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 ✅
Soft sand, crashing Pacific waves, migratory birds and Oregon’s most iconic sea stack
Cannon Beach, Oregon is a stunning coastline, one of those stretches of coast that stops you in your tracks. It’s a 7-mile sweep of wide, sandy beach backed by forested headlands and a charming village full of art galleries, bookstores, restaurants and other neat local shops.
The light here changes constantly, soft grey fog one minute, golden sun breaking through the next, so the shoreline never looks the same twice. It’s perfect for long walks, tide-pooling, flying kites, or just listening to the Pacific roll in.
And right when you think the view couldn’t get any better, you come upon Haystack Rock. This massive, 235-foot sea stack rises straight up out of the sand & is impossible to miss.
Oregon Coast – Soft Sand, Glistening Waves, Endless Blue
It’s one of the most photographed spots on the entire Oregon Coast, for good reason. At low tide you can walk nearly right up to it and explore the tide pools teeming with sea stars, anemones, and crabs. There are ropes to help keep beach goers from getting too close to the areas where the tufted puffins are nesting on the rock’s ledges in Spring & Summer.
Haystack Rock anchors the whole town. It’s the backdrop for the Sandcastle Contest, family picnics, & quiet morning coffee with a view. Between the wide-open beach, the artsy small-town vibe, and that iconic rock rising from the water, Cannon Beach feels both dramatic & welcoming at the same time.
Migratory Birds and Haystack Rock
Haystack Rock is not just a dramatic coastal landmark; it is also an important protected habitat within the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Each spring and summer, tufted puffins return to nest in burrows high on the rock, while other seabirds use the ledges and surrounding shoreline as part of their migratory route. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program helps protect the fragile tide pools and bird habitat, with interpretive programs often available during daytime low tides between May and Labour Day.
Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock: Start at this iconic 235-foot sea stack. Walk the beach at low tide to explore tide pools with starfish and anemones, and look for tufted puffins (April-July) . It’s one of the most beautiful small towns in America.
Travelling in the area? Consider these points of interest!
Ecola State Park: Just 5 minutes north of town, this park offers 9 miles of coastline with hiking trails to panoramic viewpoints of Haystack Rock and “Terrible Tilly” lighthouse.
Hug Point State Recreation Site: A short drive south of Cannon Beach, see a seasonal waterfall cascade directly onto the beach and look for old wagon wheel ruts in the rocks.
Seaside Promenade: Walk, bike, or rollerblade along this 1.5-mile oceanfront promenade. Visit the Lewis and Clark Salt Cairn monument and enjoy classic boardwalk attractions
Cannon Beach History Center & Museum: Learn about the town’s fascinating history, Native heritage and coastal culture
Best Places to Eat Near Cannon Beach
- Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge: popular for beach views and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Ecola Seafoods Restaurant & Market: strong choice for fresh local seafood.
- Public Coast Brewing Co.: casual brewery-style stop close to the village centre.
- Cannon Beach Bakery: ideal for coffee, pastries and a quick breakfast.
- Bill’s Tavern & Brewhouse: relaxed pub option with Oregon Coast character.
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With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
