Cannon Beach Travel Information
A short drive northwest of Portland, the popularity of Cannon Beach is due not just to its accessibility, down-town charm and seemingly endless stretches of sand and sea but also photogenic Haystack Rock. Not surprisingly, this landmark is a very large rock that looks like, well, a haystack. Pacific City, further south, has a rock that also looks like a haystack but Cannon Beach locals will assure you that their rock is the real one. Whatever your take on the debate, it's hard to argue with an Oregon Coast sunset: illuminating rocky promontories and haystack-shaped rocks, catching the jade-foam of a wave and throwing a rainbow inland - the show is free and spectacular. In summer, you can spend a good chunk of your visit looking for parking. However, the galleries and boutiques in chic downtown Cannon Beach boast an artistic selection that is quite pleasantly different from the standard offerings of gift-shops up and down the Oregon Coast. Escape two miles north to Ecola State Park for a picnic and views from Ecola Point down the beach. The Oregon Coast Trail meanders north from here via a popular surfing spot, Indian Beach, to Tillamook Head. At 1200 feet it's hard to see the surf but not the Tillamook Lighthouse built offshore on 100 feet of rock. Cannon Beach is 78 miles northwest of Portland and 27 miles south of Astoria on Highway 101. To learn more about the area, please select a topic of interest from the navigation bar on the left.
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