On Oregon’s windswept North Coast, Cannon Beach is bustling in the warmer months but offers a much more relaxed pace during the winter. That makes the cool season the ideal time to walk wide-open shorelines, storm-watch from safe havens and experience the artsy town’s thriving cultural scene.
The town stretches beachside for 4 miles, from Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site in the south to downtown Cannon Beach at the north end. Midtown Cannon Beach, where most hotels are located, is punctuated by dramatic Haystack Rock, a basalt sea stack reaching 235 feet into the sky. Grab your layers and travel every side street for holiday shopping, tasty treats and misty seaside scenery.
Go to an Arts Festival and See Migrating Gray Whales
Ecola State Park, immediately north of Cannon Beach, offers glorious views of land and sea as well as hiking trails to old-growth forest, surf spots and verdant meadows where herds of Roosevelt elk graze. Whale Watch Weeks (late December and early March) host volunteer whale experts to help visitors witness the southward migration of gray whales from viewpoints like the Ecola Point parking area, where hardy travelers storm-watch.
At low tide, visit Ecola State Park and Haystack Rock for an intimate glimpse of sea life in tide pools. Time your visit during king tides (extreme high and low tides) and the tide-pooling will be epic. If you’re on the coast when a king tide coincides with a winter storm, expect roaring, blustering waves; if not, king tides may deliver surprisingly glassy seas. During high tides and storms, watch safely from cliffside vantage points, never from the beach.
The festive season brings a packed schedule of performances, events and festivals where you can warm up indoors. Check the Haystack Holidays schedule for wreath-making workshops in Steidel Community Hall, which can be rented for group events. Grab tickets to see a holiday performance like “A Carol for Tiny Tim”at Coaster Theatre Playhouse. Or pick up a one-of-a-kind gift at the Tolovana Arts Colony Holiday Bazaar, an annual early-December showcase of local artists, jewelers, potters and other makers.
Since 1987, the Stormy Weather Arts Festival (early November) has drawn artists and arts lovers alike to Cannon Beach. This weekend-long arts festival celebrates Cannon Beach’s creative side with special receptions, artist talks, workshops and unique shows. Visitors can take workshops on topics ranging from painting watercolor landscapes to taking great photos of your dog, meet artists over a glass of wine and see live music.
Eat Seafood and Stay in a Beachfront Inn
If weather gets fierce, your hotel room provides a snug retreat. Stephanie Inn, awarded “No. 1 Resort in the West” in Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2025, clings to the beach with a view of nearby Haystack Rock. Get toasty with a gas fireplace and a soaking tub in every room or revitalize in the spa. Oceanfront rooms delight storm-watchers. Pet-friendly Surfsand Resort is also right on the beach and offers beach cruiser bike rentals, freshly baked cookies and an indoor pool and hot tub. Enjoy the garden setting at the pet-friendly Inn at Cannon Beach, where guests can borrow games, books and movies.
Wintry comfort food like clam chowder and onion rings reward visitors for braving the chill. Public Coast Brewing Co. also serves fresh, local ingredients from the greenhouse, orchards, hop fields, beehives and blueberry crop at its 20-acre Public Coast Farm. At Driftwood Restaurant & Lounge, your dog can join you on the deck while you make new friends around the fire pit. Savor coastal steakhouse classics like oysters Rockefeller or Dungeness crab Louie for lunch and dinner.
Grab a sweet treat at Cannon Beach Bakery, where the case bursts with baked confections, along with hot chocolate and espresso. Grab a last-minute cake or cupcakes for celebrations, or bear claws, Bismarcks and lattes to enjoy while storm-watching from your car. Anna’s Table offers upscale sea-to-table dining with an emphasis on local and sustainable ingredients. The menu changes seasonally, and the open kitchen invites you to witness the culinary magic in action.
Staying in the south end of town? Beachfront Tolovana Inn offers full kitchens in its studios and suites. Relax in the indoor saltwater pool, whirlpool spa and sauna, and then head next door to Mo’s Seafood & Chowder, a generational favorite, for classic fish and chips or their beloved chowder. Enjoy ocean views while you dine, then work it off with a 25-minute beach walk to Haystack Rock.
Shop for Local Gifts and Sweet Treats
Cannon Beach offers plenty of opportunities to shop local for holiday gifts or your own souvenirs. Browse Love & Hemlock, where they embrace a bohemian, maximalist aesthetic. Shop wellness gifts and more at Beach Soap and Candle. Glass gallery and hot shop Icefire Glassworks presents a kaleidoscope of glass art, including holiday ornaments, as well as occasional demonstrations and events (check their calendar for details). Basalt Studio is a ceramics workshop and gallery featuring multiple artists and media. Find something to read by the fire or give as a gift at Cannon Beach Book Company. Decadent gifts tempt at Chocolate Cafe, where you might indulge in a hot chocolate or its legendary chocolate milkshake.
