The northern Oregon coast between Seaside and Cannon Beach covers about 10 miles of shoreline that looks nothing like California beaches. These are wide, windswept, dark-sand beaches backed by Sitka spruce and cape headlands. Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach rises 235 feet from the waterline. The water is cold and the surf can be strong. Swimming is not the point for most visitors. The scenery and the wildlife are.
Here are the six best beaches in this stretch, based on BeachCheck data and what each one actually offers.
Seaside Beach Oregon
Seaside Beach is the most visited beach on the northern Oregon coast, rated 4.7 stars across 5,068 reviews on BeachCheck. That review count is the highest of any Oregon beach in the directory by a significant margin. Seaside is a proper beach town: the mile-long oceanfront Promenade runs parallel to the sand, lined with arcades, restaurants, and rental shops.
The beach itself is wide and flat. The Necanicum River meets the ocean at the north end of the beach, creating a lagoon-like area where the water is calmer. This makes the river mouth end of the beach better for kids. The main ocean stretch has surf and is cold (50-55°F year-round). The Promenade is where people actually spend most of their time in Seaside.
Parking is the main challenge. Downtown Seaside has several paid lots and metered street parking. Summer weekends fill by 10am. Arrive before 9am or plan to walk from further out. Seaside is 80 miles from Portland, which makes it one of the most accessible Oregon coast destinations from the city.
Internal link: Seaside Beach Oregon
Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach rates 4.9 stars across 279 reviews, the highest-rated of the six beaches listed here. The beach is wide and long, running about 4 miles from Ecola Creek to Chapman Point. Haystack Rock sits about 200 yards offshore and is accessible on foot at low tide. The rock's base supports tidepools with sea stars, hermit crabs, and anemones. Tufted puffins nest on the rock from April through August.
The surf here is real. Waves break unpredictably along the main beach and strong rip currents form near the creek mouth and the rock. Swimming is possible on calm summer days but the ocean temperature stays around 50-55°F and waves can arrive quickly. Most people walk the beach and watch rather than swim.
Cannon Beach town has a strong gallery and restaurant scene for an Oregon coast destination. Accommodations range from motels to rental houses. High season is July and August; spring and fall have fewer visitors and the puffins are present in spring.
Internal link: Cannon Beach
Crescent Beach
Crescent Beach curves along the north side of Ecola State Park, just south of the main Cannon Beach stretch. It rates 4.8 stars across 70 reviews. The beach is accessible from Ecola State Park via a trail that drops about 200 feet from the trailhead parking area. The hike in keeps crowds low.
Once down, the beach is more sheltered than the main Cannon Beach stretch because it sits in a cove backed by the park headlands. Conditions are calmer. The rock formation views from here look back toward Haystack Rock and up to Tillamook Head. It's a better photography spot than the main beach for this reason: you're looking at the coastline rather than standing in front of it.
Ecola State Park charges a day use fee ($5 per vehicle as of 2026). The trailhead parking fills on summer weekends by mid-morning.
Internal link: Crescent Beach
Chapman Beach
Chapman Beach is a sheltered cove at the south end of the Cannon Beach area, rating 4.9 stars from 25 reviews. Review count is low but the rating is consistent with what the location offers: calmer water than the main Cannon Beach stretch due to the headland protection to the north. The beach is smaller and fewer visitors know it exists.
Chapman is a better option than the main beach for anyone who wants to swim or let kids closer to the water. The waves are reduced and the cove is more protected. Access is from South Hemlock Street in Cannon Beach.
Internal link: Chapman Beach
Lincoln City Beach Access
Lincoln City is about 50 miles south of Cannon Beach and worth including for visitors willing to drive the coastal highway. Lincoln City Beach Access rates 4.7 stars across 1,467 reviews. Lincoln City stretches across nearly 8 miles of beach, one of the longer continuous sand strips on the Oregon coast.
The main draw is a combination of tidal features: sea stacks and rock formations that appear at low tide, plus consistent kite-flying conditions from the steady coastal wind. The town is known for its casino (Chinook Winds) and factory outlet shopping rather than beach culture, which means the beach itself is less crowded than its size would suggest.
Lincoln City holds a glass float hunting tradition from October through May: local artists drop handblown glass floats on the beach daily and finders keep them. This is a legitimate winter activity that draws visitors specifically for beach walking during the off-season.
Internal link: Lincoln City Beach Access
Nelscott Beach
Nelscott Beach is a reef surf break in Lincoln City, rated 4.7 stars from 479 reviews. Nelscott Reef produces large, powerful waves during winter swells and has hosted professional surf contests. The beach itself is open to the public but the break is for experienced surfers only when the reef is working.
In summer and on smaller swell days, the beach is accessible for everyone and the waves are much more manageable. The reef break creates a consistent takeoff zone that intermediate surfers can read more easily than a beach break. Lincoln City has surf rental shops if you want to give it a try on a small day.
Internal link: Nelscott Beach
Practical Notes
Getting there: US-101 runs the length of the Oregon coast. From Portland, take US-26 west to US-101 south for Seaside (about 90 minutes), or continue to Cannon Beach (10 minutes further south). From Salem, take OR-18 west to the coast near Lincoln City.
Water temperature: 50-55°F year-round. The water does not warm up significantly in summer. Wetsuits are standard for anyone entering the water.
Best time to visit: July and August have the most reliable dry weather. Spring brings whale migrations along the coast (gray whales, late February through May). Winter storms are dramatic and the beaches are largely empty.
Dogs: Oregon state beaches are dog-friendly. Most northern coast beaches allow dogs on leash. Ecola State Park's Crescent Beach requires dogs to stay on trail except at the beach.
See all Oregon beaches on BeachCheck.