Pacific City is three hours and 45 minutes from Bend by car and a great spot for enjoying the beach, surfing and hiking.

My partner and I booked a weekend vacation to Pacific City last weekend with two objectives: to try surfing a second time and to introduce our puppy, Juno, to the ocean.

Spoiler alert — it’s difficult to surf and watch a puppy at the same time.

September is at the tail end for catching small waves at Pacific City. The fall and winter months bring larger swells better suited for experienced surfers. And for those looking to catch a few waves closer to home, there’s the consistency of the surf wave at Bend Whitewater Park.

September is also when Pacific City hosts the Cape Kiwanda Longboard Classic. By pure coincidence, we visited the same weekend as the competition. And while it was fun to watch those who knew what they were doing, it complicated the other logistics of our trip. It meant that the day use parking lot next to the beach was packed. And even the overflow lot a few hundred feet down Cape Kiwanda Drive was overflowing.

Once we were able to snag a parking spot, we rented one 9-foot surfboard from the nearby Moment Surf Company to share while the other watched Juno on the shore. The waves ranged from 4 to 6 feet almost all day on Sunday, challenging our abilities as beginner surfers.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed the opportunity to give surfing another shot. It renewed our interest in the sport and inspired us to take the necessary steps to hopefully catch a few more waves next time.

Before heading home, we set our sights on climbing the sand dune at the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, the highest on the Pacific coast, according to Oregon Live. Towering above the beach, the dune is an opportunity for both a physical challenge and a spectacular 360-degree view.

We managed to trudge the half-mile to the top, our feet sliding back down in the sand with every step. But the view was worth every effort.

We could see a panorama of the coastline to the south, a breathtaking perspective of Haystack Rock peeking through the pines to the west and the waves crashing into the stunning cliffs to the north. And yes, Haystack Rock at Pacific City goes by the same name as the one at Cannon Beach.

If you’re planning to explore the bluffs yourself, take care to stay behind the fenced areas and away from the edges of the sandstone cliffs. The sandstone edges have been known to crumble, leading to the untimely death of seven people since 2009, according to onlyinyourstate.com.

To hike the sand dune at the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, park at the day-use area next to Pelican Brewing at 33180 Cape Kiwanda Drive, Pacific City. The parking fee is $10 and both credit cards and cash are accepted. Then walk toward the beach and the dune will be directly on your right.

If the day-use parking lot is full, head south several hundred feet on Cape Kiwanda Drive and make a left next to the sign for parking. The parking fee for this lot is also $10, but only cash is accepted.