Exploring the Oregon Coast

This trip was ah-mazing! It is one of my favorite places I have ever been. The Oregon Coast is mystical, magical and has offbeat scenery that will make you feel like you’re in another world. It’s perfect to tack on to a weekend in Portland or after seeing Seattle - with it being in close proximity to both cities. We found that three days was perfect, however there’s plenty to do if you want to stay longer.

Remember to pack:
-binoculars
-a refillable water bottle
-hiking boots
-small ice packs and ziplock bags

Day 1 // Travel Day and check-in at Hallmark Hotel

Since there are no direct flights to Portland from St. Louis, we opted to fly out of St. Louis on Alaska. Alaska is by far my favorite airline - don’t skip on their fruit and cheese platter! They are so reliable, and the planes are very clean and comfortable. I always appreciate the healthy food options, the power outlets at each seat, and the friendly staff.

Once we landed in Portland, it was off to our rental car to make our way to Cannon Beach (under two hours). En route, we stopped in Beaverton for a quick lunch. There were a few options, including a Target if you need one for essentials en route. Most importantly, before we got to Cannon Beach, we stopped in Seaside, Oregon for groceries at Safeway. As a tip, if you are staying in Cannon Beach for your whole trip, it does not have any big grocery stores or chain stores, so you’ll want to bring everything you need before you settle in.

Once we checked in at the fabulous Hallmark Resort on Cannon Beach, we took some time to relax after a long day of travel. The room was absolutely gorgeous, and spotless. For being on the beach, there was no sand to be found in our room. The resort is also dog-friendly - which made me miss Mindy so much. The hotel was the highlight of our stay - I highly recommend the oceanside view rooms, it’s worth every penny. Our room also had a small kitchenette, which was great for making a quick snack, chilling our beers, or heating up our breakfast sandwiches. I recommended to pack ice packs and ziplocks in case you are hiking - two items we wish we had, in order to pack a cold lunch on the go. We improvised with the hotel ice bucket and the ice bags. :)

After freshening up, we headed across the street to Pelican Brewing - an instant fave. We went back twice more during our stay for snacks and beers since it was so close to our hotel. For dinner we enjoyed a burger and an absolutely delicious salad. The beers were all excellent - raspberry was my favorite.

Day 2 // Cannon Beach, Elk Flats Trail, Shopping in Cannon Beach

After looking at the tide charts, we knew this day was our best bet to see low tide early on. During low tide on Cannon Beach, a lot of the rocks are exposed where it is easy to get close-up views of anemones, starfish, crabs, mussels, and more. The wildlife is amazing to see, and interesting to hear about from the conservation experts onsite. During our stay, their trucks was parked close by and it was easy to find them for direction on where to view and what to look for. We were hoping to see puffins, in season during our May visit, but some bald eagles were keeping ownership of Haystack Rock, keeping the puffins in hiding. However, we did see them flying with their recognizable orange beaks.

Low tide on Cannon Beach

After our morning of Cannon Beach exploring, we were off to the Elk Flats Trail, featuring Devils Cauldron Overlook. Bring water! This trail is short, but has some steep climbs that left us out of breath. However, we were there on a warmer day. We chose to go past the Overlook to Short Sand Beach (a pretty steep section as well heading down), which was well worth the effort and made a perfect place to stop and take a break. Once we were done hiking, we headed back to the hotel for a break, spent the afternoon shopping in town, and headed back to Pelican for a snack and another drink. After that, we were done for the day as the hike had us completely out of gas.

Devil’s Cauldron Overlook

Short Sand Beach

Day 3 // Hug Point, Manzanita, Tillamook Creamery, Big Cedar and takeout dinner

This day was all centered around our visit to Tillamook’s Creamery, one of our reasons for choosing Oregon to begin with. So, we slowly made our way there so we would be there at lunch time. En route, we stopped at Hug Point - which was one of the most beautiful sights of the trip. Don’t skip it! This spot was like another planet - with wide open spaces, odd rock formations and even a waterfall.

Hug Point

Along the way, we also stopped in Manzanita, a small beach town and did some shopping and exploring. This town was adorable - but tiny. It is worth the stop. At Tillamook, we enjoyed a self-guided tour, some cheese samples and the. best. mac n cheese. of. my. entire. life. I am not kidding - the food here is absolutely amazing, and worth the drive. Call ahead when you are planning to visit, in the off chance that they are closing early - as it did on the day we were visiting but it was not listed online. We still had plenty of time (1.5-2 hours is enough). On the way back, we stopped to see Big Cedar (the biggest tree in Oregon!) before grabbing some takeout tacos from Kiki’s to watch the sunset from our room.

Day 4 // Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, Astoria, Beach Bikes, Oceanside Dinner

Before hitting our day of adventure, we enjoyed a classic dinner breakfast at Pig ‘N Pancake - yum! Think typical, all-American breakfast platters.

Did you know that Lewis and Clark started in St. Louis and walked all the way to Astoria, Oregon? Fort Clatsop is an educational and scenic stop if you’re a history buff, or if you’re just as amazed as I am that a crew of explorers could survive this walk, and return safely. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Park has a replica fort and some trails to explore if you want to walk the steps of Lewis and Clark (and their dog, too!). On our way back, we stopped in Astoria to look around. Astoria is not what I was expecting, admittedly, and I wouldn’t necessarily go back or highly recommend it (we didn’t find the shops to be that great, Cannon Beach was better!). However, the views were great and it was fun to see another part of the area. If you’re a Goonies fan, I know the house is nearby if you want to check it out.

Get ready… this was the BEST part of the whole trip. When we returned from Astoria, we enjoyed a quick homemade lunch (made a quick pit stop at Public Coast Brewing - yum!) and took advantage of the sunshine for a bike cruiser ride along the beach. We chose the hour-long rental but could have easily done 90 minutes, or even longer, since it was so warm out. We rode about two miles north, which took around 30 minutes - but the way back took 45 with the wind. The scenery was absolutely amazing, and the area got less crowded as we rode. We truly felt we had the beach to ourselves and loved seeing all of the beautiful landscapes as we went along. It’s a must!

Beach bike cruisers along Cannon Beach

As we walked to the bike rental shop, we noticed the Wayfarer restaurant and booked an oceanside dinner there on the fly because we didn’t have any other plans. We highly recommend! The food was amazing, the atmosphere was casual and the view was great. They take reservations if you want to be less impromptu. They also have breakfast and lunch.

If you’re up for a later night, plan to have a bonfire on the beach. The Hallmark sells little bonfire kits, or you can find them at a few stores around town, too. Bonfires light up the beach as the sun goes down and it’s a truly special sight to see. We didn’t do one ourselves, but loved seeing the cozy setups from our balcony.

Day 5 // Travel back to Portland, Multnoma Falls, an evening in Portland

Time to hit the road again! We grabbed some quick crepes at Crepe Neptune before taking one last stroll on the beach ahead of our morning checkout. The crepes were amazing. We were so sad to leave the view, the coastal breeze and the casual atmosphere. On our way back to Portland we went past the city to see Multnoma Falls, and then doubled back to check in at our hotel. The falls were an incredible spot - but crowded. As the peak season sets in a permit is required with your time of visit, so be sure to check out the website for info. There is a parking lot and a visitor’s center with bathrooms, food and souvenirs.

Once we got back to Portland, we enjoyed a really comfortable stay at the Marriott Bidwell. This was a great, central spot! The High Horse bar inside was a good spot for pre-dinner cocktails as well as a breakfast in the morning before we left for the airport. We were able to walk to the Nike Headquarters, and Starbucks, and easily drive a short way to our dinner spot, Nostrana. The food at Nostrana was top notch! It’s an award-winning, Italian spot with really modern decor and a laidback vibe. To note about parking at the Bidwell, the valet is always an option, but when we got back from dinner a street spot right across from the front doors was open, and it was free to stay there overnight until we needed to leave. Saved us $55!

I hope you enjoy your trip if you decide to explore this amazing area of the country.