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Oregon Coast Day Trip: Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock

Oregon Coast Day Trip: Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock

Overview

Spend a day along Oregon’s gorgeous coastline, filled with dramatic headlands, beaches and historical lighthouses on this tour from Portland. Walk on the beach in the quaint town of Manzanita, explore Short Sands Beach, enjoy spectacular views from Neahkahnie Point, and explore Cannon Beach, where you’ll explore tide pools at Haystack Rock and enjoy free time to peruse shops and art galleries.

City: Portland

Thu 26 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $140.00

Make a reservation

Thu 26 Feb

Starting at $140.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Transport by Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van

Knowledgeable and Experienced Local Guide

Bottled water

Pick-up & Drop-off At Downtown Portland, Oregon Hotels

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Child aged 3-6 will need a car seat for this tour. Please bring a car seat as the local operator will not be able to accommodate child without car seat
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements (minimum of four people). In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
This tour does operate in rainy weather.

What To Expect

Short Sands Beach

Stretching along four miles of coastline in dense, temperate rainforest, Oswald West State Park has a beautifully secluded sandy beach and miles of trails leading to breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. This vast, scenic treasure is without a doubt one of the most spectacular parks in Oregon.

Ecola State Park

No visit to Cannon Beach would be complete without visiting Ecola State Park, perched dramatically on the edge of Tillamook Head. Ecola Park Road winds through old growth rainforest before emerging at one of the Oregon Coast’s most famous views, overlooking numerous rock formations and the capes and headlands miles to the south.

Cannon Beach

This picturesque small-town village by the sea is easily walkable and you will be able to explore meandering pathways, enjoy public art and courtyards spilling over with flowers. Known as one of the Northwest’s top art towns, Cannon Beach is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, cafes and fine dining restaurants. While in Cannon Beach you will have time for lunch at one of their amazing restaurants. Cannon Beach is also famous for its amazing beaches.

Haystack Rock

Haystack Rock is one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks, home to colorful tidepools and diverse bird life. It rises 235 feet from the edge of the shoreline. At low tide, you can walk right up to it and find colorful sea stars and other fascinating tidepool creatures in its intertidal area. Puffins can be observed on Haystack Rock from early spring to mid-summer, offering the most accessible viewing of Tufted Puffins in the Northwest.

Manzanita Beach

Manzanita is a beautiful oceanside city with seven miles of sandy beach and the third most photographed scenery in Oregon. While here you can enjoy a spectacular walk by the ocean or explore their lovely downtown.

Tillamook Rock Lighthouse

Perched atop a basalt sea stack, over a mile from Oregon's North Coast, the infamous Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, affectionately known as “Terrible Tilly,” is a fascinating piece of history. While it has long been closed to the public, it remains a resilient symbol of its rich heritage, despite being weathered and worn. During our visit to Ecola State Park, you'll enjoy stunning views of this iconic landmark.

Oswald West State Park

Spanning four miles of coastline within a lush, temperate rainforest, Oswald West State Park features a stunningly secluded sandy beach and extensive trails that offer breathtaking vistas of the Pacific Ocean. This expansive and picturesque gem is undoubtedly one of Oregon's most extraordinary parks. Situated on the northern Oregon Coast, Oswald West State Park attracts surfers, hikers, and beach enthusiasts alike, providing a wealth of recreational opportunities.

Hug Point State Park

Picture yourself journeying by stagecoach along the shoreline. Before the construction of the highway, the beach served as the sole route along this coastal stretch. To the north of the parking area at low tide, you can stroll along the original stagecoach road, where the wheel ruts are still etched into the rock. Pioneers navigating around this headland had to carefully maneuver along the point, even during low tide. As a result, both the point and the park have fittingly been named Hug Point.

Neahkahnie Mountain

This peak is an inspiring place, where the Tillamook tribe believed their most powerful god resided. In fact, the name Neahkahnie comes from their words Ne ("place of") and Ekahnie ("supreme deity").

Camp 18 Logging Museum

Those who want to learn more about logging history in the northwest, or who simply are curious about vintage logging machinery, will find plenty of material at Camp 18. Outdoor displays include multiple steam donkeys such as a Dolbeer single spool, a very early first-generation model, to a high-tech late-model Willamette compound geared yarder that was the height of technology for its day. Other displays on site include a large bandsaw from a sawmill, a self-propelled Ohio steam crane, Caterpillar-style tracked vehicles that worked in the woods, a railroad skeleton log car and other heavy equipment plus a wide variety of large and small hardware. We will make a quick stop here on our way to the spectacular Oregon Coast so that you can explore the historic equipment, use the restroom, and buy some coffee if you want.

Show 7 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (423)

Wallace H

Sep 2013

1) We were crammed into a tattered old van. First thing I saw when I climbed into the van was the torn upholstery on the side of the front bench. This van may be the right size to transport people from a hotel to the airport, but not for spending 6 hours in, especially if there are 8 tour guests!
2) The driver was HORRIBLE!!! He would turn his head every time a guest would ask a question. This made the van swerve into the neighboring lane. He then jerked the steering wheel to bring us back into our lane. I learned quickly to not ask any questions for fear that we would end up in the ditch. On the way home he took the "scenic route". He sped down a curvy mountain road, at 70mph in a 55mph zone, IN THE RAIN! Suggestion: Have a responsible driver drive the van PLUS a guide with a microphone who does the talking. I'm sure the people in the rear didn't hear a word of what Steve was saying. As he didn't give us any information about the stops of our trip once he'd dropped us off, listening to him in the van was the only way to actually learn something on this tour.
3) Astoria was pretty much "the Gooneys house". I never saw the movie so that stop was worthless to me. Other than that we were just cruising around town with Steve pointing out Art Deco hotels - no idea what he was talking about. The restaurant we went to, "Baked Alaska, was expensive. A more affordable one would have been more appropriate.
4) Cannon Beach: More of the same. Steve dropped us off at the main shopping street and said: "See you in 30 minutes". I don't need a guide for that - a (safe) chauffeur would have been just fine.
5) When guiding a tour of 8 guests you have to make sure at the very start that you have cell phone numbers for all of them. We had to wait in Cannon Beach for 40 minutes for one guest to return to the van, because she misunderstood the time by which she had to be back. And Steve had no way of getting in touch with her.

Judith M

Sep 2013

I was the only person on the tour. The guide suggested different places to go on the tour to accommodate my interests. As a result I never made it to Astoria (which was my choice) but I went hiking to the beach and went to several superb photography locations. I would highly recommend this tour and tour operator.

Kenneth_R

Aug 2013

Good itinerary. Excellent guide Tom : knowledgable and entertaining.
Only suggestion would be to add some additional time at the Columbia River Museum.