Day Two in Del Norte County
We spent our second day exploring the Crescent City area. Last year, we stopped at the Battery Point Lighthouse (577 H Street), during an epic road trip along the entire Oregon coastline. Of the many lighthouses we stopped at during the trip, Battery Point was easily my kids’ favorite.
Battery Point Lighthouse
The Battery Point Lighthouse is small, but charming. It was first lit in 1856, and it was automated about a hundred years later. Today it’s not only an active lighthouse, but it’s also home to a museum and a lighthouse keeper.
The lighthouse sits on a tidal island. During low tide, visitors can walk across the beach and up a hill to the lighthouse. Large boulders and tide pools surround the island. It’s a fun place to climb around and explore. My kids spent the morning climbing rocks and peeking into the tide pools, looking for sea life like urchins and sea stars.
KidTripster Tip: Wear sneakers instead of flip flops or sandals. It’s easier and safer for climbing rocks and walking up the hill to the lighthouse.
The lighthouse recently reopened for tours. However, it was closed both times we visited due to the pandemic. Tours are weather and tide dependent so check in advance to see if it’s open. Even if you don’t want to go inside, visitors can still walk around the area surrounding the lighthouse at no charge. It’s a nice vantage point for photos. There’s a tree that’s covered in buoys that’s a popular photo spot.
KidTripster Tip: Check the tide tables when planning your visit, since the lighthouse is only accessible during when the tide is low.
Lunch at SeaQuake Brewing
Hungry after climbing rocks and running up and down the beach, we headed to lunch at SeaQuake Brewing (400 Front Street). This family-friendly brewery opened in 2016 and it’s become one of the more popular restaurants in town. We rolled up just as the restaurant was opening. We were the first people through the door and within about 15 minutes nearly every table was full.
KidTripster Tip: We’re told that there can be a long line at dinner. Don’t let that deter you, though! Put your name in the wait list and the restaurant will text you when your table is ready. While you wait, you can explore the lighthouse, the park, or the beach, which are all located very close to the restaurant.
The portions are generous and the beer is plentiful. There are more than a dozen brews on draft. Cider, wine and cocktails available, too. The SeaQuake menu includes fish & chips, clam chowder and fish tacos. For those wanting something other than seafood, there’s also burgers and pizza. We had full bellies and leftovers, too! Entrees cost between $11-$18, pizzas average around $18. There’s an extensive kids’ menu here, as well.
Stella’s Adventures
After lunch, we headed to the marina to meet up with Captain Harry of Stella’s Adventures. Whale watching was on the agenda. Captain Harry told us there were no guarantees that we’d see whales, but assured us that his success rate was pretty high. He’s no novice, with a lifetime of experience on the water as a commercial fisherman.
Off we went, farther offshore, bobbing and bouncing into the Pacific. It wasn’t long before we spotted our first whale, in the form of a spout of water in the distance. We were in the company of gray whales, several of them as it turned out. Over the course of our two-hour tour, we lost count of how many whales we saw, some coming quite close to our ship. Whales are in this area pretty much year-round. Some of the whales that you might encounter, depending on the season, are gray, blue, fin, humpback, and orcas.
The kids were excited by how many whales we saw, marveling at just how big they were. Captain Harry told us to shout out where we spotted whales by yelling “whale at 3 o’clock.” There was a lot of shouting out because of the sheer number of sightings. To be sure, there wasn’t a dull moment on this voyage. It was a great experience for our first time whale watching.
KidTripster Tip: Bring binoculars to get a better view of the whales at a distance. Know that it’s difficult to take a good photo of whales swimming in the water so just enjoy watching them!
A sightseeing or whale watching tour with Stella’s Adventures costs $100 per person. Stella’s Adventures also offers fishing charters.
KidTripster Tip: This is a small vessel so if you tend to get seasick, take motion sickness medicine before you board. If traveling with a small child, you may need to bring a life vest with you. Check when booking.
Dinner at Chart Room
For dinner, we stopped by another popular Crescent City eatery, the Chart Room (130 Anchor Way). It’s located at the marina. There was already a line out the door when we arrived at 5pm on a Friday. You’ll find a lot of seafood favorites on the menu as well as steak and burgers. Meals range from $15-$30.
If you don’t want to wait for a table, you can order at the takeout window. We took our meal to go and had a quiet night at home, turning in early. We had a long day ahead of us.
KidTripster Tip: If you want to play on the beach, or watch the sunset, South Beach is located next to the Chart Room. There’s a large, sandy beach here. You’ll see surfers and paddle boarders here. There are lots of other easily accessible beaches in Del Norte County, check out this list of suggested beaches.
Day 3 took us down the Smith river and into a famous redwood grove. Click below to read about our fun adventure.
