Cannon Beach, Oregon is hands down one of the Pacific Northwest’s greatest treasures. Recently I was there with family and was quickly reminded of everything I love about it. It holds a lot of good memories for me since I grew up visiting every summer. I wasn’t really planning on writing a post on it, but I just figured why not share this special place with all of you? A quick FYI: since I wasn’t originally going to blog about this trip, I don’t have as many photos as I’d like. But, that’s okay! You’ll still get the gist and learn about some fun things to do in Cannon Beach.
If you’ve been, you know it’s a quaint and quirky place. It is a small coastal city with vast sandy beaches, beautiful sea stacks (I’ll elaborate on these later), hiking trails, yummy restaurants, and more. As you’re looking for things to do in Cannon Beach, these are the things you really can’t miss out on.
1. Go Boogie Boarding
Boogie boarding is one of the things that I look forward to most. Everyone can boogie board if they try, since you ride the board on your stomach and there’s no standing up involved! It’s a super fun activity to do as a family, and is also a surprisingly good workout. The water in this area is fairly cold year round, so I’d recommend renting wetsuits from Cleanline Surf in town before going in.
2. Visit Haystack Rock (or other Sea Stacks)
No matter where you stay along Cannon Beach, you’ll most likely come across some pretty astounding rock formations, also known as sea stacks. No matter what, you have to go see Haystack Rock. It is probably the most famous landmark in the city, due to it’s massive size. My family and I have seen it plenty of times over the years, so this time we just stuck to the beach closest to us. The photos below are of sea stacks in Arch Cape, the small community we stayed in that’s just a few miles south of Cannon Beach.
3. Wander through Town: Eat, Shop, etc.
Hemlock Street marks the core of Cannon Beach. All along it and in the surrounding areas you’ll find gift shops and boutiques, restaurants, a grocery store, and more. Here are a few spots I always stop at when I go into town!
Osburn’s Ice Creamery
I’ve been going to Osburn’s since I was a little kid… I feel like I have to go every time I’m in Cannon Beach just to keep up the tradition. It’s delicious! Moose Tracks is my favorite flavor.
Purple Moon Boutique
If you read my posts on Satori and Evolve, then you know how much I love boutiques! Purple Moon stands out among the other ones in the area because you can tell the targeted customer is a bit more fashion forward. A lot of the other shops are pretty touristy.
Pizza A Fetta
This is yummy pizza joint offers both dine-in and take-out by the slice. There’s a pleasant outdoor seating area right outside (see below). You’ll probably smell Pizza a Fetta before you see it… YUM!
Bruce’s Candy Kitchen
If you love sweets, Bruce’s is a dream. I wish I had a photo of it for you guys – the front of it is painted with the cutest pink and white stripes! I would say they’re mostly known for their saltwater taffy, but they also sell practically every kind of candy you can imagine. Their truffles are pretty irresistible if you ask me.
Sea Level Bakery + Coffee
Sea Level offers baked goods from scratch, coffee, and even acai bowls! It’s a trendy little space that’s definitely instagrammable.
4. Explore the beach
I know this one sounds like a given, but I had to mention it! No matter where you’re staying, make your way to beach at least once a day to explore. I like to take long walks in the morning when the tide is low so I can look at tide pools and whatnot more easily. Cannon Beach and the surrounding areas are all sandy beaches, and there are a ton of sea stacks and hillsides with caves to explore too.
I love how green it is, even on the beach… we are so spoiled in the Pacific Northwest!
Other places I recommend if you have time include…
- Mount Neahkahnie Hike (I wish I could find my old photos of this hike… there’s a breathtaking view of the coast at the top)
- Marzano’s Pizza (in a nearby beach city called Manzanita; take-out only!)
- Harding Trading Company
- Lazy Susan Cafe
- Tom’s Fish and Chips
If you live in the PNW and you have never been to Cannon Beach, I suggest making a point to go! Just spending a weekend there is the perfect amount of time. Or maybe you’re someone who’s doing a roadtrip on the west coast soon… you could look into stopping in this little city!
Cannon Beach is most enjoyable in the summer months for sure… but plan ahead! Places listed on sites like AirBnB and Homeaway will book up quick during this season.
You are now one step closer to becoming an expert on things to do in Cannon Beach! Let me know if you need more tips/recommendations for your visit.
Thanks for reading!
XO Sorelle
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