Cannon Beach, OR: What Not To Miss

We arrived home last night from our family vacation to the Pacific Northwest. Here are my highlights from our time spent in Cannon Beach!

Haystock Rock US-101
I can't say I've loved every experience at a cold beach, but despite the chilly water and afternoon wind, the rock was fun to see. I was totally unaware this rock, of all things, could look good in any lighting. It was especially gorgeous when paired with a morning fog or sunset.
​Tip: Public parking is available on W Gower Ave and S Hemlock St if you need it. 

Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters​ 1235 S Hemlock St. A
My favorite way to enjoy the chill in the air was with coffee. Get an organic coffee and a fresh pastry at Sleepy Monk Coffee! I tried the brew "Fiddler's Fusion", a medium roast, which was was right up my alley. 
Tip: Order a flavored bagel with cream cheese - They were fresh and light.

Take your coffee to go and spend time admiring the houses near the water. Our family spent almost an hour driving around, lol.

Bald Eagle Coffee House 1064 S Hemlock St.
Get a pretty mug of Starbucks coffee at Bald Eagle Coffee House for $1.50! That's my kinda coffee. Ordinarily, I'm not a Starbs coffee fan, yet the owner had out a medium roast that wasn't too bitter. She was also super sweet and even offered me a to go cup before I left. It was fun to take advantage of the front patio seating, especially since it was sunny out!

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Find a hotel on the water
We stayed at the Surfsand! (148 W Gower Ave.) It was fun to keep the screen door open overnight and fall asleep to the sound of waves rolling in.

Ecola State Park​ Off Hwy. 101
At five dollars a vehicle, this place was super chill. It was gorgeous. I definitely recommend stopping by Indian Beach, it had a wonderful view. This was definitely the first landscape that screamed "Oregon" to me. 
We saw a handful of surfers here too. Honestly, I wasn't aware anyone surfed on the West coast, other than in California. Silly me.
The park had plenty of picnic tables, walking trails, and sandy spots to post up with a beach chair and book.

Schwietert's 144 N Hemlock St.
Check out the shops on the North side of town. Grab an ice cream or a stick of cotton candy at Schwietert's. My sister bought a waffle cone of Coffee Walnut Fudge. It was $4.50 for a single scoop.  
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Cannon Beach Book Company 130 N Hemlock St. 
This was another favorite shop of mine. They had a variety of journals I was drawn to, the kind with original designs and simple phrases that weren't cliche. I was surprised by the number of books in this place. It reminded me of a book store nestled in the middle of Old Town in Fort Collins, CO, not a smaller coastal town. 

Pelican Brewing 1371 S Hemlock St. 
I did quite the research on restaurants in Cannon Beach. Overall, I felt as if Pelican Brewing was the only restaurant I could highly recommend, out of the places we tried. 
Though it sits a block from the water, it was a perfect coastal dining experience. Our waitress was super friendly and upbeat. The building had an open floor design with high ceilings, which felt very inviting.
I ordered the Smoked Half Chicken, which came with cheddar smashed potatoes and coleslaw. Everything on the plate was fresh, it was pretty easy to see and taste the quality of the food. My meal was priced at $17.99, so if you are planning on splurging on a nice meal, let it be this one. 

Did I miss some of your Cannon Beach favorites?