A weekend trip to Cannon Beach gives you a glimpse of its magic. A week lets you catch its rhythm. But a month? A month lets you find its soul. This isn’t just a vacation; it’s a temporary residency. It’s the chance to trade the frantic pace of a tourist for the gentle cadence of a local, to learn the moods of the tides, and to discover the quiet stories whispered on the salty breeze.
Cannon Beach isn’t just a destination; it’s a lifestyle that invites you to settle in. The dramatic Oregon coastline, crowned by the iconic Haystack Rock, is a landscape that demands more than a passing glance. It’s a place to unpack your bags, stock your pantry, and let the rhythm of the waves set your daily schedule. This guide is your roadmap to transforming a month-long stay from a simple getaway into an immersive experience, allowing you to truly live like a local in one of the world’s most beautiful places.
Finding Your Home Base: A Rental Over a Room
The foundation of a month-long stay is choosing a home, not just a place to sleep. The Cannon Beach rental market is uniquely suited for this, with a wide array of properties from charming cottages and classic single-family houses to modern condos. Many properties are pet-friendly, so your four-legged family members can join the adventure.
Look for a rental with a well-equipped kitchen, a comfortable living space, and perhaps a deck or patio with an ocean view. This will be your sanctuary, your basecamp for exploration, and your front-row seat to the daily drama of coastal weather. Companies like Beachcomber Vacation Homes, Meredith Lodging, and Cannon Beach Property Management offer extensive local inventories.8 Having a real home allows you to cook with local ingredients, enjoy a quiet morning coffee without the crowds, and truly settle into the fabric of the community.
Week 1: Settling In & The Icons
Your first week is about establishing your new rhythm and acquainting yourself with the town’s legendary landmarks.
- Establish a Morning Ritual: A true local has their go-to coffee spot. Start your days at Sea Level Bakery + Coffee, a beloved local favorite tucked in an adorable cottage, known for its fresh-baked bread and specialty coffees. Grab a pastry and take a walk on the quieter, southern stretch of sand at Tolovana Beach.
- Stock the Pantry: A long stay means home-cooked meals. Head to the Cannon Beach Farmers Market (Tuesdays, June-September) for fresh local produce and artisanal goods. For daily essentials, Mariner Market and Fresh Foods Cannon Beach will become your go-to spots.
- Meet Haystack Rock: This 235-foot sea stack is more than a landmark; it’s a living ecosystem. Check the tide charts and walk out at low tide to explore the vibrant tide pools teeming with colorful sea stars, anemones, and crabs. Look for the volunteers in red jackets from the Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP). They are on the beach from mid-February to mid-October, offering educational insights and spotting scopes to view the wildlife. From April through July, you might even spot the resident colony of Tufted Puffins.
- A Proper Coastal Welcome: For your first big night out, immerse yourself in local history and flavor at the Driftwood Restaurant and Lounge. A fixture since 1944, it’s a beloved gathering place for locals and visitors alike, known for its classic seafood and steaks. Alternatively, the Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge offers stunning oceanfront views of Haystack Rock and is one of the only spots in town serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Week 2: Exploring the Edges
With your bearings set, week two is for venturing beyond the downtown core to discover the wilder soul of the coast.
- Take a Hike: Just north of town lies Ecola State Park, where lush coastal forests meet dramatic cliffs. The drive into the park itself is breathtaking. Hike the 2.2-mile round trip trail to Crescent Beach for a secluded stretch of sand and a unique vantage point of Haystack Rock from the north. This area also served as a filming location for movies like The Goonies and Twilight. A few miles south, Oswald West State Park is home to Short Sands Beach, a local favorite for surfing, nestled in a scenic cove.
- Discover Hidden Beaches: Explore the coastline’s varied personalities. Hug Point State Recreation Site, just south of town, is a must-visit at low tide. Here you can discover sea caves, sandstone cliffs, and a seasonal waterfall that cascades directly onto the beach.
- Embrace the Quirky: For a truly local experience, head to the Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House. Affectionately known as the “Screw and Brew,” this unique spot is a fully functional hardware store that also serves fantastic pub food and local craft beer—a perfect embodiment of the town’s quirky charm.
Week 3: Immersing in the Artistic Heartbeat
Cannon Beach is consistently named one of America’s best art towns, and this week is dedicated to understanding why. The town’s creative spirit is palpable, with no chain stores or shopping malls, only independent boutiques and galleries.
- Walk the Galleries: Dedicate a full day to a self-guided art walk. Downtown and Midtown are filled with over a dozen galleries showcasing works from local and nationally-known artists. Don’t miss the large-scale watercolors of the coast at Jeffrey Hull Gallery, the stunning bronze sculptures at Bronze Coast Gallery, and the vibrant, contemporary works at DragonFire Gallery.
- Watch Art Being Made: For a truly unique experience, visit Icefire Glassworks, a working glassblowing studio. If you time it right, you can watch the artists transform glowing molten glass into beautiful, shimmering works of art.
- Catch a Show: The arts aren’t just visual here. Check the schedule at the Coaster Theatre Playhouse, a local live theater that offers year-round performances just a block from the beach.
- Shop with Intention: Explore the town’s unique boutiques. Find designer clothing at Dena’s Shop on the Corner, pick up regional wines at The Wine Shack, or indulge your sweet tooth at Bruce’s Candy Kitchen, a pink-and-white-striped institution since 1963 where you can watch them pull saltwater taffy.
Week 4: Living the Rhythm
By your final week, you’re no longer a visitor; you’re part of the town’s rhythm. This week is about savoring the routines you’ve created and experiencing the coast on a deeper level.
- Tune into the Season: Your experience will be shaped by the time of year. If you’re here in winter or spring, spend an afternoon whale watching from the viewpoints at Ecola State Park as gray whales migrate along the coast. In the fall, immerse yourself in the prestigious Stormy Weather Arts Festival in early November. In winter, embrace the dramatic beauty of a coastal storm, a celebrated local pastime.
- Cook Your Catch: Pick up the freshest local seafood from Ecola Seafoods, a combination fish market and restaurant. Take it back to your rental and prepare a true Pacific Northwest feast. There’s nothing quite like cooking your own Dungeness crab or salmon while listening to the waves crash outside your window.
- Take a Day Trip: Use your home base to explore further. Consider a kayaking trip in the calm waters of nearby Nehalem Bay or try your hand at clamming for your dinner.
- The Last Bonfire: A quintessential Oregon Coast experience is a beach bonfire at dusk. As the sun dips below the horizon and paints the sky, gather around the warmth of the fire, listen to the surf, and reflect on a month spent not just seeing a place, but truly living in it.
