Northern Oregon Coast & Cannon Beach, oregon
Attractions Guide

The following attractions are listed in order along a recommended route up Highway 101 on the incredibly scenic Northern Oregon Coast, along which you'll find many different attractions. This portion of the coast begins in Newport, Oregon and concludes at the most northern city in Oregon, Astoria, which sits near the mouth of the Columbia River across from Washington.

Start you by visiting one of the most beautiful lighthouses on the American west coast, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Be sure to also briefly admire the adjacent black rock Cobble Beach, which hosts many tide pools. This highly photogenic lighthouse is located just north of Newport, Oregon.

Devil's Punchbowl & Otter Crest

Continue north to the Devil's Punchbowl, a massive hole in the cliffs above the ocean. Be sure to take the very short hike along the cliffs for a very different perspective of this incredible natural formation. Next you can stop at the nearby Otter Crest State Scenic Viewpoint for striking views over the coast.

Much further up the coast is the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, where you'll find a 0.8 mile (1.3 km) round-trip trail set amongst an incredibly beautiful landscape. Be sure to spend some time exploring this exotic rocky area, which is located just north of the large town of Pacific City, which is known for its long sandy beaches.

Continue up towards Cape Meares, where you can take in marvelous coastal views from the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint. At Cape Meares you can also admire the quaint Cape Meares Lighthouse, as well as the remarkable Octopus Tree with its intriguing octopus-like branches. This striking Octopus Tree is set amongst a small forest of trees in this lovely coastal area.

Larson Creek Falls

Just below Cape Meares, you might like to take a 0.8 mile (1.3 km) walk along the Short Beach, which leads to a giant lesser-known double waterfall that cascades onto the beach, called Larson Creek Falls.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

Along Highway 101 past Cape Meares is a very popular tourist attraction, the Tillamook Cheese Factory. There's not much to do here other than learn how the cheese is made and sample/purchase a variety of different cheeses, however the cheese and ice cream sold here is very delicious.

Neahkahnie Viewpoint

After Tillamook you can continue along the coast past the town of Manzanita, which hosts the picturesque long sandy beach of Newhalem Bay State Park. Just north of Manzanita you can stop at one of the most gorgeous viewpoints on the Oregon Coast, the Neahkahnie Viewpoint, which offers far-reaching views on a clear day.

Neahkahnie Mountain

If you have time, you can walk along the scenic Elk Flats coastal trails from the parking area just north of the Neahkahnie Viewpoint. From this parking area you can also hike up Neahkanie Mountain for even more incredible views over the coast.

The round-trip hiking distance to the Neahkahnie Mountain Trail Viewpoint and back is about 4 miles (6.4 km), with a significant elevation gain of about 1,100 feet (330 m). If you like can hike this trail's full loop, which is twice the distance with even more elevation gain.

Hug Point Beach

Now continue to the extremely scenic Hug Point beach which you can walk along and explore. Be sure to walk north along the beach to the actual Hug Point rock, which has a small path hugging along the side of it above the water.

Silver Point

Just north of Hug Point is Cannon Beach, which hosts beautiful long sandy beaches. Just before town you can stop at another incredible viewpoint, the Silver Point Interpretive Overlook. This viewpoint is located atop a small point which seperates two extremely lomng sandy beaches to the north (Cannon Beach) and south (Arch Cape).

Haystack Rock

Cannon Beach is most famous for hosting one of the Oregon Coast's most iconic sights, Haystack Rock. This massive rock sits on the beach just beyond the shoreline and can be accessed with a very quick walk from the parking alongside the road.

Just a bit further north of Cannon Beach is Ecola State Park, which offers magnificent coastal views from Ecola Point as well as Indian Beach. Both of these viewpoints overlook the extremely scenic rocky coastline and can be enjoyed with a very short walk. The latter, Indian Beach, is a popular surf spot and an extremely beautiful location to relax on the beach and enjoy the views.

Continue up to the Fort Clastop, where you can admire a very historically accurate and fully-furnished wooden fort, modeled after the one built by the famous American explorers Lewis & Clark. These explorers were the first to venture across the vast United States and reach the Pacific Coast over 200 years ago, and this fort is where they resided along the coast before making the long journey back to the East Coast of the United States.

Near the very top of the Oregon Coast is the city of Astoria, which hosts a charming historic downtown center as well as many impressive Victorian homes. Astoria is famous for its use as the setting in the popular movie The Goonies.

Atop a hill above the city you'll find the massive Astoria Column, which you can climb to the top of for breathtaking panoramic views over Astoria, the Pacific Coast, the Columbia River, and the surrounding rural landscape.