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 CouldronÂ
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
