I was pleasantly surprised when we walked into the Gray Whale Cove in Manzanita because it was a trip we booked pretty last minute, and based on the photos it was not going to be what I typically like in a vacation home. I have some very specific preferences when I book any lodging: ample couches, an open kitchen concept, and outdoor space. Clocking at just over 800 square feet, I imagined this house to be cramped and I was unimpressed by the single couch and two recliner chairs shown in the photos online. I dreaded the vying for the couch that would be taking place between myself, my husband and our little dog that despite being just over 20 pounds managed to get extra long and take up a lot of space.
Manzanita
For those who aren’t familiar with Manzanita, it’s a tiny little coastal town in Tillamook County, just 98 miles west of Portland, with a population of 664 according to recent census information. Inhabited mostly by retirees, this idyllic little beach town is the perfect, mellow escape for anyone wanting to be near the beach but want to avoid the crowds of Cannon Beach or Seaside. It’s also incredibly dog friendly and its 7 miles of beach is fully open to the furry members of the family. Apart from the quiet and quaint nature of this town, what I love most about Manzanita is that it has good grocery stores and restaurants you actually want to eat at, so you can show up with nothing more than a bag of clothes for a weekend and eat perfectly well during your stay. In my decades of coastal vacationing in Oregon, the lack of good grocery stores in most beach towns has had me packing for a weekend as I’m im camping, leaving me even more exhausted by the time I return home and have had to conversely UNPACK the mountain of things I’ve taken with me.
Turning right off of 101 N into Manzanita, I am always taken by how small the town is. Barely more than 1.3 square miles, Manzanita is TINY, and I get such an overwhelming sense of peace every time we arrive. The rental house was just north of Laneda Avenue, the main road that veers of Highway 101, and we drove slowly down Manzanita Avenue until we found the house. We backed into the gravel driveway and as we ascended the stairs, I felt a mix of excitement and dread about what our home for the weekend might be like.
The House
As I walked towards the front door, I peered through the blinds in the front windows and was immediately relieved at the size of the main room. I punched in the numbers on the electric lock and it beeped agreement as I fumbled with the deadbolt lock to enter. I pushed the door open and entered the hallway, letting out an audible sound of satisfaction and a series of ‘ooooohs’ and impressed ‘ohs’.
Down the hall was a laundry room which we had complete access to, which is a plus, especially for any kind of beach trip with our pup. The main room had high ceilings, with skylights and large windows filling it with light. The couch was larger than expected, and upon further investigation I discovered that the couch and the sofa chairs were all fully automated recliners. Game changer. There was a large TV that was mounted on the wall, as well as a full audio and DVD system. We were able to connect our phones to the bluetooth system which was great as we forgot our speaker, and when we return we will pack some DVD’s with us as they did not have any in their library of games and books. There was also an electric fireplace that we enjoyed on our second night. Unfortunately you cannot control the strength of it so it is all or nothing, and the thing can really crank. Instructions for the fire, the audio system, tv and internet are all clearly explained throughout the house.
The kitchen was well stocked, far better than my own, and I was impressed at the number of pans, platters, and baking paraphernalia. Do bring a coffee grinder. We forgot ours and after attempting to crush coffee beans by hand and having the weakest grossest coffee ever, we slunk off to the store buy some ground coffee. Since the rental was managed by Vacasa, there was a little Starter Kit box on the kitchen counter with a fresh sponge, small bottle of dish soap and packets of dishwasher and laundry detergent. Although I despise the exorbitant cleaning fee for rental bookings (for 2 nights we were charged $160 in cleaning fees despite needing to strip sheets, gather towels and start the dishwasher and laundry) I do wholly appreciate the professional cleaning that is done before our arrival and the fresh sponge. After a particularly gross rental experience years ago, I am now far more appreciative of Vacasa and their expensive but worthwhile system. You gotta pay to play, as they say.
The two bedrooms were small but cozy. One room had a queen size bed, while the other had a king bed and a mounted tv. We opted to sleep in the king bed and it was incredibly comfortable. The linens were also very soft and we looked forward to cozying in the bed at every opportunity.
The bathroom was small but the shower was hot and powerful, just how I like it. There is nothing worse than a tepid shower with lame water pressure so I truly appreciate a shower that feels like it could peel my skin off. Turning the shower on and controlling the several showerheads was a little tricky, but once again there are written instructions posted for ease of use. There were plenty of fresh towels so there was never a need to use a wet towel to dry off.
The back yard of this home is what had initially drawn me to book this house in the first place. Out the sliding side door of the home was a patio with a few chairs and a side table, and around the back of the home was a patio complete with grill, table and chairs, and an entire flagstone patio with adirondack chairs, side tables and a lovely landscaped yard. As it was early May and it had still been raining when we arrived, everything still had covers on it but it was clear all the furniture was well maintained. The front porch also had chairs for looking out onto Pine Avenue, to take in the views of the dog walkers that would pass occasionally.
Local Businesses
The Winery at Manzanita
253 Laneda Ave.
Manzanita, OR
https://www.thewineryatmanzanita.com
I lied- The Winery at Manzanita might actually be my favorite part of this sleepy beach town. After unpacking the car, we beelined it to the winery to make sure we had time to enjoy a flight of wine before they closed for the evening.
The winery and tasting room is on the main avenue and can be spotted by the image of Pinot, the beloved black lab who belongs to the owner of the winery. Pinot is the face of this wine bar, on every label, glass and piece of merch sold there. The winery itself is in a handsome cedar shingled building with a large lower patio and a sunny deck on the top floor. The downstairs patio has 3 large fire pits surrounded by adirondack chairs and ample tablespace for your glasses, bottles and flights of wine. There is a retractable awning on the lower patio, so even on rainy or drizzly days, you can enjoy the patio, cozying by the fire and taking in your wine. And of course, the establishment is dog friendly on both patios, and family friendly as well. Inside, there is a bar that seats about 10, and there might be some other small tables inside.
The winery sells around 20 different wines at a time, and many are available by the glass. They recently had on offer 5 different wine flights, and I opted for the Club Flight where I got to taste the Pinot Noir Rose, 2021 Pinot Noir and the Petit Verdot. The stemless glasses come out on a little board and I am thrilled because I love good presentation. I generally struggle with adirondack chairs because I am very short, but I quite enjoy them at this winery because it physically forces me to sit back, relax, and enjoy my wine. They also have on offer a small selection of 12” pizzas and a variety of meat and cheese boards as well as snacks like soft pretzels, truffle popcorn and olives and almonds. I personally have not tried their food, but love this kind of fare so it is only a matter of time before I indulge.
The service is always wonderful and genuine. It lacks the pretension that many wineries have and I am completely comfortable being my strange and silly self as I bumble through my questions as we try to nail down the varietal for my next glass. For non-wine drinkers, they offer a selection of Pacific Northwest beers and ciders as well as kombuchas and other non-alcoholic beverages.
Owner of the winery, Mark Poden, launched his original wine business in 2008 in Salem, Oregon while still attending wine school. After a few years stint in Hawaii making wine, he landed in Manzanita for the gorgeous sunsets and dog friendly beaches. His organic pinot noir grapes are grown at his vineyard outside Carlton, Oregon, Black Dog vineyard, and are used in all of his Pinot Noir based wines. He also produces a variety of red blends utilizing grapes from various vineyards in Southern Oregon. He focuses on batch fermentations with the intention of quality over quantity.
The love he has for his dog is beyond touching and as a dog lover myself, this only makes me love his wines even more. Photos of him and his pup Pinot are all over Instagram and his websites and it is clear they have been partners in crime throughout the years.
His wines can be enjoyed an any of his five locations spread throughout Oregon:
Portland Wine Bar: 526 SW Yamhill St. Portland, OR 97204
Manzanita NW Wine Bar: 2141 NW Savier, Unit 105, Portland, OR 97209
The Bend Wine Bar: 550 SW Industrial Way, Suite 194 Bend, OR 97702
Black Dog Vineyard: 8085 NE Oak Springs Farm Rd, Carlton, OR 97111
Manzanita Deli & Grocery- The Little Apple
https://manzanitamarket.com/
The Little Apple grocery store is one of the most inviting facets of Manzanita as it takes away the pressure of packing everything you might need for a weekend getaway from your home. It houses an impressive wine selection to suit any taste and price range, a deli, a seafood counter with fresh fish and oysters, a meat counter with some of my favorite sausages, Aidell’s and bacon from Hill’s in Pendleton, a great selection of cheeses and salamis, a hot bar, local bread, a produce section, a variety of ground and whole bean coffee, and a robust wellness section. I stood open mouthed at the variety of eye drops and cold medicines. They even had neti-pots! They also make their own merch, including a few variations of tote bags, coozies and aprons. I have a weakness for tote bags so even though I managed to put it back on the rack on my first visit, I did end up eventually making the purchase.
We walked down to Manzanita Coffee to replace the taste of the watery hand-ground coffee disaster we made. I had trouble choosing between pastries as they all looked amazing, but ended up settling on a blueberry scone that rocked our world.
Marzano’s
El Trio Loco
Four Paws on the Beach
