What makes the perfect vacation? Is it long walks on the beach with someone special? Is it sharing fresh seafood to the soundtrack of the ocean waves? Or is it relaxing and connecting with your family in front of a crackling fire, then stepping outside onto the deck to gaze at the Milky Way?
Travel gives us the chance to reconnect with what matters: our loved ones, the splendor of the natural world, and the joy of experiencing new things together. That all comes together at Surfsand Resort. This completely renovated resort in Cannon Beach offers a combination of luxurious amenities, on-site coastal cuisine and warm hospitality designed to bring people together and forge lifelong memories. Here’s everything you can look forward to at this oceanfront icon on the North Coast.
Spot Sea Life and Savor S’mores
You’ll feel comfortable the moment you arrive in Surfsand’s welcoming lobby, designed with natural materials that echo the natural beauty of the Oregon Coast. Let the kids compete to see who can get the most saltwater taffy from the refurbished 1933 claw machine while you check in, then gather in your guest room, many of which offer stunning beach views. Budding naturalists will love in-room spyglass telescopes for spotting whales or other marine life, while comfort seekers can luxuriate under the rainfall showers and set the mood with a cozy fireplace. Even your pup can embrace that vacation mindset with a pet package that includes treats, a courtesy ball, handsome bandana and bowl. The resort also has a new pet-washing station for freshening up after a long romp on the sand.
But it’s not just about amenities. At Surfsand, the experiences are just as memorable. There’s always something happening in the resort’s common spaces, from Friday local beer tastings, Saturday ice cream socials and Sunday hot dog roasts to the signature Bonfire Bash. Surfsand staff set up beachfront bonfires — complete with marshmallows, roasting forks, graham crackers and chocolate — to set the stage for scenic s’mores memories. You can even arrange at the front desk for staff to set up a personal bonfire, so you can focus on enjoying the sunset.
Dungeness Crab Cakes and Cocktails With Haystack Rock Views
Oregon seafood is always a memorable treat, but savoring Dungeness crab Benedict or Oregon pink shrimp ceviche while gazing out at Haystack Rock elevates the experience to a new level. The on-site Wayfarer Restaurant & Lounge has been a staple in the Cannon Beach dining scene since it opened in 1977, and once again received the Open Table Diners’ Choice Best All Around Award in Cannon Beach. With a new executive chef at the helm, it’s now a top spot for enjoying local seafood and other Oregon ingredients with a picture-postcard view of the crashing surf.
Wayfarer serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you can visit multiple times. Dig into comfort-food favorites like crab cakes or halibut fish and chips, or try something new — like pan-fried razor clams, which only grow in the Pacific.
You’ll find plenty of options for everyone, whether they’re omnivorous, vegetarian or gluten-free. Think pulled-pork poutine with Tillamook cheese curds made right down the road, or curry-roasted cauliflower served over seasonal risotto. Then settle in to enjoy a romantic sunset over Haystack Rock with your loved one at the restaurant’s lounge over a glass of Oregon wine or the signature Purple Hazestack cocktail, a violet-hued riff on a gin and tonic.
Spot Puffins, Tide Pools and Coastal Views
The opportunities for fun and relaxation don’t stop at Surfsand, as the beach is mere steps away. Surfsand is among the closest hotels to Haystack Rock, where tufted puffins come to nest every April (bring your binoculars). To see more sea life, head out to the beach about an hour before low tide, when numerous tide pools emerge all around the rock, creating living displays of colorful sea stars and flowerlike sea anemones. Later, bundle up the family and return that night, when dark skies — especially around the new moon — create perfect conditions for stargazing in the salty sea air. When you head back to your room, bedside starlight projectors mean you can drift off with the northern lights projected above you.
For an unforgettable day, rent beach cruisers for your family to pedal along the beach. Find a picnic spot, then challenge the group to a sandcastle-building competition inspired by Cannon Beach’s annual Sandcastle Contest, which transforms the beach into an open-air museum of cities, magical creatures and galleons under sail each June. Families also love Short Sand Beach at Oswald West State Park, about 10 miles south. It’s a short walk through the coastal forest to the beach itself. Little kids will love the chance to spot wildflowers, mushrooms and salamanders on the way down, then hunt for special rocks and sculptural driftwood on the beach.
However you spend your day, head back to Surfsand before dusk to catch the sunset from the resort. The memories of your visit are sure to linger long after the final apricot hues fade from the sky.
