23 BEST Beaches in Oregon and What To Do Nearby

If there’s one thing Oregon is known for, it’s the coast. Jagged sea stacks, hidden coves, sea caves, tide pools, massive dunes, and miles and miles of wild sand.

And here’s the best part: every beach in Oregon is public. A 1967 law keeps the whole coastline open to everyone.

So which ones are worth your time? These are our 23 favorite beaches in Oregon, north to south, plus what to do nearby and what you need to know about parking.

Oregon Beach Basics: Parking and Safety

• Parking passes: Lots of Oregon beaches are free, but some state parks, county parks, and Forest Service sites charge a daily parking fee. We note which pass you need for each beach below. Walking or biking in is always free.
• Sneaker waves are real: Never turn your back on the ocean, and stay off big logs on the sand. Waves can roll them in a second.
• Check the tides: Several beaches below are only reachable, or only safe, at low tide.

Northern Oregon Coast Beaches

1. Cannon Beach

No list of the best beaches in Oregon is complete without Cannon Beach. There are about 4 miles of sand here, so even on busy days you’ll find room to spread out.

The star is Haystack Rock, a 235-foot sea stack rising right out of the surf. At low tide, walk out to the tide pools around its base, which are a protected marine garden. In spring and summer, look for tufted puffins nesting on the rock!

• Parking: Free public lots and street parking in town. It gets packed on summer weekends.
• Don’t miss: Sunset at Haystack Rock, and the views from nearby Ecola State Park (permit required).

👉 Read the full guide: Things to Do in Cannon Beach

2. Hug Point

Lots of people blow right past Hug Point on their way between bigger parks. Don’t! This little beach has a waterfall pouring onto the sand, sea caves, and the remains of an old road carved into the cliff back when the beach WAS the highway.

• Tides: The waterfall and caves are only reachable around low tide. Go on a falling tide and head back early. People get trapped here by the incoming water.
• Parking: Small lot right off Highway 101, a few minutes south of Cannon Beach.

👉 Read the full guide: Hug Point State Recreation Site

3. Short Sand Beach

Short Sand Beach (aka “Shorty’s”) is one of the best surf beaches in Oregon. The cove protects it from the worst of the weather, so the waves are pretty consistent.

Even if you don’t surf, the walk in is magical. A short trail winds through old-growth Sitka spruce dripping with moss before spitting you out onto the sand. Waterfalls trickle down the cliffs into the tide pools.

• Parking: It’s part of Oswald West State Park, which requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Extend it: Hike out to Cape Falcon or climb Neahkahnie Mountain for huge views.

👉 Read the full guide: Short Sand Beach

4. Nehalem Bay Beach

This beach runs along a 4-mile sand spit between the ocean and Nehalem Bay, so you get two waterfronts in one. It’s a great spot for birdwatching, and you might see deer and elk grazing nearby.

• Things to do: Kayaking, crabbing, clamming, a paved bike path, and horseback riding.
• Parking: Nehalem Bay State Park requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit. The big campground here is a great base.

👉 Read the full guide: Nehalem Bay State Park

5. Oceanside Beach

Oceanside Beach sits below a tiny cliffside town of the same name, just off the Three Capes Scenic Route. The town is cute, the beach is wide, and there’s a fun secret at the north end.

At low tide, a tunnel through Maxwell Point leads to another beach on the other side, called Tunnel Beach. Rockfall sometimes blocks it, so skip it if it’s been stormy or wet, and keep an eye on the tide.

• Parking: Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.

6. Cape Lookout

Cape Lookout has miles of beach on a spit between Netarts Bay and the ocean, plus one of the best whale watching hikes on the coast.

The Cape Trail heads out about 2.5 miles to the very tip of the cape, with ocean views most of the way. Gray whales pass close by in winter and spring.

• Things to do: Beachcombing, crabbing and clamming in Netarts Bay, and hiking.
• Parking: Cape Lookout State Park requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Tides: Parts of the beach disappear at high tide.

👉 Read the full guide: Cape Lookout State Park

7. Cape Kiwanda

Over in Pacific City, Cape Kiwanda is one of the most fun beaches in Oregon. Surfers paddle out, dory boats launch right off the sand, and Pacific City’s own Haystack Rock sits just offshore.

The big draw is the giant sand dune at the north end of the beach. Climbing it is a serious leg burner, but the view from the top is worth it. Just stay behind the fences on the sandstone. The cliffs past them are unstable, and people have died there.

• Parking: The beach lot is run by Tillamook County and needs its own $10 day pass (credit card only). Your state parks permit won’t cover it.
• Bonus: Cape Kiwanda is one of the three capes on the Three Capes Scenic Route.

👉 Read the full guide: Cape Kiwanda

8. Neskowin Beach

Want a quieter beach? Neskowin is a tiny, low-key town with a long, uncrowded stretch of sand.

It’s famous for the Neskowin Ghost Forest: the stumps of ancient Sitka spruce trees poking out of the sand. They were buried around 2,000 years ago, likely by a big earthquake, and storms uncover them. Winter is the best time to see them.

• Don’t miss: Proposal Rock, the forested sea stack right off the beach. Walk out at low tide, but watch the water.
• Nearby: Hiking trails on Cascade Head, just south of town.

Where to Stay on the Northern Oregon Coast

Cannon Beach is the classic base, with tons of hotels and rentals. Pacific City is smaller and great for Cape Kiwanda and the Three Capes. Prefer to camp? Nehalem Bay and Cape Lookout State Parks both have big campgrounds.

Central Oregon Coast Beaches

9. Beverly Beach

Beverly Beach is a wide, sandy beach stretching about 5 miles from Yaquina Head (with its lighthouse) up to the Otter Rock headland. It’s a great all-rounder.

• Things to do: Surfing on the north end, fossil hunting to the south, kite flying, and sandcastles.
• Parking: Beverly Beach State Park requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Nearby: Devils Punchbowl and Yaquina Head Lighthouse are just minutes away.

👉 Read the full guide: Beverly Beach State Park

10. Hobbit Beach

Half the fun of Hobbit Beach is getting there. The Hobbit Trail winds through a tunnel of twisted trees and sandy banks down to the ocean. On a misty morning, it really does feel like Middle Earth.

• Getting there: The trail starts from a small pullout on Highway 101 just north of Heceta Head.
• Make it a loop: Combine it with the trail to Heceta Head Lighthouse for a great hike of about 3.5 miles.

11. Heceta Head Beach

Almost everyone stops for the lighthouse at Heceta Head, but the little cove beach right below it gets overlooked. It’s a great spot for a picnic, and the rocks offshore are packed with seabirds.

• Parking: Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Don’t miss: The short trail up to the lighthouse, one of the most photographed Oregon lighthouses.

👉 Read the full guide: Heceta Head

12. South Jetty Beach

Just south of Florence, South Jetty Road runs along the sand dunes to the mouth of the Siuslaw River. You get miles and miles of open beach with multiple access points, so it never feels crowded.

• Things to do: Beach walks, horseback riding, fishing, clamming, and surfing.
• Parking: It’s part of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, so you’ll need a Forest Service day pass or a Northwest Forest Pass.
• Heads up: Some areas are open to off-highway vehicles, and some are not.

13. John Dellenback Dunes Beach

The Oregon Dunes are the largest stretch of coastal dunes in North America, and the John Dellenback Dunes Trail is the best way to see them on foot.

The trail crosses massive open dunes (some several hundred feet tall), marked by posts, then ducks into a coastal forest before popping out on a wild, empty beach. Plan on roughly 2.5 miles each way, and soft sand makes it feel longer.

• Parking: The trailhead, about 11 miles south of Reedsport, needs a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful pass.
• Plover season: From March 15 to September 15, parts of the beach are closed to protect nesting snowy plovers. Stay on the wet sand and follow the signs.

👉 Read the full guide: The Oregon Dunes

Where to Stay on the Central Oregon Coast

Newport is the biggest town with the most options, and it’s close to Beverly Beach. Florence is perfect for Heceta Head, Hobbit Beach, and the dunes.

Southern Oregon Coast Beaches

14. Sunset Bay

Sunset Bay is a sheltered cove almost totally enclosed by sandstone cliffs. Because it’s shallow and protected, it’s one of the few beaches in Oregon where swimming is actually pleasant. (Pleasant for Oregon, anyway.)

• Things to do: Swimming, kayaking, tide pooling, and picnicking.
• Parking: Sunset Bay State Park requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Extend it: The Oregon Coast Trail connects Sunset Bay to Shore Acres and Cape Arago for amazing cliff views.

👉 Read the full guide: Sunset Bay State Park

15. Bullards Beach

Just north of Bandon, Bullards Beach has miles of open sand with the historic Coquille River Lighthouse at the south end. Plenty of room for everyone, even in summer.

• Things to do: Biking on the hard-packed sand near the surf, beach trails, horseback riding, and fishing in the Coquille River.
• Lighthouse: It opens for seasonal tours, so check ahead if you want to go inside.
• Parking: Bullards Beach State Park requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.

👉 Read the full guide: Bullards Beach State Park

16. Bandon Beach

Bandon Beach might be the most photogenic beach in Oregon. It’s scattered with huge sea stacks like Face Rock, Elephant Rock, and the Wizard’s Hat, and the sunsets here are legendary.

• Access: Beach Loop Drive has several access points, including Coquille Point, Face Rock Viewpoint, and the jetty by Old Town.
• Parking: Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit, but there are other access points along Beach Loop Drive.
• Things to do: Tide pooling, horseback rides on the sand, and fat-tire biking.

👉 Read the full guide: Bandon Beach

17. Floras Lake Beach

Want a beach all to yourself? Floras Lake is usually empty. Tall sandstone cliffs, 80 to 100 feet high, wall in the sand, and there’s even a little waterfall spilling onto the beach.

• The hike: Walk the beach about 6 miles round trip to where the cliffs of Blacklock Point meet the ocean.
• Timing: Go on a falling tide when the sand is firm. At high tide, the waves can hit the cliffs.
• Bonus: Floras Lake itself is a big spot for windsurfing and kiteboarding.

👉 Read the full guide: Floras Lake State Park

18. Port Orford Beach

Port Orford sits on a sheltered bay with sea stacks all along the shore. The beach is easy to walk, and there’s a lot to see.

• Things to do: Whale watching, tide pooling, surfing, and kayaking the bay when it’s calm.
• Don’t miss: Climbing Battle Rock, named for an 1851 clash between local Native people and a group of settlers.

👉 Read the full guide: Things to Do Around Port Orford

19. Sisters Rock Beach

Three massive rocks loom over this beach. Two are connected to the mainland, and the third is its own little island. Sisters Rock is undeveloped and rarely busy, which is exactly why we love it.

• Explore: Dark pebbly sand, sea caves, arches, and narrow inlets on both sides of the rocks.
• Nearby: Humbug Mountain, about 10 minutes north, has its own beach, a summit trail, and a campground.

👉 Read the full guide: Sisters Rock State Park

20. Secret Beach

Not much of a secret anymore, but still one of the coolest beaches on the coast. Secret Beach is a pocket cove in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, with sea stacks, two little creeks, and a waterfall spilling onto the rocks.

• Parking: Skip the roadside pullouts on Highway 101 and park at an official lot. Thunder Rock Cove is the best option, about 1 mile round trip.
• Tides: Low tide only. The last bit down to the sand is a scramble.

👉 Read the full guide: Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor

21. Indian Sands

This is one of the weirdest beaches in Oregon, and we mean that as a compliment. Sand dunes sit way up on top of the cliffs, sculpted out of soft sandstone, with waves crashing on the rocks far below.

• Getting there: A short trail from the Indian Sands lot in the Boardman corridor.
• Good to know: Some spots are steep. Wear real shoes.

22. Lone Ranch Beach

Just a few miles north of Brookings, Lone Ranch is a crescent-shaped cove with huge sea stacks right off the shore. It’s the southern start of the Boardman corridor.

• Things to do: Tide pooling (look for sea stars and anemones), spotting sea lions, and picnicking with a view.
• Parking: Free lot with a short path down to the sand.

23. Harris Beach

Harris Beach in Brookings is known for its sea stacks, colorful tide pools, and great sunsets. Just offshore is Bird Island, one of the biggest seabird nesting spots on the coast.

• Things to do: Tide pooling, walking South Beach, and kayak or SUP tours.
• Parking: Harris Beach requires an Oregon State Parks day-use permit.
• Nearby: Here are more things to do in Brookings.

👉 Read the full guide: Harris Beach State Park

Where to Stay on the Southern Oregon Coast

Bandon is our favorite base on the south coast, with a cute Old Town and those famous sunsets. Brookings is perfect for the Boardman corridor and Harris Beach. Campers should check out Sunset Bay and Harris Beach State Parks.

Tips for Visiting Oregon Beaches

• Layer up: Even in summer, the coast can be foggy, windy, and chilly. Bring a jacket.
• The water is cold: Like, really cold. Surfers wear wetsuits year round.
• Know your passes: State park permit, Tillamook County pass, or Forest Service pass. Check before you park.
• Tide pool etiquette: Step on bare rock, don’t pull animals off rocks, and put back anything you flip over.
• Leave no trace: Pack out your trash, check fire rules before building a beach fire, and never build one on or near driftwood.

Where to Stay on the Oregon Coast

Can’t decide? Split your trip into north, central, and south, and pick a base for each.

Final Thoughts

The Oregon Coast is 363 miles of wild, beautiful, totally public beach, so you really can’t go wrong. But if you only hit a few, make it Cannon Beach, Cape Kiwanda, Bandon, and Secret Beach.

Just grab the right parking pass, check the tides, and pack a jacket. Even in August.

We hope this helped you find your favorite beaches in Oregon!

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