, instead. Newport offers great options for family-friendly and budget-friendly vacation houses which are on or close to the beach.
To find the rental home that best suits your family, visit a VRBO website (Vacation Rentals by Owner), which allows users to search for homes by house size, location, vacation dates and more. The advantages of renting a vacation home include:
- Privacy
- Quiet
- Multiple rooms with lots of space
- Cooking facilities
What to Do
Traveling with kids always brings adventure; when planning your family adventures in Newport, consider some of the following options.
The Yaquina Head and Yaquina Bay Lighthouses
Start your family adventure by climbing the 114 stairs at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. An active lighthouse since 1873, the structure stands at 93 feet and offers incredible views of the Pacific Ocean from its lantern room.
Next visit the newly-restored Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, which is believed to be the oldest structure in Newport. The lighthouse is located within the Yaquina Bay State Park and is easily accessible via a paved walkway.
Visitors can find out more about each of these Oregon coast lighthouses by visiting the lighthouses' website.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
Open every day of the year except Christmas, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is fun for people of all ages. Little ones can marvel at the blue and purple neon lights of the fish tanks, point at bright-colored seahorses, or wave at sea lions sunning themselves on a favorite rock.
Older children (and adults) will love walking underneath various-sized sharks while visiting the tunnel-like shark exhibit, or participating in an “Animal Encounter,” where they can meet and feed some of the Aquarium’s friendly animals.
For hours of operation, upcoming events and discount information, visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s website.
Sandcastle Toys Toy Store
Sandcastle Toys is located right in Newport and offers imaginative and hard-to-find toys for children of all ages. Visitors on nearby streets are drawn to the store, which is open seven days a week, by an endless stream of bubbles originating from a bubble-blower at the store’s entrance.
The store’s owners are open and friendly and seem to be having just as much fun as the kids who go there. For more information, see Sandcastle Toy’s website.
This year, let your vacation take you some place new. Visit Newport, Oregon for a fun, adventurous way to introduce your family to the Pacific Northwest.
Margaret Koch - Owner, Get It Write Consulting Offering copy editing, proofreading & resume writing services to businesses and individuals
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