The Magic Season in Cannon Beach

Eagles soar over the beaches. Large crashing waves thunder as they collide with the rocky shore following a storm. Between October and May, the pace of the coast changes dramatically, and it’s a magical time to visit for wildlife lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and those looking to enjoy secluded beaches and the uncrowded streets of Cannon Beach. Weather can be unpredictable, but that’s precisely what quiet season visitors love about Cannon Beach. Many seek the wonder of the howling winds, drenching rains, and crashing waves that can only be experienced this time of year. Others watch the weather forecast for fair skies when a visit to Cannon Beach can offer spectacular days, brilliant sunsets, and beaches to enjoy practically to yourself. Room rates during this quiet season are attractive when ocean-view rooms are offered at reduced rates. Slip away mid-week, and the savings are unsurpassed.

Here are some great reasons and attractions to enjoy for your secret magic getaway:

Immerse in the Arts

Cannon Beach is well known for being an arts town where artists of all ages are celebrated and welcomed to create. Many, with inspiration from the local scenery and natural beauty, create outstanding pieces of work that are cherished for a lifetime. The fall in Cannon Beach is an exciting time for arts festival enthusiasts as it becomes host to many events all season long. Celebrate the connection of the earth and the arts at the Earth and Oceans Arts Festival in the early fall, where the festival benefits the local conservation non-profits. Continue the creativity late into the fall with the Stormy Weather Arts Festival at the beginning of November. The Stormy Weather Arts Festival is usually accompanied by the beginning of the stormy season on the North Oregon Coast. You'll find many artists and their latest pieces are inspired by the dramatic tone of the fall and winter landscapes.

Storm watching

A Pacific storm is an experience that many hardy visitors seek out, and Cannon Beach is the perfect place to take it in. Safe vantage points, including many oceanfront resorts, allow you to survey the scene and feel the power of the wind, rain, and waves that have sculpted these striking landscapes. Some of the most remarkable scenes occur following a storm as wind-tossed seas continue to pound the coastline and explode on rock formations along the shore. Here are some beach safety tips.

Great Room Rates

Whether you are seeking a storm or watching the weather report for one of those fantastic stretches of unseasonably beautiful days, you will discover great room rates by avoiding peak seasons. Slip away midweek during the quiet season for even bigger savings and uncrowded beaches.

Holiday Lights

Beginning in mid-November, the village of Cannon Beach lights up downtown with colorful displays of festive holiday lighting. In early December, even the seas offshore light up with twinkling lights as the commercial Dungeness Crab fishing season begins and crabbers haul in the Northwest delicacy. The community’s Haystack Holidays includes a series of yuletide small-town holiday events sure to get you in the spirit.

Atmospheric Allure

Some of the year’s most beautiful sunsets, dramatic cloud formations, and captivating light spill over the stunning coastal landscapes during the quiet season. Fog weaves through the trees, and a warm glow blankets the beaches as the sun illuminates the lingering marine layer. There’s no limit to the magical scenes of light and color.

Best Beachcombing

Beachcombers are rewarded with the year's best finds as high tides, and strong winds bring in natural and artificial surprises.

Whale Watching

An estimated 18,000 Gray Whales migrate offshore between mid-March and mid-April, from mid-December to mid-January. It’s the longest migration of any mammal on Earth. For one week, during the peak of each migration, volunteers are available at Ecola State Park to help visitors spot whales during the coast-wide Whale Watching program. ­

Secluded Beaches

Sometimes, you can enjoy long stretches of beach all to yourselves when you visit during the quiet season. Visit mid-week and check out the nearby beaches to the north and south to find your paradise away from the crowds.

Roosevelt Elk

When summer crowds fade away, herds of majestic Roosevelt Elk emerge from the forest shadows and can often be seen ­grazing in meadows or walking through the edges of town. Early mornings and dusk offer the most frequent sightings, but elk might be seen around any corner.

Bird Watching

Any time of year is bird-watching season in Cannon Beach, but fall, winter, and spring bring various opportunities. Fall brings birds migrating the Pacific Flyway and populations of fowl, who winter in the mild climes of the coast’s estuaries and woodlands. Look for Buffleheads, Mergansers, and other waterfowl in Ecola Creek or the 2nd Street lagoons. ­Seabirds arrive for nesting in April. Watch Tufted Puffins at Haystack Rock through mid-summer and observe crowded colonies of Common Murres on Bird Rocks off the north end of Cannon Beach. Spring migrations also offer sightings of a wide variety of shorebirds, who make surprise ­appearances on the beaches. Pelicans begin arriving in spring and build in numbers into fall. Watch for them soaring gracefully just above the ocean's surface and sometimes diving into the waters with a splash.

Great Shopping and Services

Enjoy the uncrowded shops and abundance of professional services ranging from massage to surf lessons. Cannon Beach is the perfect fall, winter, and spring destination.

Wildflowers

Spring is wildflower season on the Oregon Coast, with exciting varieties blooming in coastal meadows, woodlands, bluffs, and beaches. Look for Trillium blooming in the rainforest in March, then Wood Violet, Bleeding Hearts, and others. Look for Wild Iris and Coast Paintbrush in meadows.