Cannon Beach is Oregon's most idyllic coastal town

Of course, since this is a beach town, you'll want to spend some time exploring the beach. There are a few options, and Ecola State Park is a great one. From the moment you turn down the entrance road, which winds through a lush spruce forest before opening up to a sweeping panorama of the coast, you'll be in love. Of course, the park is much, much more than just a view of the sea stacks. Indian Beach is a popular attraction for its surfing and swimming and sand, but don't sleep on the trails in the park. The Clatsop Loop is 2.5 miles and lets you walk in the footsteps of William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark expedition); he described the view from the north slope of Tillamook Head as “… the grandest and most pleasing prospects which my eyes ever surveyed…”

To some, a good day at the beach isn't complete without a beer. Public Coast is the perfect place to refuel after a long day of relaxing on the sand. As far as breweries go, their beers really do offer something for everyone. If you're looking for an easy-drinker, there's a lager, pale ales, a stout, and a blonde. Naturally, there are plenty of IPAs on tap as well, in addition to some really unique beers like the coconut brown ale, a mango sour, a raspberry-laced pale, and a vanilla-spiked blonde. They have food, too, and it's pretty good. Their messy burgers, fish n chips, and dirty fries are all worth a try. If you're looking for something sweet, they even add their stout to a milkshake for a perfect treat.

If you're looking for a classic dining experience to go with your classic beach town trip, then you have to add Driftwood to your itinerary. It's an old-school steakhouse that's stood the test of time. Snag a seat on the sun porch and prepare for an indulgent evening. Since you're on the coast, you'd do well to sample some seafood here; they nail more vintage recipes like crab and prawn cocktail, Crab Louie, and Oysters Rockefeller. They also do steak (duh) along with sandwiches and pasta (think, crab fettucini alfredo). They have lots of local beer on draft and wines from the Oregon area available as well.

Beach towns and saltwater taffy go together like peanut butter and jelly. Speaking of PB&J, it's a flavor that Bruce's Candy Kitchen, the local saltwater taffy purveyor, makes. You also have to try the Cannon Beach sea salt and marionberry flavors, as these are unique to Oregon. If taffy isn't your cup of tea, they hand-make caramel corns, fudge, brittles, and chocolates, too. You're on vacation... you deserve to treat yourself.

Cannon Beach is also known for its arts scene. You'll find lots of galleries and shops featuring crafts from local artisans in town. Whether or not you're a lover of art, stop into Icefire Glassworks. Not only are the delicate, hand-blown pieces very obviously stunning, but you might even get the chance to watch glass-blowing in action. For more hand-crafted wonders, check out DragonFire, White Bird, and the Cannon Beach Arts Association as well.

Cannon Beach has a long and storied history as a vacation destination, and before that, the coast had to be tamed by rugged pioneers. You'll learn the full history of Cannon Beach, from the Native Americans who lived here when Lewis and Clark rolled into town, to the earliest settlers, and then the rise of tourism. You'll even learn how the town got the name "Cannon Beach"; a cannon believed to be from the 1846 wreck of the USS Shark floated ashore and the rest, as they say, is history. They also put on an annual Cottage and Garden Tour in September which, if you find yourself falling in love with the aesthetic of the town, is not to be missed.

If you're hoping to walk out to Haystack Rock, Tolovana Beach is your best bet. It's less than a mile south of the site, and it offers parking and restrooms as well. While the coast is public, finding parking nearby can be tricky, so don't write that off as anything less than a major plus for visitors! This is a great place to view the Tillamook lighthouse, tidepools, and more rocky sea stacks.

Hug Point is another great beach access park with parking and restrooms. It's a bit further south than Tolovana, so while you can see Haystack, it's a bit more of a hike to reach it. What Hug Point does provide easy access to is a seasonal tidefall (that's a waterfall on the beach), caves, and more tidepools. If you're here during low tide, you can walk out to the caves, but they're inaccessible at high tide. There's also plenty of sandy beach where you can spread out and enjoy yourself.