Along the Oregon coast lies a tiny, charming town that is best known for its iconic sea stacks that have made its beach one of the most popular in the world and yes, it’s Cannon Beach, a town with great hikes, wonderful beach shacks, and unforgettable brewery shops.
Cannon Beach is located just about an hour and a half from Portland, or about four hours from Seattle. The town has a population of just under 1,500 people.
Cannon Beach Weather
When it comes to weather, the summers in Cannon Beach are pleasant and partly cloudy. The winters are cold, windy, and wet. The best time of year to visit this charming town for warm weather is from July to August. During these two months, there are a lot of sunny days – an average of 9.5 hours of sunshine per day. December is the mostly cloudy month, with an average of 2.3 hours of sunshine per day.
What to Do at Cannon Beach
I hope you are ready because in the next few paragraphs we talk about an Oregon coast road trip and amazing things to do in Cannon Beach.
1. First things first – Haystack Rock
When we talk about special times by the sea, Cannon Beach is a place where you will find so much cool beaches in and around. But first to mention is certainly Haystack Rock. This is so a beautiful place! It’s really as stunning as in all the photos you have seen and especially dramatic at sunset.
Sometimes the beach can get crowded, but you can walk for miles and escape all the people around haystack rock. Everything around this beach is beautiful, but it is really expensive and touristy.
Indian Beach
As we mentioned, there are a lot of beautiful beaches nearby so you can always check them out. For example, Indian Beach is located north of Cannon Beach, inside the amazing Ecola State Park. This beach was even in the movies like “Twilight” and “The Goonies”.
Hug Point
You can also visit the Hug Point State Recreation Site which has one of the most amazing stretches of coastline in the whole area. There are sandstone caves, a waterfall, and tide pools… Our recommendation is to rent a car and enjoy the different beaches every day.
2. Puffins muffins
If you think that puffins only live in Iceland or Alaska…you are wrong. These beautiful creatures found their home even at Haystack Rock. Believe it or not, there’s a colony of puffins that come on the north face of the sea stack each spring to lay eggs and raise babies. They choose to nest on rocky islands with a little grass, to hide their nests.
You should know that May is the perfect month to take a better look at puffins, especially because there are free programs and groups that provide all the help and information you need about those amazing “feather muffins”.
3. Surfing
For surfing fans and those who love watching Pros do their wave magic, Cannon Beach is the place to be. And, if you never tried surfing before and have that “I can do this” feeling, fear not, Cannon Beach Surf club offers lessons for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you can’t or barely keep yourself on the surfboard, they have courses for every level.
In addition, if you are not such a fan of the cold water (Oregon water is not famous for being warm) thermal wetsuits, surfing boots, and gloves, are all included in the lesson fee.
Furthermore, if you want to warm up your muscles before putting on the wetsuit, you can even sign up for a yoga class before the surf lesson. This is a great way to properly stretch and warm up your muscles and get them ready for wave chasing and board balancing.
4. Bonfire on the Beach
You have to agree that sitting around a bonfire on the beach really brings up a positive and soul-warming feeling. There’s nothing better than absorbing the heat from the fire while the warm sand near the fire keeps your toes nice and cuddly. Not to mention how great it feels to be warm by the fire and why the cold ocean breeze keeps playing with your hair.
Now, even though sand can’t catch fire and cause a disaster, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious and build a rock “ring” around the fire pit and start the fire at a safe distance from the nearest bush or tree.
In addition, you should know that lighting fires on Cannon Beach are not allowed from July to September, as it’s wildfire season. So, just in case, before planning a bonfire on the beach, check local fire restrictions or with the local police (503-436-2811).
Restaurants and Breweries in Cannon Beach
Once you get tired of the beach and surfing, the best thing you can do is check out the Cannon Beach breweries. There are actually two of them and both have their restaurants where you can enjoy local mouthwatering food.
Pelican Brewing
The famous Pelican Brewing offers excellent beers and food at several locations along the Oregon coast. When it comes to beers, they are classic oriented so legendary beers such as the IPAs are always on the menu, as are lagers and stouts.
Food-wise, Pelican Brewery offers a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu. But, keep in mind that during the summer, there are plenty of hungry tourists visiting the coastline and you might want to make a reservation ahead.
Or, just hit the brewery early in the morning for a breakfast for champions (bacon and eggs and a pint of beer).
Public Coast Brewery
The Public Coast is an adorable little brewery with a great selection of quite unusual beers. For example, you can try jelly stouts, fruit punch beers, or peanut butterbeer. And, just to keep your mind sober, we recommend their famous French fries baskets, best enjoyed on their patio.
Wrapping Things Up!
We have reached the end of your Cannon Beach guide. Now that you have a much better insight into all the best spots and places to eat (and drink), and when’s the best time to visit, we recommend that you start making plans for your summer road trip to Oregon Coast.
Also, feel free to hit us up with some additional questions and we will be happy to help you out. Likewise, make sure you share our guide so that your friends can discover Cannon Beach and maybe join you on your adventurous road trip.