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Cannon Beach is a Classic Oregon Beach Town
When only a place with sand and waves will do, Cannon Beach is the perfect spot.
This article originally appeared in the May 2017 issue of Seattle magazine.
You may have visited Cannon Beach to explore the abundant sea life at Haystack Rock, walk along the miles of beach or watch bald eagles soar through Ecola State Park. Northwesterners flock here to take in the scenery, play in the sand and engage in indulgent hours of easy relaxation, making it one of Oregon’s most popular beach towns.
But there are new reasons to visit this essential beach spot, and most of them are unabashedly indulgent. Start with a stay at the family-friendly beachfront Surfsand Resort, where kiddos can feast on bottomless saltwater taffy (offered in jars by the front desk), and the recently renovated beach-level rooms feature sliding glass doors, private patios and chic plank flooring. Don’t forget to book a beachside bonfire package, complete with artisan s’mores and a fire butler.
Need a bit more sustenance? Pack a picnic with goodies from Fresh Foods, a new gourmet market at the south end of town with an abundance of organic produce, tasty grab-and-go meals, and the best beer and wine selection in town. In the morning, take a short walk to Sea Level Bakery for single-origin coffees, house-made soups, açai bowls and baked goods made from scratch, including deliciously unique, stuffed kouign amann.
For lunch or dinner, head to downtown’s latest, the massive Public Coast Brewing for a Juiced Up citrus IPA, Haystack O’ french fies sprinkled with Jacobsen sea salt and a 7-ounce Harris Ranch burger. But, consider holding the cheese—the Tillamook Cheese Factory (open during construction of a new Olson Kundig–designed visitor center coming in 2018) is about an hour’s drive south, and totally worth a visit. Tours are free, and samples are generous. It’s Disneyland for dairy lovers.
Image Credit: Cabell Tice
Jason and Liz menke invite you to enjoy coffee or a meal at Sea Level Bakery
Insider Tip: Want to avoid the summer crowds at Haystack Rock? Chapman Point, to the north, and spots south of the Tolovana Wayside often have less foot traffic.
Details:
Stay
Surfsand Resort, from $129 surfsand.com
Eat
Fresh Foods; Facebook, “Fresh Foods Cannon Beach”
Sea Level Bakery sealevelbakery.com
Public Coast Brewing publiccoastbrewing.com
Do
Ecola State Park oregonstateparks.org
Tillamook Cheese Factory Tillamook, 4175 U.S. Highway 101 N; tillmook.com/cheese-factory
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