As summer's official end approaches, consider a trip to Oregon's Pacific coast, where fall means fewer crowds, lower prices and temperate weather. And you still get all those spectacular views and beach time.
With more than 350 miles of coastline providing spectacular vistas, the only problem is deciding which path to follow.
Here’s one that would be suitable for groups of friends and family or for romantic getaways: Cannon Beach to Pacific City to Newport, about 115 miles from top to bottom.
At least a couple days in each place would be ideal, but you could do a shorter circuit if you’re pressed for time. Visitors from outside the region flying into Portland should save some time to explore that popular city. Check out Portland’s terrific food scene and urban vibe. Two hotels I can recommend in central Portland are the Duniway Portland, a Hilton Hotel and Kimpton RiverPlace, just outside of downtown on the city’s river walk. Both are comfortable and convenient.
Rent a car in Portland and head to the coast, about 95 miles.
First stop is Cannon Beach and its Haystack Rock, probably Oregon’s most iconic coastal landmark. Featured in the 1985 cult movie “The Goonies,” the 235-foot tall volcanic rock, formed millions of years ago, is accessible to beachgoers at low tide. There’s something magnetic about the rock at low tide, walking out there through wet sand to touch the ancient stone and marvel at the tide pools.
In Cannon Beach and all of Oregon, for that matter, going to the beach is more of an activity than simply sunbathing, although you can certainly do that. Walking the sand on Cannon Beach as the tide changes can keep you interested for hours on end; viewing the tide pools and the creatures that live there, examining the birds that flock to Haystack Rock, finding the best reflections of the rock in the shallow waters at shore. On my first visit there, a 20-minute walk back from breakfast to our oceanfront hotel took most of a day because we couldn’t tear ourselves away from the beach on a warm October day.
We stayed at the beachfront Surfsand Resort, where most of the rooms have oceanfront views, soaking tubs and gas fireplaces. There are nightly bonfires when the weather is right, fresh cookies in the lobby daily, and beach bicycles for the asking. It’s a comfortable, family-friendly place, but that could mean you and your adult children. Who doesn’t like a bonfire on the beach with s’mores?
Rates are cheaper at Surfsand after summers crowds have left, but even more appealing is that your odds increase at getting exactly the space you want with a view of Haystack Rock. And the restaurants and shops along the main drag will be much easier to navigate.
Next up is Pacific City, about 60 miles south of Cannon Beach. As you head south, make the 40-mile Three Capes Loop part of your trip. Among the sites you’ll see along the way are Cape Meares and its 1890 lighthouse at the mouth of Tillamook Bay; Cape Lookout, which has a nice 2.5 mile hiking trail through ancient forest; and finally Cape Kiwanda and Pacific City.
Cape Kiwanda’s 200-foot-high sand dune may be the most distinctive part of the beach at Pacific City, but there’s also another Haystack Rock, at 327 feet bigger than the one in Cannon Beach.
The waterfront here has the same expansive sand beach and spectacular views. But the two beaches have decidedly different characters. For one, this larger Haystack Rock is about a mile out into the water, so you can’t walk up to it and touch it. In Pacific City, you get that tactile beach experience by climbing the dune for even more panoramic vistas.
Pacific City is a haven for surfers, and it’s where the dory fishermen head out to sea. Cape Kiwanda and Haystack Rock form a natural breakwater that makes the beach popular, too, with stand-up paddle boarders and surf kayakers. With plenty of dogs and the cars that are allowed on the beach, there’s always lots of activity. But the funny thing is, even with all this going on, the beach doesn’t seem crowded.
In Pacific City, the new Headlands Coastal Lodge and Spa is an upscale resort with prime oceanfront property. All of the lodge guest rooms and larger cottages have views of the ocean and Haystack Rock. Headlands bills itself as offering “luxury without pretense,” or “hospitality, Oregon-style.” It is indeed a comfortable space, with understated natural design, with a spa and fine dining on site. The Meridian restaurant offers fresh fish, naturally, and products from local farms in a large open space with loads of windows framing the ocean view. The spa is well worth a visit.
Headlands has what it calls adventure coaches, essentially staff who plan activities for guests. It can be as simple as organizing a beach bonfire, arranging crabbing and kayaking outings, or connecting you with a dory fisherman. This fall, when the moon is full, guests can join adventure coaches on a moonlit kayak trip on the Netsucca River that includes stargazing and hot chocolate.
It will be hard to leave Pacific City, but there’s one more stop on this Oregon coastal journey: Newport.
About 50 miles south of Pacific City, Newport boasts two lighthouses, the Oregon Coast Aquarium and, again, miles of expansive, picturesque beaches.
But what has drawn me to Newport most every time I visit Oregon is the quirky Sylvia Beach Hotel, named after the American bookseller who opened Shakespeare and Co. bookstore in Paris in 1919. It’s a place for book lovers with no telephones, televisions or wi-fi.
Each of the hotel’s 21 rooms is named for a particular author and decorated accordingly. From Jane Austen to Virginia Woolf, with Steinbeck, Shakespeare and Hemingway thrown in for good measure, you’re sure to find one of your favorites here. There’s even a Dr. Seuss room with appropriate whimsical décor.
On the top floor is the reading room, with overstuffed chairs and lots of books. On my first visit there, I found myself chatting with an Oregon novelist over our cups of tea.
Downstairs is the Table of Contents restaurant where guests sit at communal tables for the included breakfast, and at dinner, should they choose. I’ve had amazingly good salmon and lamb during family-style dinners there.
