Coastal Forest & Craft Food
Manzanita sits on a seven-mile spit of sand between Neahkahnie Mountain and the Pacific, a town of roughly 600 people that somehow contains a craft brewery, a community environmental garden, and zero traffic lights. It is not trying to impress you. That's what makes it impressive. The air smells like Sitka spruce and salt. The loudest sound at night is surf. You will sleep nine hours and feel no guilt about it.
Fly into Portland International Airport (PDX), arriving refreshed in business class — a smart call on any cross-country leg, since you'll be driving straight to the coast. PDX is a civilized airport: short security lines, excellent local coffee, and a rental car center connected by a short shuttle. From baggage claim to the highway takes about twenty minutes. The drive west on US-26 through the Coast Range is roughly 90 miles and just under two hours, winding through second-growth Douglas fir before the road drops into Nehalem Bay and Manzanita appears at the base of the mountain.
Business from $357 roundtrip from our cheapest gateway — check fares from your home airport →
Pick up your rental car at PDX and head west, but make a strategic stop in Tillamook on the way. Tillamook Creamery is a working cooperative creamery with a massive self-guided factory tour, an ice cream counter that takes its job seriously, and an upstairs viewing deck where you can watch curds being cut at industrial scale. Tasting is free; a full lunch with a grilled cheese flight and a couple of scoops runs ~$18–25, verify when booking. Grab an extra block of their medium cheddar for the hotel fridge — you'll thank yourself later.
Continue north 25 minutes to Manzanita. Check in, unpack, and walk three blocks to Sunset Park & Gazebo Viewpoint, a bluff-top gazebo directly above the beach with a clean 180-degree ocean panorama. This is the spot for a first-evening orientation: watch the sun melt into the horizon, get your bearings. Afterward, head to Big Wave Brewing, a craft brewery in a converted Adirondack-style building overlooking the main drag. House IPAs, stouts, and seasonal ales pair well with whatever's on the food menu. Expect ~$30–45 per person for a couple of pints and a meal, verify when booking.
This is your big trail day. Start early at Neahkahnie Mountain Trail, an 8.2-mile roundtrip hike that gains 1,600 feet and rewards you with 360-degree views of coastline, Tillamook Head, and on clear days, the faint outline of peaks in the Coast Range. The trail passes through ghost forest — silver snags standing like sculptures — and opens onto grassy summit meadows. Bring layers; the top is frequently windy. No entrance fee, though an Oregon State Parks day-use permit is ~$5, verify when booking.
Come down hungry and refuel at Manzanita Deli & Cafe, a long-standing local spot with housemade soups, creative sandwiches, and excellent espresso. The walls are covered in local art and the vibe is genuinely communal. Lunch for two runs ~$22–32, verify when booking.
Spend the afternoon at Old Growth Forest Trail at Oswald West State Park, just a few minutes south of town. A short, shaded walk under towering old-growth myrtlewood and Sitka spruce canopy — the kind of forest that makes you whisper without knowing why. Free access. If you still have energy, swing by Manzanita Greenworks, the town's nonprofit environmental center and community garden. They run habitat restoration programs and native plant propagation; check their board for any volunteer sessions or guided walks happening during your visit. Donations welcome.
Drive 20 minutes south to Cannon Beach for the morning. Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock & Puffins is the iconic 235-foot sea stack surrounded by tidal pools teeming with anemones and sea stars. If you're visiting between mid-April and mid-August, tufted puffins nest on the rock — bring binoculars. Volunteer naturalists from the Haystack Rock Awareness Program are usually stationed at the base and will help you spot wildlife. Free; parking in town is ~$2–5/hour, verify when booking.
While in Cannon Beach, check the schedule for Cannon Beach Film Festival Community events. This independent cinema community programs screenings and filmmaker talks throughout the year, not just during festival weeks. If something is showing, it's worth an hour of your afternoon. Tickets typically run ~$10–15, verify when booking.
On your way back to PDX, consider a stop at The Jantzen Beach Company Outlet near the Portland side of the Columbia River. Jantzen has been making swimwear since the 1910s, and their outlet carries one-pieces, tankinis, and beachwear at reduced prices — a fitting souvenir from a coast trip. Budget ~$30–80 per piece, verify when booking.
If wine is your thing, look into Newman French Cellars for a bottle to bring home — this small-production winery focuses on organically farmed estate wines. Availability varies; call ahead. A bottle runs ~$25–55, verify when booking.
Three solid options, each with its own personality. The Inn at Manzanita is the most polished — expect fireplaces, spa tubs, and a quiet garden setting within walking distance of the beach (~$180–280/night, verify when booking). Ocean Inn at Manzanita delivers clean, comfortable rooms with ocean proximity at a gentler price point (~$120–200/night, verify when booking). San Dune Inn is the no-fuss reliable choice if you plan to spend most of your time outside anyway (~$100–170/night, verify when booking). All three book up fast in summer — reserve early.
Rent a car at PDX. You need one. There is no practical public transit to Manzanita, and once you're there, day trips to Cannon Beach, Tillamook, and trailheads require wheels. A midsize SUV or crossover handles Coast Range curves comfortably and gives you space for hiking gear. Expect ~$55–90/day, verify when booking.
July through September delivers the driest weather and puffin season. June is gorgeous but foggy — embrace it. Winter storms are dramatic and the rates drop, but some trails become muddy and exposed sections of Neahkahnie can be genuinely dangerous in high wind. Skip trying to cram in Astoria on this trip — it's an hour north and deserves its own visit. And don't bother driving to Pacific City just for another beach; Manzanita's own stretch of sand is better and emptier.
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