Information
City: Cannon BeachCountry: USA Oregon
Continent: North America
Cannon Beach, USA Oregon, North America
Overview
Cannon Beach, Oregon, is a small seaside town on the state’s northwest coast, where waves roll in from the Pacific about 80 miles west of Portland.Cannon Beach, known for its rugged shoreline, the towering Haystack Rock, and a thriving arts scene, thrives on tourism, blending recreation, conservation of its wild beauty, and the warmth of a close-knit small town.Sitting right off U. S. Route 101, it’s an easy drive to nearby coastal towns, yet it still keeps its own charm-like the way the cliffs catch the light at sunset.Cannon Beach is home to about 1,700 people, though in summer the streets fill with visitors as tourism and vacation rentals swell the population far beyond the usual count.Over 90% of the population is White, while smaller groups include Hispanic or Latino, Asian, and multiracial residents-you might notice that mix in the few family-owned shops along Main Street.The median age hovers around 51, a blend of retirees, seasonal workers, and locals who’ve called the place home for decades.Many adults here hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, a sign that people come for the coastal lifestyle, the thriving creative scene, and solid career options.It’s a small, tight-knit community where murals brighten the walls, visitors keep the cafés buzzing, and caring for the shore is part of daily life.In Cannon Beach, tourism, hospitality, and the arts keep the town alive-the galleries hum with color, the inns fill with summer travelers, and nearly every job ties back to visitors.Hotels, cozy inns, vacation rentals, bustling cafés, and small shops all bustle with activity, especially when summer tourists arrive.Local galleries, artisan shops, and lively cultural events boost the economy and help the city shine as a true arts hub, from vibrant street murals to bustling weekend markets.The city backs small service businesses, offers room for professional work, and creates seasonal jobs in tourism-think café tables lining sunlit streets in summer.Because the area’s so desirable and housing’s scarce, living here costs more than average-median home prices top $750,000, a clear sign of the premium people pay for ocean views and winding cliffside roads.At Cannon Beach, the air stays mild year-round, with winters bringing steady rain and a damp chill, while summers are gentler and mostly dry.In winter, the air hovers between the upper 30s and mid-40s Fahrenheit (3–7°C), cold enough to see your breath, while summer days warm to somewhere between the mid-50s and mid-70s (13–24°C).Each year brings about 70 inches of rain, most of it falling between October and April, when streets glisten under steady gray skies.Snow hardly ever falls, but winter often brings thick fog and long stretches of gray skies.The city sits on a rugged stretch of coast, where windswept beaches meet craggy cliffs and tide pools glint with trapped sea water.The city is ringed by coastal forests, quiet wetlands, and windswept dunes, a vivid reminder that its environment needs careful management and protection.In Cannon Beach, development focuses on keeping its small-town charm, protecting historic buildings, and blending gracefully with the ocean views.Downtown is lined with boutique shops, art-filled galleries, and cozy restaurants, all connected by brick-paved, walkable streets.Because of tight geography and a focus on preserving the land, residential neighborhoods stay small, with everything from weathered old cottages to sleek modern houses and sunny vacation homes.With so few homes on the market, prices stay high, and seasonal rentals are snapped up fast-like beach cottages booked months before summer.City planners work to balance tourism with the care of public spaces and the protection of fragile coastal shores, like dunes that shift with the wind.Cannon Beach sits along U. S. Route 101, the highway that winds past the sea and connects it to Portland, Seaside, and other coastal towns.Public transit here is sparse, just a few regional buses rumbling between the nearby cities.Most people here get around by car, bike, or on foot, weaving through narrow streets and shaded sidewalks.The city puts a strong focus on making downtown and its parks easy to explore on foot or by bike, with wide sidewalks and smooth, winding paths.Local utilities and city services are built to handle the needs of year-round residents as well as the surge of visitors-like the summer weekends when the streets brim with beachgoers.Cannon Beach is known across the country for its vibrant arts scene, from sunlit galleries to hands-on workshops and lively seasonal festivals.Life in the city revolves around the outdoors-residents and visitors alike spend their days beachcombing for smooth shells, exploring tide pools, flying kites in the salty breeze, hiking nearby trails, and snapping photos of it all.This city draws its character from the land around it-wind in the pines, sunlight on the river-and it places great care on valuing and protecting the environment.From art fairs to seaside concerts, community events bring locals and visitors together, celebrating culture, creativity, and life by the shore.Cannon Beach puts the environment first, working to protect its beaches, windswept dunes, and quiet forests through sustainable practices.Policies promote low‑impact development, protect public lands, and support tourism that treats local places with care-like staying on marked trails to preserve wildflowers.The community’s working to restore habitats, haul trash from the shore, and teach neighbors how to care for the environment.Cannon Beach, Oregon, is a charming little coastal town where tourists fill the cafés, artists line the galleries, and the jagged outline of Haystack Rock rises from the surf.The economy leans on hospitality, retail, and cultural events, from busy cafés to weekend art fairs, while city planners focus on protecting its history and keeping that small-town feel.Cannon Beach blends mild sea air, sandy shores, and evergreen forests with a deep commitment to sustainability, creating a coastal lifestyle rooted in natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and a thriving creative scene.
Landmarks in Cannon Beach
