Young family exploring Haystack Rock in Oregon

Hike with kids

One of the all-time favorite activities in the Cannon Beach is hiking the beautiful trails that meander through the Oregon forest. And some of the best trails and viewpoints are very child-friendly! If you’re travelling with little ones, consider doing these walks with them:

• Ecola Point

• Short Sand Beach

• Hug Point

• Devil’s Couldron 

Father and son with a stroller on an accessible path in Oregon with lush trees lining the path.
Two girls on a kid friendly hike in Oregon with binoculars around their becks.

Explore tidepools & animal life

Little ones will love exploring the tidepools that appear at low tide! Bright starfish, textured barnacles and mussels, scurrying crabs, and sometimes even a sand dollar or two will appear to provide endless entertainment.

Check out the Animals You May Encounter!

Little boy enjoying looking at tidepool creatures at Arch Cape Oregon
Mother holding her baby while he grasps for mussels at a tide pools along the coast of Oregon.

Indulge in a treat while watching a local candymaker

It wouldn’t be a trip to Cannon Beach without a stop for ice cream, salt water taffy, or one of the countless confectionary options our candy stores offer! Keep alert while in-shop: you may just get to view the process of candy being made while you’re there!

Home made salt water toffee wrapped in wax paper.
Little girl in a pink t-shirt choosing ice cream flavor at a local ice cream shop
Super cute group of kids on vacation enjoying melting ice cream on waffle cones at downtown Cannon Beach.

Have a bonfire

Nothing says a childhood trip to the Oregon coast quite like ending the day with a bonfire on the beach. You can pick up firewood, hot dogs, and s’mores supplies at a local market; we’ll provide the marshmallow sticks! Check out our Bonfire Safety Tips!

A family enjoying a bonfire on the Oregon Coast by following the state regulations and rules
Smores Ingredients at a Beach Bonfire with Chocolate, Marshmallow, and Graham Crackers

Fly a kite

Kite flying: loved by both children and children-at-heart alike! Don’t worry about finding one before you travel to the beach; our local kite shop has something for everyone, whether you’re a newbie or a kite-controlling-ninja!

Wide sandy beach in Oregon with people walking and flying kites under a blue sky.
Adorable boy flying his kite in hands on a blue sky and sea background

Have a pizza picnic on the beach

Sure to become a family favorite, a pizza picnic on the beach couldn’t be an easier way to please a hungry crowd! Bundle up for the evening, grab a pizza to go at one of our two local pizza establishments and head down to the sand for a picnic-with-a-view. And when the view is Haystack Rock, you can’t get much better than that!

And if you’re not a pizza lover, check out our List of Cannon Beach Restaurants for other to-go options!

Group of friends having pizza on a picnic blanket on their vacation.
Pizza picnic at the beach

Build a sand castle

A childhood classic that doesn’t need an explanation! But it wouldn’t be a trip to the beach without making one and then watching it slowly disintegrate when the tide comes in.

Boy shaping wet sand into a sand castle.
Grandfather and granddaughter building a sand castle at the base at Haystack rock on their family vacation.

Marvel at Haystack Rock

Take your little ones down to the base of Haystack Rock so that they can marvel at its tremendous size. Watch the tide clocks in our houses so you know when low tide is and get up close. During the summer, volunteers spend time at the tidepools, helping identify the teeming wildlife.

Young family exploring Haystack Rock in Oregon
Young girl walking barefoot on a wet beach, with cliffs and ocean waves in the distance.
Parents and kids standing on a beach, gasing at Haystack Rock rising from the ocean at high tide.
Exclusive Deals, Insider Tips, and Local Favorites for Cannon Beach & Maui

Unlock $100 Off Your First Stay

Sign up today to receive our newsletter that we send out just four times a year.

Leave a Reply

Discover more from Heritage Vacation Homes

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading