Seaside, Ecola State Park and Cannon Beach

Seaside

Seaside is Oregon’s oldest family beach.  Ice cream parlors, game arcades, eateries and gift shops crowd along the main road. The beach is long and flat with a three mile boardwalk winding through the dunes.  As we walked along the boardwalk we saw families, bicycle riders and dog walkers and these lovely cottages with gardens filled with beautiful flowers

Ecola State Park

Ecola State Park sits on the edge of Tillomook Head in the north end of Cannon Beach. The park’s eight-mile segment has been designated as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

When we arrived , we were the only ones in the parking lot.  It was a foggy and overcast morning.  I had left something in the car so Shawn went on ahead down the winding path to the beach. I took my time as the area was unique with lots of interesting scenes to photograph.

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach is a charming seaside community once listed by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful places in the world.  Haystack Rock towers offshore and Hug Point State Recreation Site is just a few minutes south. The town itself is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants and beach cottages.

We arrived in Cannon Beach early in the morning and consequently, very few places were open.  We stopped at a bakery hoping to get a bagel or donut, but we came away empty handed when we saw that donuts were $4.00 a piece.  I was sorry we didn’t get to shop and look around a bit more as it was such a picturesque, and quaint little town. We drove to the end of the town where we parked near a restaurant called the Wayfarer Restaurant. It was open so we thought to have breakfast there after our trek to the beach to see Haystack Rock. It was again foggy and chilly so we were happy to take a few photos and hurry to the restaurant for breakfast.  It was a very nice restaurant and from the windows you could see Haystack Rock. It was probably the most delicious breakfast I had on our trip.  The Eggs Benedict were scrumptious!

Haystack Rock

Haystack Rock is the third largest sea stack in the state measuring 235 ft. high.  You might want to know what a sea stack is – a sea stack is is a large stack of rock in the sea that looks like a tall stone tower, separated from the main shoreline. All sea stacks start out as part of a nearby rock formation. It takes thousands or even millions of years to separate one part of the rock from the original cliff. Over time, this too, gets broken down as the water breaks down its base.

The next post is Hug Point Recreation Site.

.