Beach walks, kites & surf
The broad sand leaves room for long shoreline walks and kite flying. Surfing is a different undertaking: Cannon Beach receives exposed Pacific swell, so check current surf and weather conditions before entering the water.
Things to Do in Cannon Beach
Tide pools, sea stacks, forest trails, and Pacific sunsets.
The shoreline, close up
Haystack Rock & Marine Garden
Haystack Rock rises 235 feet above the beach, but some of its most absorbing details are down at the waterline. At low tide, the surrounding Marine Garden reveals sea stars, giant green anemones, purple sea urchins, limpets, and hermit crabs.
This is a protected habitat, not just a closer view of the sea stack. Let the small creatures hold your attention, and follow Marine Garden rules and current tide, swell, and weather guidance rather than assuming a low tide makes every area safe to explore.
Full Haystack Rock GuideLook up for tufted puffins
The same rock offers a very different kind of wildlife watching above the tide pools. Tufted puffins return to burrows high on Haystack Rock in spring. They are small from the beach: bring binoculars or a spotting scope and scan the upper ledges for birds carrying fish toward nesting burrows.
In breeding plumage, look for a black body, white face, orange bill, and golden plumes above the eyes. Haystack Rock Awareness Program volunteers can help locate active areas when they are on the beach. Viewing is seasonal; use the Haystack Rock guide for seasonal guidance rather than expecting puffins on every visit.
Forest and headlands
Ecola State Park
Just north of Cannon Beach, Ecola trades the close detail of the Marine Garden for Sitka spruce forest and views along the Tillamook Head coastline. Choose Ecola Point for the coastal outlook, or Indian Beach for a cove and surf watching; a longer hike is a separate choice, not a requirement for enjoying the park.
Ecola Point
Make the sweeping coastline the focus here. It is a different perspective from standing beside Haystack Rock on the sand.
Indian Beach
Choose the cove for beach time and watching the surf, with forest and headlands as the setting rather than town.
Before a longer hike
Check current park access and trail closures, including the Clatsop Loop and routes to Hikers Camp, before choosing a route.
Oregon State Parks status and closure noticesBack in town
Hemlock Street galleries
The coast is also a subject to look at indoors. Hemlock Street galleries show Pacific Northwest landscapes and marine art alongside glass, ceramics, sculpture, and photography. The range makes a gallery visit more than another view of the beach.
Cannon Beach has nurtured an arts community since the 1960s. Start along Hemlock Street between 1st and 3rd avenues and follow the work that interests you, checking individual gallery hours. Give this part of town its own attention rather than treating it only as a stop between outdoor sights.
More time on the coast
Wildlife beyond the rock
Watch from a distance for harbor seals, sea lions, bald eagles, and gray whales during migration. Binoculars are useful beyond puffin watching, helping you scan for birds and marine mammals offshore.
Beach rides farther afield
Guided horseback rides operate elsewhere on the north Oregon coast, rather than being a dependable Cannon Beach departure. Confirm the operator, meeting point, and seasonal availability before adding a regional ride to your visit.
Bookable experiences
Portland-departure tours that reach Cannon Beach
These are regional day trips, not tours that begin in Cannon Beach. Each card names Portland as the departure city and identifies whether the route centers on Cannon Beach or continues to Tillamook and Depoe Bay.
Things To Do
Departs Portland: Oregon Coast Adventure Day Tour (8.5 hours)
An 8.5-hour guided day trip departing Portland for the north Oregon coast, with pickup details and exact Cannon Beach stops set by the operator.
Things To Do
Departs Portland: Depoe Bay, Cannon Beach and Tillamook Day Tour
A full-day regional tour departing Portland and combining Cannon Beach with Tillamook and Depoe Bay whale watching; confirm current duration and pickup details.
Things To Do
Departs Portland: Northern Oregon Coast and Cannon Beach (8.5 hours)
An 8.5-hour guided day trip departing Portland that includes the Cannon Beach area; confirm the current pickup point and stop sequence.
Haystack Rock
Departs Portland: Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock and Coast Hiking
A Portland-departure Oregon Coast tour featuring Cannon Beach, Haystack Rock, and guided hiking; confirm the current duration, trail plan, and pickup point.