Haystack Rock
by JetlagCity
Cannon Beach is best known for Haystack Rock, a rocky monolith jutting out of the water that's been designated as a marine and bird sanctuary. Puffins nest here in the summertime. It's a nice place to walk along the beach and commune with nature.
The inter-tidal zone (area of the beach between high tide and low tide) is full of small limpets, barnacles, and colorful starfish, and lends itself nicely to quiet exploration and contemplation.
Trails along the Coast
by JetlagCity
Besides walking right on the beach, there are a number of trails right outside of town that wander along forested cliffs by the ocean and give you some good lookouts up and down the coast. Much of the year mists and fog banks roll in and out from the Pacific.
Ecola State Park is a good place to start. Ecola means whale in the Native American Chinook language, and you can see migrating orcas and gray whales from here in the spring.
Sand remover!
by ZanieOR
I travel to the coast in a car, so usually take more than I need, bringing along an extra duffel bag to contain the sand. I usually bring both water shoes and winter boots that work well if it's cold to hike on the beach (the water is cold!).
I always bring shorts or loose pants easy to roll up, as well as a jacket and warm hat even in the summer; you just never know.
Also lots of pairs of sox and -- for lack of sand remover -- a plastic bag or two to segregate your wet, sandy sox and other pieces of apparel.
If you bring kids, bring lots of changes of clothes.
Even if you don't intend on getting wet, those waves walking along the ocean can be sneaky. Anyone who visits Cannon Beach should have a good binoculars and a good camera. For fun, I bring a kite to fly and a bucket and shovel to dig in the sand if I feel like it. Of course if you have kids bring more kites and more shovels, enough for everyone.
Ecola Creek State Park
by guagliardo
Its not really off the beaten path, but its an incredible journey into what appears to be a "Jurassic Park". My husband was very impressed with the moss covered trees and abundant fern. It was really cool.
Haystack Rock
by GuthrieColin
Cannon beach is most well known for its small town feel and the ‘Sea Stack’ called Haystack Rock. The rock rises 235 feet (72 meters) from the beach and is home to nesting seabirds in the summer and marine invertebrates all year long.
The City web site says it is the third largest monolith in the world. I know that El Capitan in Yosemite National Park claims to be the largest granite monolith but title’s aside it is quite impressive. The 200,000 visitors to the rock per year would probably agree with me as well.