The Oregon coast appeals to all … from retirees to young families. You can easily day trip from Portland to the coast, but why not spend a night or two? If you decide to stay over, you’ll find a variety of accommodations, with a few spots that are significantly better than the rest. One of those places is the Salishan Coastal Lodge, which both blends in and stands out. It blends into nature with its beautiful design elements. Much of the property has also been recently renovated. It also stands out for its serenity and hospitality. Bring the kids, bring the dog, all are welcome here.
Accommodations
Room choices at Salishan Coastal Lodge range from traditional hotel rooms to suites. All include a fireplace and a private balcony or patio. Rooms also have refrigerators, microwaves and coffee makers.
Our family of four stayed in a traditional room with two queen beds and a balcony view of the golf course. This room had a small dining table, counter, sink, refrigerator and microwave. These extras made it easier for us to dine in our room.
There are several buildings around the property. Once you get checked in, you’ll want to drive and park near where you’re staying.
The property is dog friendly. We saw lots of pups around the property, on leashes, of course. When booking, you’ll need to reserve a pet friendly room. Dogs can’t be left alone in the rooms.
Activities
Yes, there’s a beach and it’s perfectly lovely, but that’s far from all there is to do here. You’ll find plenty of other outdoor experiences available at Salishan Coastal Lodge.
Biking
Salishan offers bikes for guest use. Guests can check out bikes and helmets at the front desk. There are fat tire bikes for pedaling on the beach. Salishan recently constructed a new pump track circuit on property. It’s free for guests to use. Mountain bikes are available to borrow, too.
Aerial Park
Another recent addition to the activities at Salishan is the Aerial Park. It’s a choose-your-own adventure style course. I took to the trees with my 12-year-old daughter. We met up with our guides at the outdoor shop in the Salishan Marketplace. Prior to our arrival, we’d received an email with instructions about what to wear and bring. You’ll want to wear sneakers or hiking boots. Gloves are required. You can bring your own pair (think gardening or work gloves) or purchase a pair for $8 on-site.
Once you’re all checked in, you’ll walk as a group to the course. The walk took about 15-minutes through a nature trail on property.
Upon arrival, you’ll need to graduate “ground school” before your tree climbing adventure begins. Our guides trained us on the gear, then allowed us to practice using it on the ground before we went vertical. My daughter got the hang of it quickly and scrambled onto the course without hesitation.
The whole experience lasts about two hours. The cost is $85 a person. It’s not necessary to be a hotel guest to participate. Advance reservations are required.
KidTripster Tip: Kids must be 8 to participate in the course. They also have to be able to reach 6 feet. There was another family on the course with an 8 and 10-year-old. The 8-year-old did a few courses, then got scared and had to come down. Your child will be on their own to some extent, climbing from platform to platform, ahead of or behind you. Consider their comfort level. This experience may be better for older kids. Additional family members are allowed to walk to the Aerial Park and watch from the ground, without paying the participation fee.
Golfing
Got a golfer in the family? The world class course is open Wednesday through Sunday. Resort guests have access to the putt putt course. There’s a driving range here, too, if your kids like hitting balls.
Beach
Walking paths wind all throughout the property, some leading to the beach, others into the forest.
The beach can also be accessed by car. Resort guests have access to the lovely and uncrowded Salishan Beach. It’s a pretty drive to the public parking area. While all Oregon beaches are open to the public, some are easier to access than others. Because this one is trickier to access, you’ll see very few people here.
Need more activities? Don’t forget about the tennis courts, pool and the small playground, too. Guests can also check out lawn games from the front desk.
Dining
Between the lodge and the marketplace, there are a few dining options around the property.
Lodge dining
In the morning, breakfast items and coffee are served in the Provisions market. This is a combination cafe, general store and gift shop. Menu items include things like waffles, breakfast burritos and breakfast sandwiches.
For lunch or dinner, head upstairs to the Attic Bar & Lounge. Here you’ll find appetizers, sandwiches, wraps and pizzas We enjoyed some great handcrafted cocktails.
Take your meal and drinks outdoors and eat on the beautiful deck surrounding the property. You can order inside and servers will bring the food to your table.
Inviting hammock swings line the deck. The kids settled right in, I could barely get them out to eat dinner.
Marketplace restaurants
Additional dining options are available across the street at the Salishan Marketplace. It’s a short walk down the hill or an even quicker drive. You’ll find a few dining options here. Get the day started at Coffee and Cravings. You’ll find breakfast, lunch and, you guessed it, coffee here. Coffee and Cravings is closed on Tuesdays.
There’s the Beachcrest Brewery. Families, and dogs, are welcome here Wednesday through Sunday. Small bites are offered on weekdays, the Squatchsami Food Cart operates on weekends serving fish and chips, chowder, and chicken and waffles.
Mangia serves authentic coastal Italian food including fresh pasta, sandwiches and salads. Takeout and delivery is available. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
KidTripster Tip: For dessert, cozy up to one of the outdoor fire pits and make s’mores. You can purchase a s’mores kit at the resort or bring your own supplies. We saw lots of families and couples enjoying evening s’mores around the fire.
Getting there
Salishan Coastal Lodge is located in Gleneden Beach, between Lincoln City and Newport right off Highway 101. The lodge sits on a bluff and it’s been a fixture on the Oregon coast since it opened in 1965. While you won’t get ocean views from your resort room, you’re surrounded by the beauty of a temperature rain forest. Although the property is located just off the highway, it’s very quiet and peaceful.
The writer received a complimentary stay and passes to the aerial park for purposes of this review. All opinions are her own.
