Getting Out: Winter Overnight trip to Cannon Beach
The Oregon Coast is one of my favorite places during any season. Beautiful forest roads take you to an expansive coastline full of wildlife and scenic beaches. My sister and I were looking for a quick overnight getaway a couple weeks ago so we packed up and headed to Cannon Beach, Oregon. Cannon Beach is a popular tourist spot with a cute downtown full of shops and restaurants but can be one of the more expensive destinations on the coast. Going in the fall or winter is a great way to avoid crowds and peak summer pricing. Despite a forecast of rain we were pleasantly surprised by some blue skies and sunshine in the afternoon as we arrived on our fist day.
Our goal for the trip was to explore some new trails and beaches we had never been to before. Our first stop was the Cedar Wetlands Nature Preserve hike in Rockaway Beach. This is a quick and scenic one mile hike to view one of the biggest western red cedars in the area. There is a small parking lot right off the road where you can park and access the trail. A perfect stop for families (and pets) of all ages. The mile length of wood boardwalk wrapping through the the forest is almost as impressive as the cedar tree.
Next we drove through downtown Nehalem and stopped at Wild Coast Goods, a small shop I have been wanting to check out. The space is part art gallery part gift shop and carries a curated selection of locally made gifts. Nehalem is a fishing and crabbing destination so they even had a cute “Flybrary” outside the shop and a selection of handmade flys for sale inside. It was the perfect spot to pick up some mementos for our trip.
After our outings we dropped our bags at our Airbnb and walked across the street to Haystack rock. Then we headed to an early dinner nearby at Pelican Brewing Company. This brewery chain offers plenty of space for groups of all sizes and is family friendly making it a great spot to enjoy a cold beer and a meal while traveling.
Our Airbnb was the upstairs “Blue Sky Suite” at the Harrison Inn in Cannon Beach. This is a quiet 4-unit building with it’s own parking lot and sits right of the main road. The best part was the location, walking distance to Haystack Rock and several nearby restaurants. The unit was really cozy and clean with every amenity you would need. Great for small families, friends or couples.
The cold and rainy weather set in after dinner so we grabbed some wine and the nearby market, turned on music and did some collaborative art collaging by the fireplace. A great new year wintertime activity to get creativity flowing.
The next morning we checked out Sea Level Bakery + Coffee a small family run business in Cannon Beach for breakfast. The coffee, food and atmosphere were a 10/10 for us. It’s on the smaller side and can get crowded but they also offer an outdoor patio with extra seating that you could take advantage of on a warmer day.
Next on our list was a visit to Hug Point State Recreation Site in nearby Seaside. This stop has a large parking lot and is just a quick walk down a paved path and set of stairs. The winds and rain were at full force so we threw on all our rain gear and headed down to the beach. We went when tides were low so we were able to hike around a little but didn’t stay long. We were impressed by the newly married couple braving the weather in pursuit of the perfect shot.
The last stop of our adventure was a hike to Short Sand Beach near Nehalem. The half mile trail starts at a parking lot and takes you through beautiful forest down to the beach. It’s best visited during low tide and is a popular surf spot in the warmer months. The trail is nice and flat but you would definitely want a wagon to carry your beach gear if traveling with kids. Several people were out walking the beach like us and enjoying the scenery despite the wind and rain.
At the end of our hike we changed into dry clothes and grabbed a quick lunch back at Sea Level Bakery + Coffee (we had been eyeing their sandwiches at breakfast) before hitting the road to home. A nice end to our fun Winter coast adventure.
I love exploring, being out in nature, and taking pictures and wanted to share my discoveries here in a series called “Getting Out.” I hope you enjoyed reading and happy adventuring.
Hi I’m Heidi!
Designer and creator behind Nordic Fox Design Co., lover of nature, adventure, creating, and all things Scandinavian. Thanks for being here.
