Pretty much anything you would do any other time of year, you can do in the winter in Cannon Beach. You do need to be prepared for rain, but that doesn’t stop many people from enjoying the beaches, hiking trails, viewpoints or exploring the town. In fact, winter is a great time for all those activities with uncrowded beaches and trails. Wildlife sightings are much more common in the winter including herds of Roosevelt Elk, Bald Eagles, wintering birds in the Ecola Creek estuary and whale watching. The ocean’s winter personality is awesome with big waves crashing and roaring, nothing like the calm rolling waves of summer. The town is much easier to explore without large crowds, parking challenges and jam-packed restaurants. In general, winter in Cannon Beach is the town at its most authentic and relaxed.

There’s a year-round schedule of live theater performances, a working glassblowing studio where you can observe the artists at work, wine tasting and frequent events ranging from live music to festivals. Many people come hoping to experience the Oregon Coast’s famous winter storms. Frost, ice or snow is rare, so it’s easy to explore the entire North Oregon Coast region.