7 miles S of Seaside, 112 miles N of Newport, 79 miles W of Portland
When most people dream of a vacation on the Oregon coast, chances are they're thinking of a place such as Cannon Beach: weathered cedar-shingle buildings, picket fences behind drifts of nasturtiums, quiet gravel lanes, interesting little art galleries, and massive rock monoliths rising from the surf just off the wide sandy beach. If it weren't for all the other people who think Cannon Beach is a wonderful place, this town would be perfect. However, Cannon Beach is suffering from its own quaintness and the inevitable upscaling that ensues when a place begins to gain national recognition. Once the Oregon coast's most renowned artists' community, Cannon Beach is now going the way of California's Carmel -- lots of upscale shopping tucked away in utterly tasteful little plazas along a neatly manicured main street. Despite the crowds, it still has a village atmosphere, and summer throngs and traffic jams can do nothing to assault the fortresslike beauty of the rocks that lie just offshore.
