Cannon Beach: Coast, Nature and Culture

Cannon Beach brings together the Pacific coast, striking rock formations, nature trails, as well as art and theater. When looking for a hotel in Cannon Beach, you can plan your stay around whether you’re most interested in tides and wildlife, walks, or culture in town.

Coast, Rocks and Tides

Ecola State Park stretches along nine miles of coastline between Seaside and Cannon Beach. It is accessible via Ecola Park Road at the northern end of Cannon Beach. This gives you a clearly identified park destination as well as the coast.

Haystack Rock is a sea stack monolith that rises 235 feet above the Pacific. It is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and lies within a state-protected marine environment. At Chapman Point, the Bird Rocks are home to a dense colony of common murres from spring through midsummer.

Gray whales can often be spotted just off the coast of Cannon Beach, though individual sightings are not guaranteed. Along the Oregon Coast, the gray whales’ typical spring migration peaks from mid-March to mid-April. This period describes the seasonal peak along the Oregon coast; it does not guarantee a sighting on any particular day.

At low tide, the tide pools at Haystack Rock are accessible, although access depends on the specific tide conditions. Plan this part of your day around low tide. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program operates a Beach Interpreter Program every year from February through October; its interpreters are present on the beach during every daytime low tide. If you plan to take advantage of this program, check the current schedule in advance, as seasonal operations may change.

Walks and Trails

The public art walk in Cannon Beach covers 1.4 miles and leads to seven public art installations, taking 45 minutes. This makes it a walking option with a specified distance and duration. The Clatsop Loop Trail in Ecola State Park offers a different focus: the three-mile loop begins at Indian Beach, passes through rainforest, and leads to a viewpoint overlooking Tillamook Rock Lighthouse.

The Cannon Beach Nature Trail also offers its own scenic highlights: a boardwalk crosses wetlands, another trail winds through a spruce forest, and there are views along a creek. In contrast to the public art walk, the focus here is on natural areas; the Clatsop Loop also offers a loop trail and views of the lighthouse. The Tillamook Head Trail in Ecola State Park follows the route explorers used to reach Cannon Beach.

Art, Theater and Local History

The Cannon Beach History Center & Museum offers interactive exhibits and houses the cannon after which Cannon Beach was named. The nonprofit Coaster Theatre in Cannon Beach presents live theater and events for residents and visitors of all ages on Oregon’s North Coast. Its schedules change seasonally, so it’s a good idea to check the dates if you’d like to attend a performance.

The Cannon Beach Gallery features new exhibitions every month, as well as regular juried exhibitions. At the Spring Unveiling Arts Festival, Cannon Beach art galleries present the latest works by their featured artists every spring. Dates and participating galleries may vary. The Stormy Weather Arts Festival program includes artist demonstrations, a concert, hands-on workshops, artist receptions, and performances by street musicians around town. Program details change from year to year, so check the latest dates and offerings before traveling to a festival.

The Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest is considered Oregon’s first and oldest sandcastle competition. It was established in 1964 after a tsunami triggered by the Good Friday Earthquake washed away the Elk Creek Bridge. The beach west of Ocean Avenue near Madison Street is listed as the venue for the 2027 contest; details may still change.

Discover more destinations: Gearhart, Warrenton, Astoria, Arch Cape, Seaside.

For the broader travel overview: Clatsop.