Over summer vacation, we had the opportunity to go to the Oregon coast. If you have never been… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO!!
The last time I went to Cannon Beach was before we moved to Taiwan, so it had been three years since I had been. It is a family tradition to go to this beach… I feel like up until 2016 I had been there at least as many times as I have been alive if not more. That being real fact, you can imagine my yearning to go before we made another big move.
Cannon Beach sits roughly 3 hours SouthWest of Tacoma, WA. It is a pretty quick painless drive despite the radio stations at one point being only country music or Jesus stations. My Mother in Law asked what the schedule would be when we went there and I had to chuckle because my family and this beach have a very specific schedule (read sarcasm here). I told her, “Well there is no schedule. We will eat, walk on the beach, eat, walk the beach, maybe shop, walk on the beach, and eat… did I mention walk on the beach?” There are so many places to do all of these things you could eat at a new restaurant everyday for each meal and it would still take you two weeks+ to be able to visit them all.
That being said we have our recommendations… There is no ad endorsements happening here, it is just a few of my favorites. If you disagree I encourage you to make your own favorites list. Feel free to drop them in the comments and I will go try them next time I find myself there.
Lazy Susan Cafe has great breakfast, lunch, and even better scones. It is tucked away in a quaint house near the theater and CASH ONLY. Despite not having an ocean view it’s food has a faithful following evident in the line that precedes it’s opening and the one that continues as people try to get in to eat. Don’t put off the visit because you may get caught unaware that they are closed on Tuesdays. The daily special quiche is a favorite and we always have to order one of their homemade marionberry scones. Trust me if you like scones you will instantly like Lazy Susan’s… and don’t worry too much about the name of this family run joint is some of the most hard working folks in town because they are busy from opening to close. If you are looking for breakfast with a view the Wayfarer while pricey is the best view of Haystack Rock while dining.
Pizza a’ Fetta has been hands down my favorite pizza. I do not even eat dairy anymore, but I will still order a cheese-less pizza because the crust, sauce, and toppings are that good. It is not only my opinion apparently they were rated one of the top 100 pizza places in the nation, so someone else has to agree with me.
Bill’s Tavern is reliable standard pub food. Even before I could drink a beer we would sit on the family friendly side and have basket of clam strips and fries. They have good fish and chips, oyster burgers, and the family tradition oyster shooters. In partnership with Bill’s is Warren’s Pub they do not have a fryer, so the food is a little more upscale in a good way. They also are the only place in town to do a Manhattan chowder, important for us dairy-free folks. AND in breaking news fashion literally outside Bill’s tavern in the parking lot there is another Bill’s venture known as the Smokehouse. Full disclaimer I only had the pretzel and a muddled margarita, but if everything else on their menu is done as good as those two things it is another great option. Another newish favorite towards the middle of town is Cannon Beach Hardware. Don’t let the name fool you, yes it is a hardware store and yes it is also a pub. They make their own tortilla chips! They are after my heart really. But, if you want to eat with a view and don’t want to spend the money that you would at the Wayfarer head to the South end of town at eat at Mo’s. It is on the beach, family friendly, and decent from what I remember, but I have only eaten there once.
There are tons of cute shops with art, clothing, jewelry, and other Knick knacks. It really depends on your preference, but if there is only ONE place you have to visit it is Bruce’s Candy Store. You cannot miss this sugary spot from the moment you lay eyes on the pink and white striped building with the salt water taffy machine typically pulling that hours fresh flavor. It is something that is a true childhood memory. We were obsessed with the chocolate-covered gummy bears as kids, but me not so much anymore. They do make delicious chocolate caramel nut turtles that all have beach themed names. If candy is not your thing, make sure to at least stop in and taste the free samples of the freshly pulled salt-water taffy! I mean you are at the beach after all.
There is hiking in Ecola State Park (one of the meadows you may recognize from one of my childhood favorite movies The Goonies. The entrance is in the North end of town near the Sea Ranch campground where we would make our yearly last summer vacation hurrah as kids. Speaking of the campground, it is a great way to economically visit and enjoy all the little town has to offer. They even now have simple cabins if you are not into sleeping on the ground. Beware of the raccoons though they are smart and will break into your coolers if you don’t protect it properly.
The one thing we did as kids and that we still do is go to the beach. Haystack Rock is iconic and if you catch the tide schedules right you can go look in the tide pools and talk with the local conservation volunteers about the wildlife. If you are there at the right time of year they will have telescopes set up to look at the puffins as they hatch. We can spend endless hours walking the beach, wading in the ocean, building a sandcastle, sitting next to a nighttime bonfire with or without s’mores, and playing with the dogs as they enjoy running as quickly as possible after tennis balls or each other.
We had great weather, great company, and it is needless to say, but I will say it anyway,“I cannot wait to go back!” We made it a family affair and everyone had a great time, but I think Sesame had the best time. A dog, a huge beach to run on, puddles to splash in, and someone to throw a ball? What a life.
Ikimashou? 