Unlike many Oregon coast towns, Cannon Beach (pop. 1,588) is hidden from the highway, but it’s one place you won’t want to miss. Though it’s little more than a stone’s throw south of boisterous Seaside, Cannon Beach has long been known as an artists’ colony, and while it has grown considerably in recent years thanks to its popularity as a weekend escape from Portland, it retains a rustic atmosphere. The view from the top of Tillamook Head, which rises 1,200 feet above the sea between Seaside and Cannon Beach, was memorialized by explorer William Clark as “the grandest and most pleasing prospect” he had ever beheld.
At the start of summer, Cannon Beach hosts the largest and most enjoyable sand castle competition on the West Coast, with some 10,000 spectators and as many as 1,000 participants turning out with their buckets and spades. But in terms of traditional “tourist attractions,” there’s not a lot to do, but Cannon Beach is an unbeatable place in which to stop and unwind, or to take long walks along the seven-mile strand and then retreat indoors to the many good galleries, cafés, and restaurants. For breakfast or brunch, fill up on eggs Benedict at the Lazy Susan Cafe (closed Tues. and Wed. in winter; 503/436-2816), at 126 N. Hemlock Street; they also serve a stupendous array of ice cream at their “scoop shop” up the street. Reasonably priced rooms near the beach and town can be found at the McBee Motel Cottages ($69–129; 503/436-2569), at 888 S. Hemlock.
South of Cannon Beach, the Beach Loop, an extension of Hemlock, runs along a spectacular grouping of volcanic plugs, notably 235-foot-high Haystack Rock.
For further information, or details on the annual events and festivals, contact the Cannon Beach visitors bureau (503/436-0434), at 201 E. 2nd Street.
