A Visit to Cannon Beach, OR: Know Before You Go
Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon
Ever feel like you just really need to see the ocean? That was us in the early days of spring when Old Man Winter was just starting to loosen his grip on Montana.
We were dying to get to the beach, but we didn’t want the crowds or the multiple plane rides it would take us to get to the Florida coast. We chose to go in the opposite direction. To the beautiful rugged shores of the Pacific Northwest.
This was such a great vacation that we’re already planning our next trip. Read on to see what made it a fun trip for the whole family. And to see more of this beautiful locale, check out my Oregon stories highlight on Instagram.
Where we stayed:
We stayed at the Surfsand Resort. (No, they’re not sponsoring this post.) The resort is right on the beach with plenty of rooms that give you that satisfying ocean view. Our room came with a little sand bucket and shovel for the kiddo. While there’s a sea wall offering privacy from everyone wandering the beach, you’re still just steps away from being on the shore. The large pool house is great for those rainy days of the northwest. The resort also offer campfires on the beach and s’mores kits.
We’re also keeping their sister property Stephanie Inn in mind for another visit. We enjoyed the Stephanie Inn spa during our trip, and plan to try their fine dining restaurant once the kiddo is old enough (no kids under 12 allowed).
There are plenty of hotels dotting the coastline of Cannon Beach. You can learn about several of them here.
Things to do on the beach:
It’s probably no surprise that we spent the majority of our time at Cannon Beach …on the beach. The sandy shore is quite expansive (especially at low tide). There is plenty of room to spread out (and make use of the resort beach chairs). There were so many fun things to do.
exploring the tide pools of Haystack Rock (volunteers are present at evening low tide to help)
flying kites
blowing bubbles
bird watching (We were hoping to get a glimpse of the puffins that were due to come roost on Haystack Rock)
making s’mores around a campfire on the beach
Things to do off the beach
We didn’t spend all our time at the beach. There were many other sights to see within driving distance. We crossed a few of the following off the list, but have to save the rest for next time.
Road trip down Highway 101 to Cape Meares Lighthouse and Tillamook Creamery
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Sea Lion Caves at Heceta Head
Whale Watching
The spa at Stephanie Inn (not for the kids)
Places to eat
We had great food everywhere we ate (and we’re picky eaters). I’ve listed below the restaurants we tried. One thing we learned was that you MUST make reservations in advance, or you’ll spend hours waiting for a table. There are some places, like Pelican Brewery and Lazy Susan Cafe, that don’t accept reservations. In that case, send someone from your group to go early (possibly before opening) to wait in line.
Wayfarers - very family friendly, good food, great view
Corbins - tiny place off the beaten path with very limited menu, but the food and service were SO GOOD
Pelican Brewery - casual with indoor and outdoor seating, the seafood was so fresh! (no reservations)
La Fiesta Mexican Restaurant
Lazy Susan Cafe - in an adorable cottage , the food is worth the wait in line, impeccable service (no reservations)
Stephanie Inn - we hope to try in the future. They offer fine dining, but kids must be 12 and older.
Coffee shops
Bald Eagle Coffee House - grab-n-go, locally-owned, best marionberry scones!
Monk’s Coffee - grab-n-go, locally-owned
Shopping
Kite Factory
Bahama Boards
Canon Beach Gallery
Best time to go
I can’t decide which would be a better time of year to visit Cannon Beach. It depends on what you’re looking for in a beach vacation. Our goal was to see (and hear and feel) the ocean.
Springtime - The weather is pretty cool. The water is cold. But you’ll feel like you have the beach to yourselves. (In April, you’ll probably get to see puffins.) We did have some gloriously sunny afternoons when we went at the end of March.
Summer (probably August) is the best time to go if you’re just considering the weather. But the parking and wait lines must be insane with all the people crowding into this little beachside village.
Things to pack
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We love these waterproof pamphlets that fit in your back pocket. They’re full-color and handy for identifying things.
Binoculars are VERY handy when exploring the coast whether you’re looking out to see for whales or along the shoreline for rare sea birds like puffins and the peregrine falcon.
Our favorite kid’s shoe for the beach.
(We also love the Men’s and Women’s Keens.)
Remember, to see more of this stunningly beautifully seaside, pop over to my Instagram page.
Be sure to save this post so you’ll have all the insider tips when you head to the beach.
