Cannon Beach, OR

Cannon Beach is a small coastal city in Clatsop County, Oregon, perched along the Pacific shoreline about 80 miles northwest of Portland. With a year-round population of roughly 1,700 residents, the town has retained the feel of an artsy seaside village even as it draws crowds from across the Pacific Northwest. Long, walkable beaches, weathered cedar cottages, and a dense cluster of galleries and eateries give the place a low-key, creative character, and it functions as one of the most popular gateways to the northern Oregon Coast. The town is also closely associated with nearby Ecola State Park and the dramatic stretch of coastline that runs south toward Manzanita, making it a natural hub for travelers exploring the region.

The defining landmark is Haystack Rock, a 235-foot sea stack that rises just off the beach in the heart of town. It is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is a designated Marine Garden, with tidepools that draw birders and naturalists when the tides allow. The rock is essentially a short walk from anywhere in Cannon Beach's downtown core, and the easy access makes it the single most photographed feature on the entire Oregon Coast.

Just a few minutes north of downtown, Ecola State Park wraps around Tillamook Head and offers a string of cliff-top viewpoints, old-growth Sitka spruce forest, and the popular surf-friendly stretch known as Indian Beach. The park's short, scenic drive ends at a small parking area with sweeping vistas up and down the coast, and connecting trails lead through the forest to spots like the abandoned lighthouse site at Tillamook Rock. It is the kind of place that anchors a Cannon Beach itinerary without requiring a full day.

A short drive south brings visitors to Hug Point State Recreation Site, a smaller and more rugged beach known for its sea-sculpted caves, a seasonal waterfall spilling directly onto the sand, and the remnants of an old road carved into the cliff that once connected early travelers along the coast. The name comes from a 19th-century section of road where wagons literally had to "hug" the rock face to pass.

Downtown Cannon Beach itself functions as an attraction, with Hemlock Street and the surrounding blocks lined with independent art galleries, boutiques, ice cream shops, and restaurants clustered around a few pedestrian-friendly intersections. Seasonal events and a year-round creative community keep the sidewalks lively, and the compact layout means visitors rarely need a car once they have parked.

Together, these features give Cannon Beach a rare mix of natural drama and small-town walkability, with a coastline that rivals more famous destinations yet still feels approachable. For short-term rental owners, that combination of an iconic landmark, a state park within minutes, and a charming walkable core translates into steady demand from weekend visitors, coastal road-trippers, and travelers heading out from Portland for an easy escape.