Cannon Beach

The town of Cannon Beach is quite small and won't be filled with bustling metropolis attractions. But if you enjoy the atmosphere of a small town, then you should plan on visiting as it's great when all you want is to get away from it all on vacation.

You can check out something unusual, about a mile south of town in the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. It's called Haystack Rock, and it's the third largest monolithic stone in the world. The rock is 235 feet high and sits just off the beach where you can walk to it when the tide is low. That's the best time to see it, with all the crabs and starfish clustered around the exposed rock. The refuge is a sanctuary for seabirds, and you'll see plenty of birds as well as seals and sea lions in the area.

If you keep going south a bit farther, you will find Oswald West State Park where you can see Neahkanie Mountain, Cape Falcon and Smuggler's Cove. The park is quite lush and heavily forested, which can make for some lovely hikes even when the weather is warm.

Also near to Cannon Beach, to the north, is Ecola State Park, where you’ll find hiking trails and opportunities to see plenty of birds and wildlife. The views of the coast are perfect for pictures and if you don't want to hike, you can rent a bike instead.

Quick Facts:
-- William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, took a detour to what is now Cannon Beach from Fort Clatsop in order to barter for several hundred pounds of whale blubber.

-- Cannon Beach holds an annual sand castle building contest out on the beach.