Child-Friendly Activities + Babysitters: Wander Bandon Beach

So we heard that you're bringing your family to Wander Bandon Beach pretty soon. No need to worry about how you're going to keep the kids entertained because there's plenty to see and do at Bandon, Oregon!

Consider filling up your itinerary with child-friendly activities that your kids will surely enjoy. And if you want a quiet night out, read on because we have some suggestions on babysitters too.

Child-Friendly Activities

Bandon may not be widely known as a kid-friendly destination in the West Coast, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t a fantastic place to explore with kids. Here are some activities you can do together!

Go Horseback Riding with Bandon Beach Riding Stables

Photo by Bandon Beach Riding Stables

• Distance from Wander Home: 0.3 miles

• Address: 54629 Beach Loop Road, Bandon, Or 97411

• Hours: Open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM or until 6 PM during summer

• Contact Number: 541-347-3423

• Website: https://www.bandonstables.com/

Have you ever dreamt of riding a horse into the sunset? You can finally tick that off your bucket list with Bandon Beach Riding Stables!

As you can guess, horseback riding sessions are held at the beach for the most part, with a few minutes dedicated to the trail. Kids as young as 6 years old can ride a horse regardless of skill level.

Expect the horseback riding session to stretch over to 2 and a half miles, lasting for an hour on average. Be sure to dedicate another half hour for preparation. You also have the option of booking a private session just for your family—for an additional fee, of course.

Fair warning, it can get pretty chilly (especially during winter) once you hit the beach so we recommend wearing a coat and some extra warm layers. Rates start at $65 for an hour session.

Explore the South Slough Reserve 

Photo by Ian Poellet from Wikimedia Commons

• Distance from Wander Home: 21.1 miles

• Address: South Slough Reserve, OR, Oregon 97420

• Hours: Open daily from dawn to dusk

• Contact Number: (541) 655-0233

• Website: https://www.oregon.gov/dsl/SS/Pages/About.aspx 

If you want to take your kids on a woodland adventure, we highly recommend spending at least half a day exploring the South Slough Reserve. It features a mix of forest trails, open water channels, as well as tidal and freshwater wetlands, so there’s plenty of things to see.

This also means that the reserve is a natural habitat for plenty of wildlife and plant species. In fact, you might even catch yourself and your family attending community classes that they occasionally hold in the reserve, which you can find out more about here. 

Pro tip: if you’re staying in Bandon for a week or two during summer months, you can even sign your kid up for an educational science camp, available for different grade levels! Themes vary each year but expect your child to take part in hands-on activities involving science and art.

The reserve is open to everyone all day free of charge. Community activities and science camps have a separate charge, so be sure to check out their website above to know more. 

Spend a Day at the Beach

No trip to Bandon is complete without spending time on the beach, so here’s a little surprise for you or two.

For starters, your stay at Wander Bandon Beach comes with an unobstructed view of the gorgeous Oregon coastline, which you can enjoy with the whole fam while snacking and playing a game of Uno!

Afterwards, you can easily take your own private path to the beach, so you and the whole family can spend the entire day there without having to worry about time, distance, and rentals. There are bikes waiting for you at the garage, which you can freely use to cruise around the beach.

You can have a nice little picnic, build some sandcastles, and splash around the water or swim! The beachfront at Wander Bandon Beach doesn't have a lifeguard on duty, so be sure to watch over your kids at all times.

Babysitters

Photo by Edward Eyer from Pexels

Take a few hours off to yourself or with your partner, and let these licensed childcare providers keep your kiddos safe and sound. Here are some suggestions on where to find them.

Karen Green

Karen Green is a registered family care provider based in Bandon. Her home-based daycare service can take care of children aged 1 to 12 years old, with a maximum of 10 children at a time.

What’s great about her is that she has flexible morning and evening hours, meaning that you can call her at the last minute to watch over your children as long as she’s available. Her services are limited to weekdays only though, so be sure to plan ahead.

You may call her at (541) 347-3788.

Care.com

If you’re looking for a database of trusted babysitters where you can pick one for yourself, might we suggest Care.com. It’s an online platform that allows you to create a job posting, review profiles, and message potential babysitters right off the bat. 

All you have to do is to create a profile, which won’t take a few minutes of your time. From there, you can be as specific with requests as you’d like and wait for babysitters to message you. 

While the platform conducts background checks on all caregivers, you can also request a background check for an additional fee for that extra peace of mind. 

Check out Care.com to book a babysitter.  

Our concierge desk is available to chat 24/7 if you have questions about your trip. See you soon!