Famous for Haystack Rock towering 235 feet from the edge of the shoreline, long sandy stretches of beach and beautiful State Parks nearby, Cannon Beach offers an exceptional Oregon Coast experience only 90 minutes from Portland. A walk along the beach is a visual treat, with ever-changing vistas of ocean, mountains and rugged coastal outcroppings including Haystack Rock, a National Wildlife Refuge where visitors will discover colorful tide pools and nesting seabirds including Tufted Puffins. Just minutes from downtown Cannon Beach is Ecola State Park, perched dramatically on the edge of a headland and offering panoramic coastal views, easy walking paths to scenic picnic areas and extensive hiking trails.

The picturesque small-town village by the sea is easily walkable and visitors can explore meandering pathways, enjoy public art and courtyards spilling over with flowers. Known as one of the Northwests top art towns, Cannon Beach is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, cafes and fine dining restaurants. Visitors can watch glassblowers at work in their studio or attend year-round live theater performances. A wide selection of luxurious oceanfront lodgings overlook this remarkable stretch of coastline, putting visitors just steps from scenic wonders and minutes from outstanding recreation areas and exceptional Oregon Coast sightseeing.

The beauty of Cannon Beach has not gone unnoticed. Featured in Stephen Leathermans book, Americas Best Beaches, Cannon Beach was rated Best Overall Beach in the state of Oregon. It was named one of Americas Best 100 Art Towns by author John Villani and National Geographic listed Cannon Beach as one of the worlds 100 most beautiful places in their June 2013 issue.

Major annual events include the Northwests longest running sandcastle contest; arts festivals including the Stormy Weather Arts Festival, Spring Unveiling and Plein Air & More; a yoga festival and the Savor Cannon Beach Wine & Culinary Festival.

Welcome to the most extensive kayaking guide service on the Oregon Coast! Kayak Tillamook County offers privately-scheduled Paddle Board and Kayak Tours for groups year-round. Choose from dozens of locations from Cannon Beach to Lincoln City. Our seven estuary systems offers flat-water paddling on six coastal bays, dozens of rivers, scores of intimate sloughs, backwater channels and fresh water lakes. We can satisfy practically any flat-water experience desired. Encounter river otters, harbor seals, mink, elk, raptors and seabirds while paddling your own kayak or sharing a tandem. We are professionally trained and certified staff, and registered with the Oregon State Marine Board. Beginners and novices welcome! From November to March individual thermoses of Hot Apple Cider are served, each with a fresh cinnamon stick inside.

West of Tillamook Head, this lighthouse was constructed on top of a rock 1.2 miles seaward off Tillamook Head in 1881. The construction of this particular lighthouse was thought to be incredibly risky, but its five workers beat the odds. Because this lighthouse was built on a rock, it is not accessible to the public. However, visitors can easily see it and a beautiful view of the surrounding ocean from Ecola State Park and Seaside. This lighthouse stands 133 feet above sea level with 62-foot-high tower on basalt rock islet. Exposure to storm waves led to the nickname "Terrible Tilly." It was replaced by a whistle buoy in 1957 and is the only privately owned Oregon coast lighthouse on the National Registry of Historic Places; now used as a columbarium, a storage place for ashes of the deceased.

Renowned for its legendary customer service, idyllic oceanfront locations and a newly updated look, the locally family-owned and operated, Hallmark Inns & Resorts, Inc., boasts two properties along the scenic Oregon coastin Cannon Beach and Newport, Oregon. The Hallmark Resort in Cannon Beach is the closest property to Haystack Rock and is the only hotel in Cannon Beach with a full spa. Many of the rooms at both properties include: kitchenettes, fireplaces, balconies, and two-person spa tubs. Both are pet and family friendly and feature indoor, heated salt-water pools with hot tubs, saunas and fitness rooms.

From cozy condos and cottages right in town to more spacious (and luxurious) oceanfront estates, you'll find your perfect Cannon Beach vacation home with Vacasa! Enjoy the comfort and convenience of a private home with easy access to the Oregon Coast's most desirable beachfront community. Every Vacasa home in Cannon Beach is unique, but many offer private hot tubs, full kitchens, fireplaces, WiFi, and pet-friendly policies. Find your ideal retreat todayvisit Vacasa.com for detailed descriptions and photos of each property, along with customizable search and easy online booking.

Master artists create monumental sculptures that are washed away by the next high tide at the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, now more than a 50-year tradition in Cannon Beach. Its the oldest competition of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and the most popular event in this Oregon Coast town. Dozens of teams of professional sand sculpture artists, amateur groups and families will construct remarkable creations in the sand during the event which will celebrate its 52nd year in 2016. The Masters division teams compete for cash prizes and construct large, elaborate creations, often utilizing construction forms similar to those used for pouring concrete in order to accomplish their monumental size.

Although the sand sculpture contest on Saturday is the highlight of the weekend, visitors will find plenty of other activities to keep them busy. Weekend activities include a dinner, parade, concert, beach bonfire and a 5K fun run and walk.

The Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest was recognized as an Oregon Heritage Tradition by the Oregon Parks & Recreation Department, making it one of just 11 events statewide to achieve such a designation. Make lodging reservations early for this popular weekend as hotels typically sell out all rooms in advance.

For more information on the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest or on how to participate, contact the Cannon Beach Chamber of Commerce at (503) 436-2623 or visit cannonbeach.org.

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Cannon Beach - Oregon Coast Visitors Association