Cannon Beach to Manzanita: Otherworldly Auto Tour

Excerpted from Beach Connection.net

Owald State Park viewpoint, just south of Cannon Beach.

Owald State Park viewpoint, just south of Cannon Beach.

Few auto tours along the coastline are quite as engaging as that run between Manzanita and Cannon Beach.  It’s about 15 miles and about a dozen winding bends that enter a lush, forest canopy, only to reemerge along more stunning ocean viewpoints.

The curves begin just south of Cannon Beach, twisting along as you drive past pullouts and spots like Hug Point, Arcadia Beach and Arch Cape that never cease to amaze. Soon, you’ll enter the Arch Cape tunnel, which opens up to a brief glimpse of panoramic ocean views, before entering the forests of Oswald State Park. Here, check out the surfing Mecca of Short Sands Beach, some wondrous trails, primitive campsites and a couple of hidden beaches tucked along the road as well.

Short Sands surf beach

Short Sands surf beach, between Cannon Beach and Manzanita.

These viewpoints just south of Cannon Beach are some of the most famous on the entire Oregon coast.  The final attractions here are the Neahkahnie Overlooks just above Manzanita – one of the most popular viewpoints along Oregon’s coastline.

 

Coastal Sunsets at Cannon Beach a Spectacular Display of Color

Glorious Oregon coastal sunset, (George Vetter Photography)

Glorious Oregon coastal sunset, (George Vetter Photography)

As the days get longer, rooms with a view at Tolovana Inn are even more desirable.

That’s because Mother Nature’s gorgeous coastal sunsets are a beauty to behold and almost impossible to describe.

When the sun drops toward the Pacific Ocean horizon, the backdrops of color are breathtaking.  A maritime layer can turn the sun into a glowing ball of orange and the landscape a sky of golden light.   The evening sky can reveal a color palette from pink, purple and blues to orange, yellow and red.

Spring and early summer nights frequently offer a show stopping display of nature’s glory that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime, and fortunately for most Oregonians, much more than that.

Daylight lasts over 14 hours now, with sunset approaching 8:34pm.

With ocean front and ocean view rooms, Tolovana Inn provides front row viewing for magical nights on the coast, one of many highlights of any trip to Cannon Beach.

Call today to reserve your  stay in one of the  spacious, ocean front or ocean view room at the Tolovana Inn, in Cannon Beach.