VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!
This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.
This article is part of our 🚗 5-Day Pacific Northwest USA Road Trip series, exploring Washington and Oregon. Beginning at the Sumas border crossing in British Columbia, our 1,397-kilometre adventure takes us through historic coastal towns, spectacular beaches, iconic cities and one of America’s most famous volcanoes.. Read the complete itinerary here.
Day 1: Historic Bridges, Sea Lions & Astoria’s Waterfront ✅
Day 2: Haystack Rock, Puffins & Oregon’s Most Beautiful Beach ✅
Day 3: Shipwrecks, Cheese & Portland’s Weird Side ✅
Day 4: Volcanoes, Forests & The Mountain That Changed America ✅
Day 5: Small-Town Charm, Ferries & The Journey Home ✅
From One of America’s Finest Maritime Museums to Oregon’s Most Famous Beach
After an exciting first day travelling more than 500 kilometres from British Columbia to historic Astoria, we were looking forward to a slower pace.
Today’s drive would be just 45 minutes, giving us plenty of time to explore one of Oregon’s most highly regarded attractions before continuing south to Cannon Beach.
Our first stop was the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
To be honest, we expected a fairly typical maritime museum with a few model ships, historical displays and photographs. Within minutes of walking through the doors we realised how wrong we were.
This was one of the finest museums we had visited anywhere.
Beautifully presented, highly interactive and packed with fascinating stories, it perfectly explained why the Columbia River has shaped the history of the Pacific Northwest for more than two centuries.
If you have any interest in history, ships, exploration or simply enjoy learning about the places you visit, this museum deserves to be near the very top of your Oregon itinerary.
One of the Best Maritime Museums We’ve Ever Visited
The Columbia River Maritime Museum is much more than a collection of boats. Every exhibit tells a story.
Read Full Story Here
Stories Behind Famous Shipwrecks
One exhibit particularly captured our attention.
The museum houses numerous artifacts recovered from the Peter Iredale, one of Oregon’s most photographed shipwrecks.
The British sailing ship ran aground near Fort Stevens in 1906 after battling fierce winds while attempting to enter the Columbia River.
Photographs, personal items and rescue stories explain the dramatic events surrounding the wreck.
Knowing we would be visiting the actual remains of the Peter Iredale the following day made the experience even more meaningful.
The museum also features exhibits relating to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, commercial fishing, lighthouse operations, navigation equipment, figureheads, maritime artwork and beautifully crafted ship models.
One particularly fascinating exhibit displays the Sai-shou Maru, a Japanese fishing vessel swept across the Pacific Ocean after the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami before eventually reaching North America.
Without question, this is one of the finest museums we’ve visited anywhere in North America.
A View Worth Climbing For
Before leaving Astoria we made one final stop at one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
Standing proudly atop Coxcomb Hill is the magnificent Astoria Column.
Although we didn’t climb to the very top during this visit, the panoramic views from the surrounding grounds alone were spectacular.
It’s easy to understand why photographers make this one of their first stops when visiting Astoria.
South to Cannon Beach
With our sightseeing complete, we pointed the car south along Oregon’s beautiful coastline.
The drive itself is part of the experience.
Towering evergreen forests gradually gave way to glimpses of the Pacific Ocean before one unforgettable moment.
Through the car windscreen we caught our very first glimpse of Haystack Rock.
Even from a distance it looked enormous. As we drove closer, the famous sea stack seemed to dominate the entire coastline.
No photograph truly prepares you for its size.
Oregon’s Iconic Beach
After checking into the beachfront Tolovana Inn, we headed straight for the sand.
Cannon Beach stretches for kilometres, making it perfect for long leisurely walks while enjoying the fresh Pacific air.
Haystack Rock rises 72 metres above the beach and forms part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, providing nesting habitat for tufted puffins, cormorants and numerous migratory seabirds.
Further along the shoreline we stumbled across something completely unexpected.
The annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest was underway.
Talented artists had transformed ordinary sand into remarkable sculptures featuring dragons, sea creatures, castles and incredibly detailed works of art.
Exploring Cannon Beach Village
Eventually we left the beach and wandered into the heart of Cannon Beach.
The village has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with independent boutiques, galleries, cafés and restaurants lining the streets.
It feels welcoming rather than commercial, encouraging visitors to slow down and simply enjoy their surroundings.
After working up quite an appetite, we stopped at The Local Grill & Scoop for a casual meal before making our way back towards the beach.
One of the great pleasures of Cannon Beach is simply walking.
There is no rush. Every few minutes another beautiful viewpoint appears.
The changing light, crashing waves and distant sea stacks make every section of beach feel slightly different from the last.
By the time we reached our hotel we had walked almost 18,000 steps. Fortunately, the Tolovana Inn couldn’t have been in a better location. Situated right beside the beach, it provided the perfect place to relax while listening to the sound of the Pacific Ocean only metres away.
Our Verdict
Day 2 reminded us that some of the best travel experiences are often the ones we least expect.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum wasn’t simply good, it was exceptional. Its combination of powerful history, interactive exhibits and fascinating storytelling makes it one of the finest museums in the Pacific Northwest and a destination well worth planning your day around.
Cannon Beach then delivered exactly what we’d hoped for.
Magnificent scenery, iconic coastal landscapes, fascinating wildlife and one of the most relaxing beach walks we’ve enjoyed in years.
As the sun began to disappear over the Pacific, we couldn’t help but feel excited about what tomorrow would bring.
Our next adventure would take us to the famous Peter Iredale Shipwreck, the dramatic coastline of Fort Stevens State Park and the vibrant city of Portland.
Visitor Information
- Drive time: Drive time from the Commodore Hotel to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. It was so close to get to the Maritime Museum that we chose to walk there from our hotel (about 10 minutes walk)
- Astoria to Cannon Beach: From the Columbia River Maritime Museum to Cannon Beach via the US 101 S – drive 30 miles until you see the signs for Cannon Beach (it takes about 45 minutes)
- Parking tips: Astoria – has lots of street parking but beware of the time limits. After 4:30pm you can park there all night until 9am, but during the day it’s only 2 hours at a time. There are some free parking lots. Cannon Beach – we discovered when it’s the Sandcastle Competition you won’t find any parking in town, as it’s so busy, but if you time it right, you’re allowed to park on the beach until just after the competition (because then the tide comes back in).
- Museum admission: Adults 18+: $18, Seniors 65+: $15, Children 6-17: $8, Kids 5 & under: FREE
- Best time to visit: The museum is open 9:30am-5pm every day except Thanksgiving & Christmas Day. Any day is good because it’s extremely efficiently run. We would suggest allowing 2–3 hours for the museum. It’s so worth it.
- Beach safety and tide advice: the sand is nice & firm walking closer to the water but do remember it’s a very active body of water, with major rocks jutting out, we wouldn’t suggest going into the sea here. There are areas that are very clearly marked off to protect the bird sanctuary & nesting areas. There are lifeguards on Cannon Beach that drive along in dune buggies or trucks. They are very knowledgeable about the area so listen to their advice of where to steer clear. We did note several beach goers that had to be told to get back from the turbulent waters & the birds sanctuary.
- More information: cannonbeach.org
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