Stumbled across this quaint little spot driving south after visiting Cannon Beach and I have to say…read moreit's a great place to spend some time! There is parking right at the beach access with a restroom (though from reading it's not always open) and if you're looking for a less crowded option on the coast, you should give this a visit. Some interesting seascapes to take in and a small waterfall (Hug Point Falls) to discover as well.

Yes you need to come here. Beautiful site and beach. Parking is easy but be prepared to do some…read morewalking.

Haystack Rock is spectacular and something you'd see on National Geographic. I couldn't believe…read morehow easily accessible it was from Canon Beach. There are tons of access points to the beach, but the easiest is to park in the parking lot and walk across the street, past the public bathrooms and homes, and you're immediately in front of Haystack Rock. The rock is impressive, jutting out of sea of crashing waves, dotted with greenery. The best part was watching all the pufffins flying round and round. At low tide, you can get pretty close up to bird watch or take photos. The puffins come to nest here in spring, and we saw a tons of them at the end of May. The history is just as interesting. The rock was created by ancient lava flow. People used to climb the rock back in the day and get stranded when high tide came in, requiring many rescues. To prevent this, they dynamited the bottom, creating the monolith shape we see today. The rock is now a protected marine garden and wildlife refuge. It was even featured in The Goonies movie. The beach stretches for miles, so you can also continue on for a nice walk. They were also dog friendly. We saw several remnants of fire pits, so guessing they are ok.

The "Goonies Rock" is no where near Astoria like the movie makes it out to be. No matter what, it…read moreis absolutely worth the drive. Parking is non-existent because you have to walk down a pathway between two houses to get to there, I mean of course there are probably areas North or South of the actual rock but I am not aware of them myself. We were lucky and able to find a spot directly across the pathway that just happened to have someone pulling out. Walking down that pathway, I took a video and love how it shows the beauty of the area just opening up. It was more than I could have wished for after growing up loving the movie Goonies and was delighted that we got there when we did. Tide was out, so the dreamy tide pools that you see associated with the northwest coastlines were accessible and all the wonderful wildlife that live within them. Also, we were able to watch the sunset, which was cloud covered but who cares. While walking around, it first started with just rolling up my pants, so then having a misstep and one of my shoes getting soaked so then I was like, oh well, off with the shoes and walk around freely to be able to go rock to rock or wade around to get to the numerous tidepools. All worth the super cold feet later on in the car. There is just something about seeing everything in the wild vs in various zoos or aquariums. It was by far my favorite part of our trip to Portland and something I'd love to revisit again, regardless of the distance and drive back.

Love this little park, which was walking distance from our Vrbo rental house. I had to burn some…read moreenergy off of my two year old son, before our long drive to PDX. And I found this park on Yelp. I used my nav & the walk was only seven minutes one-way. When we arrived, nobody was around, maybe it was because it was only 7:45AM, lol. My son had a blast with the swings & slides. So elated to have discovered this fun park.

Great park! Big playground. Public bathrooms. Picnic tables (covered). Small boat launch. Good spot…read morefor an outdoor music event. Also got an adjacent bumpy bike area to ride and jump bikes. Kids loved it!

Beautiful hiking opportunities! My family put up a fight every time I wanted to hike, so I tried to…read morefind short and pretty hikes. We did the Devil's Cauldron, which fit the bill perfectly. The first part was a little exposed, so definitely wear a hat and sunscreen. Spectacular views at end. For all state parks, I recommend hitting a visitors center (most cities and towns have one), and buy a state park pass that's good for a month. They're not that expensive, well worth the cost.

Cape Falcon trail is a great hike, beautiful views. Perfect beach getaway near Cannon beach! Highly…read morerecommend for children and adults alike!

With being the location for the popular Haystack Rock, you'd think this beach would be so crowded,…read morebut it is pleasantly not. On top of that, Canon Beach is so easily accessible. There are tons of access points to the beach, but the easiest is to park in the Haystack Public Parking lot and walk across the street, past the public bathrooms and homes, and you're immediately in front of Haystack Rock. Besides Haystack Rock, Canon Beach itself was kinda boring to me though. The long stretch was rockless and smooth, just sand and ocean horizon. My preference is to see more boulders and rocks to keep things interesting. This beach is excellent for runners, though, because of the smooth sand and long stretch. There were a lot of people clustered around Haystack Rock, but less dense further on. If you're looking for seashells, there are none. The sand is super smooth all the way. It is a nice beach but not too many people hang out here, which is great if you're local. For the most part, we saw people come to see the Rock and then leave.

Cannon Beach is stunning -- especially Haystack Rock with its dramatic waves, wide shoreline, and…read morefresh ocean air. It's the kind of place you naturally want to return to. The only downside is beach access. If you follow Google Maps from downtown, it may lead you to a stair-heavy entrance with no ADA access and very limited parking -- not ideal for strollers, wheelchairs, or anyone with mobility needs. Tip: skip the default route and go to W. Gower Street instead. It's flat, easy, stroller-friendly, and takes you directly onto the sand without stairs. Also, expect strong wind along the shoreline. A hooded windbreaker is highly recommended -- even on calm-looking days, the wind can be surprisingly intense. Overall, Cannon Beach is a 5-star destination. Just knowing the right access point and coming prepared for the weather makes the experience even better.

A short hike from the parking lot trailhead leads you to this beach. I was surprised since there…read morewas a restroom with plumbing right next to the beach, in addition to the one at the trailhead. I guess it gets very busy during the summer. The trail is well marked and well maintained, with only one or two muddy areas which are easily navigated to avoid getting wet. I wasn't able to get close to Blumenthal Falls on the north end of Short Sand Beach due to the tide and waves, but I could see it from the end of the trail on the beach. It's on of the very few waterfalls in the PNW that cascades into the Pacific Ocean. Very pretty! The beach itself is very picturesque as it's located in a cove surrounded by mountains. Several benches are present to let you take it all in.

We always drive right by, as most of the year parking is impossible. Luckily we decided to pull off…read morelast weekend, so glad! Varied winding trails from the parking lot through gorgeous trees. The trails go off in different directions with decent signage along the way. Let's be real, the Oregon coastline is gorgeous no matter where you decide to stop off, and Short Sand is no different. Two creeks emerge from the trees flowing onto the sands and into what feels like a huge "cove" with great waves (at least this day) and a lovely beach. Beautiful spot! I can see why it's so busy during most of the year, but it's sooo peaceful right now during the winter!

This is an absolute must place for your Oregon trip…read more This place is so peaceful, calming, birds flying, people and kite watching, a nice place to sit and just listen to the waves. A wonderful park.

Arguably the most beautiful beach on the Oregon coast. Part of the Oregon State Parks system,…read moreTolovana Beach State Park is open dawn to dusk -no overnight parking or camping- with free parking (cars & bikes), clean bathrooms, easy beach access for most people but those with mobility issues may have a more difficult time. There are nice picnic tables sprinkled throughout the parking lot and a kids playground on the north side of the lot. The Tolovana beach is a gorgeous place to fly a kite, take a walk and look for seashells but the water is a tad too cold for swimming imho, but you can catch a breathtaking sunset almost any time of the year. To the north is Haystack rock on Cannon beach, a towering 235 foot basalt sea stack that is home to many tidepool creatures and nesting seabirds, like the Tufted Puffin. Be aware that dogs are allowed off-leash on the beach if well-behaved. And if you're hungry, Mo's Seafood is right next-door with equally great views in the diningroom. What more could you ask for?

Les Shirley Park is located just off of highway 101 in the small town of Cannon Beach, Oregon…read more This is a small quite park that only locals know about . It's "OUR "little secret! The park has a fairly large parking lot, picnic areas, restrooms, educational material, bus stop, and access to the beach. Even-though it may take you an extra 15 minutes to walk to Haystack Rock from here , you wont have to deal with all the tourist crowds. Remember ! It's our little secret! As I sit here writing this review over looking the vast Pacific Ocean in Newport , I can see Yaquina Head Lighthouse far in the distance to my right and it makes me realize how blessed I really am. Enjoy !

Nice little park right outside of the beach. A few picnic tables and pretty clean. Some grass area…read moreif you want to picnic on the ground and pet friendly. Restroom on the other side and parking lot in the middle. Quite windy but a nice little spot.