One of the first things I wanted to do when I moved to Portland was visit Cannon Beach. I had been ogling over photos taken there and somehow knew that I would love it. When we reached the town, I couldn't wait to look over the hill to the water. It was every bit as breathtaking as I imagined. Looming clouds, craggy rocks and a lingering fog. Haystack Rock was unbelievable. Absolutely nothing like the East Coast beaches I am used to. Although, I hear that it is referred to as the "coast" here, rather than the "beach". The eerie hovering clouds and the slightly chilly breeze added a beautiful slowness to the day. As someone who often takes on too much in a day, a slowness is exactly what I needed after our crazy road trip to the West Coast. And the best part was that it wasn't overcrowded. It was a beautiful day and yet there was plenty of room to feel the vastness of the ocean. We were lucky enough to experience low tide at Cannon Beach. Suddenly it turns into a nature reserve! Tide pools are filled with sea anemones, starfish and other wiggly creatures. Signs are put out to prevent visitors from harming the sea life, but you can freely walk between the tide pools. It was amazing.
I've never been one to lay out on the beach anyway, so I don't mind that the weather is fairly chilly there. The restaurants are kind of pricey, so I'd recommend packing a lunch. However, I heard the Sleepy Monk has fantastic coffee. It was closed when we were there, but I can't wait to try it next time.
Here are a few photos from my trip to Cannon Beach. It's definitely in my top 10 favorite places in the world so far.
