36 hours in Cannon Beach, Oregon

Growing up in Portland, Oregon a trip to Cannon Beach was something we always looked forward to in the summer. Now I try to take my mother down to walk in the sand and just sit on a log and look out at the surf. My mother is 92 years old and still enjoys getting all of her children together around a camp fire on the beach.

We checked into Tolovana Inn just about a mile from downtown Cannon Beach proper. The hotel sits right on the beach and offers rooms right above the beach with a great view. The hotel has an indoor pool for those that want to take a swim. Our room was a suite with one bedroom, kitchen and living room with a queen size hide a bed.

Walking on the beach was perfect exercise for all ages. Families flying kites, and spending time on low tide looking in the tide pools of Haystack Rock.

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Since check in was 4pm we got organized and just had dinner at a restaurant called Mo’s. They are famous for their chowder and fish and chips. The restaurant sits on the beach in front of the hotel. Not the best food, everything fried, but fine for a family. The cabbage salad topped with Oregon shrimp was good as was the chowder. Then my brother built a fire in one of the designated fire pits on the beach and we enjoyed the surf pounding the full moon above.

The next day my brother bought more fire wood and after a long walk we built a fire and enjoyed the day wandering the beach, roasting hotdogs and watching all the families itch dogs and kids in tow.

In the afternoon we drove into town and had a lovely lunch at The Driftwood Restaurant and had a perfect Cobb salad big enough to share. We wandered in and out of the little galleries, ice cream shops and enjoying the lovely flowers every where you looked. The town is clean with plenty of parking.

We had an early dinner back in town at Wayfarer. Wayfarer sits right off the beach with a great view of Haystack Rock and view of the sunset over the water. This is a good upscale restaurant offering fresh fish and salads. I had sautéed razor clams, a real treat when they are prepared correctly and others shared fresh crab cocktails and halibut. Back at the hotel we took up or place on the beach and enjoyed the fire while talking about all the years and memories shared on the Oregon Coast. It is an easy drive from Portland, about an hour and 45 minutes.

Make time for any of the beach towns along the coast of Oregon.