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.
Originally posted here:
Cannon Beach - Oregon Coast Visitors Association
- Seabean Symposium-Live Blogging - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Alvaro Jaramillo Talks Gulls at 2010 Space Coast Birding Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Fall Sunset on Anna Maria - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Fort Myers Beach Photos Revisited - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Reinier Munguia Keynote at Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Wilderness Matters - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Raptor Project Brings Winged Predators to Space Coast Birding Festival - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sandscupting Festival on Fort Myers Beach - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- David Allen Sibley to Deliver Keynote at Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival 2010 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Kevin Mims & Paddle Florida on the Suwannee River - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Zipolite Beach, Oaxaca, Mexico, Central America - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Port Charlotte Beach Park, Port Charlotte, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Kent in South Beach, Miami – Budget Beach Hotel in Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Key West, Florida Dog Beach – Where Pooches Can Play - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Startling White Sand of Hyams Beach, New South Wales, Australia - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Palm Island Beach, Cape Haze, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- A Surfer’s Paradise at Punta Morena Beach, Cozumel - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sand the Color of Olives: Papakolea Beach, Hawaii - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa in Destin, Florida - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Visiting Indialantic Beach? Check out the Crowne Plaza Melbourne Beach - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Say Good-bye to Manatee County Public Beach Pier - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Eco-tourism Field Trips at the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Birding at Sea: Pelagic Birding Aboard the Pastime Princess - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival Video Clip - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Gulfster’s Surf Trip to Puerto Rico - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes, St. Petersburg, FL - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Kevin Mims: An Outdoorsman to Follow - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- How Big is This Wave? - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Birders: Making a List and Checking it Forever - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Hunting Island State Park – Dog Friendly Beach in Beaufort, SC - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Beach Hotels in Ocean Park, Washington - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- San Diego, CA – Ocean Beach Dog Beach - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Best Beaches for Collecting Sea Glass - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Swimwear in 2010 combines key trends - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- S-Turns Beach in Rodanthe, Outer Banks of North Carolina, Wiped Out By Nor’easter - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- In Awe at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa, Japan - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Summertime in the Outer Banks, North Carolina - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Panama City Beach May Not Welcome Spring Breakers in 2010 - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Bahia Honda Beach near Key West, Florida - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- U.S. Supreme Court Hears Case Regarding Florida Beach Ownership - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Historic Sites of Canaveral National Seashore - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Myrtle Beach Building Boardwak Along Beachfront, Adding Amenities - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Barrier Island Center Upcoming Events 2010 – Melbourne Beach, Florida - December 19th, 2009 [December 19th, 2009]
- Florida Wildflowers & Plants – Space Coast Birding Festival Field Trip - December 20th, 2009 [December 20th, 2009]
- Jellyfish in Long Beach Aquarium - December 20th, 2009 [December 20th, 2009]
- Heron Island in Great Barrier Reef under new management - December 21st, 2009 [December 21st, 2009]
- Sunset on Longboat Key - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Pishing With Pete at the Space Coast Birding Festival - December 23rd, 2009 [December 23rd, 2009]
- Summer is Over, but it Lives on My Hard Drive - December 25th, 2009 [December 25th, 2009]
- 800 Pound Beachball to Drop Over Panama City Beach, Florida on New Year’s Eve - December 27th, 2009 [December 27th, 2009]
- Birding by Ear and Habitat with Paddy Cunningham-Pascatore - December 27th, 2009 [December 27th, 2009]
- Prevention of Overfishing of Coral Reefs Reduces Occurrence of Coral Diseases - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Florida Screech Owls Encouraged by Nest Boxes - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Cayo Costa Photo Memories - December 28th, 2009 [December 28th, 2009]
- Family Activities at the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival - December 31st, 2009 [December 31st, 2009]
- BeachHunter’s Top 10 Beach Photos in 2009 - January 2nd, 2010 [January 2nd, 2010]
- Viera Wetlands is a Premier Birding Destination in Brevard County - January 2nd, 2010 [January 2nd, 2010]
- Here are a Few More Florida Summer Beach Memories. - January 3rd, 2010 [January 3rd, 2010]
- Lake Morat Puts the Beach in Swiss Beaches - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Smoking Banned at Beaches Around the Country - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Identifying Gulls – A Field Trip to Brevard County Landfill - January 6th, 2010 [January 6th, 2010]
- Victoria and Albert Museum in London Sponsors World Beach Project - January 7th, 2010 [January 7th, 2010]
- Does It Snow in Florida? - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Sun, sand and history found in Bodrum, Turkey - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Winter swimming rules at Den Haag’s beaches. - January 9th, 2010 [January 9th, 2010]
- Boats, Kayaks and Birds - January 10th, 2010 [January 10th, 2010]
- Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in Akumal, Mexico - January 11th, 2010 [January 11th, 2010]
- A Hidden Gem – San Agustinillo, Oaxaca, Mexico - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Penguins on the Beach at Betty’s Bay - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Robert Amoruso Photography Workshops at Space Coast Birding Festival - January 12th, 2010 [January 12th, 2010]
- Scuba Diving with Bull Sharks in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico - January 13th, 2010 [January 13th, 2010]
- California Beach Tradition Threatened - January 13th, 2010 [January 13th, 2010]
- Who’s Going to the 13th Annual Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival? - January 15th, 2010 [January 15th, 2010]
- Getting Away From It All in the Dry Tortugas - January 16th, 2010 [January 16th, 2010]
- History of the Bikini - January 19th, 2010 [January 19th, 2010]
- Conservation and the Economics of Birding - January 20th, 2010 [January 20th, 2010]
- Landlocked Swiss Hit the Beach at Lake Zurich - January 21st, 2010 [January 21st, 2010]
- Northern Ireland’s Blue Flag Beaches - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]
- A beach of sorts in old Dun Laoghaire. - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]
- Beach Sunrise Memories - January 22nd, 2010 [January 22nd, 2010]