Things to Do in Pacific City: Oregon Coast Trip Guide

If you’re planning a trip to Pacific City, this guide is for you. Read on for the top things to do in Pacific City, Oregon.

I grew up going to the Oregon Coast from Salem pretty regularly to visit my grandparents, and Pacific City beach has always been a highlight. Since the Oregon Coast is just over an hour’s drive from most cities in the Willamette Valley, it’s one of the best day trips (or weekend getaways) for us.

How to Get to Pacific City

Portland to Pacific City is about a 2 hour drive via OR-6 West, or just slightly longer when passing through wine country, on OR-18 via Newberg.

Salem to Pacific City takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes by car, on Highway 22.

Pacific City to Lincoln City is a half hour drive, passing by Neskowin, on Oregon Coast Highway 101. If you’re on a Pacific Coast Highway road trip, these two are easy to visit together.

Continuing North is: Tillamook (30 minutes), Cannon Beach (1.5 hours), and Astoria (2 hours).

Things to do on the way to Pacific City

If you’re driving to Pacific City from Portland or Salem area, you’ll first pass through Oregon wine country, if you’re interested in wine tasting and rural scenery.

Where Highways 22 and 18 meet, is Spirit Mountain Casino. It has several restaurants, including an all-you-can-eat crab and prime rib buffet, and often hosts live entertainment.

If you took Highway 6 from Portland, you can tour the Tillamook Creamery to see how their famous cheese is made, sample the different types, and order delicious Tillamook ice cream, too!

As you get closer to the beach, you’ll pass through State Forests. Watch for wildlife, like deer and elk, and admire the old growth Douglas-fir trees.

This area also experienced significant wildfires in Fall 2020, and you may see evidence among the trees along the highway.

Our top things to do in Pacific City Oregon

These are some of our favorite things to do in Pacific City over the years.

1. Cape Kiwanda Sand Dune

What makes the beach at Pacific City Oregon unique is its giant sand dune at the North end. This is part of the Cape Kiwanda Natural Area on the North end of Pacific City beach. It includes scenic cliffs overlooking crashing waves, caves and tidepools, and a dramatic dune that rises almost 200 feet from the otherwise flat, sandy beach. 

Bring some binoculars for whale watching from the cliffs in late Spring and Fall. Just be sure to stay within the designated boundaries for safety.

Playing on the dune is a memorable, family-friendly experience. Running up and down, rolling, or trying to sled down the dunes are great activities for kids at the beach. 

2. Pacific City Beach

About a mile from the shoreline is one of two Oregon Coast “haystack rocks,” an iconic Pacific City landmark.

There are two main public entrance points to access the beach. Pacific City parking is limited near the beach, but you can sometimes drive onto the sand in certain places.

You can enter at the South end of the beach, where you’ll see Bob Straub State Park signs and Pacific Ave ends. Or there is a public parking lot shared with Pelican Brewing on the North end, which is near more accommodations, coffee, restaurants, the tidepools, and the sand dune.

What is there to do at Pacific City beach?

For the brave and bold, you can swim. Even in summer, though, Oregon’s seawater is frigid. Some people find it refreshing, but I am not one of them.

People do surf at Pacific City near the dunes, but wearing a wet suit or dry suit is highly recommended year round. This is not a beginner’s surfing spot so be sure you know what you’re doing.

As the tide goes in and out, you can explore tide pools next to the sand dune. Look for colorful sea anemones, starfish, mussels, and more!

The most popular activity on the beach is the simplest: go for a walk. You’ll come across all kinds of interesting shells, shiny rocks, seaweed, tiny crabs, and drift wood. We even saw some majestic bald eagles one morning!

Conditions are often good for flying kites at Pacific City beach. The same goes for hang gliding!

3. Watching the Dorry Boats go fishing

Pacific City’s economy has relied on its fleet of dory boats for over a century. To honor the Dorymen, the annual Dory Days parade takes place in July.

But you can witness the skilled seamen drive their flat-bottomed boats to the shoreline most mornings.

It’s a unique experience to watch the boats depart directly from the beach, through the surf, without any dock or marina. Pacific City’s commercial fishermen and charter boats typically fish for salmon, albacore tuna, rock fish, and Dungeness crab, which are often available at local restaurants.

4. Hiking in and around Pacific City

Bob Straub State Park has several hiking trail options, including an easy hike to the spit of the river where you can often find harbor seals. Enjoy views of the ocean via the Marsh Trail and the Nestucca River, depending on which path you take.

A small network of pathways winds through the gated Kiwanda Shores development at the beach. And short trails can also be found at the top of Cape Kiwanda Natural Area.

For more hiking options, drive past Cape Kiwanda to Whalen Island County Park and Campground for peaceful trails around South Sandlake Estuary with some quiet beach access. Or head south to Winema Beach for a stroll at low tide along a beautiful stretch of the coast.

5. Paddling the Nestucca River

In addition to the beach, Pacific City’s quiet Nestucca River is an undeveloped feature of this small Oregon Coast town. 

The calm waters are great for kayaking or Stand Up Paddleboarding. Rent a kayak in town and paddle past scenic natural areas as well as several homes and businesses.

6. Shopping and Treats

Pacific City is not especially developed for tourism or souvenir shopping, so you may want to head to Lincoln City for that.

There is one small shopping center called The Village, which has a candy shop, art gallery, a couple boutiques, and a wine shop next door.

For sweet treats, like good old saltwater taffy, fudge, and Tillamook ice cream, visit Pacific Coast Candy in The Village shops. This is a must for any Oregon Coast beach trip, in my opinion.

Best food & restaurants in Pacific City

Pacific City Oregon restaurants generally get pretty good ratings across the board. After visiting the area for decades, my family has a few favorite Pacific City restaurants of our own.

For beers and food right on the beach, head to Pelican Brewing’s Pacific City Brewpub. Their covered patio has heaters as well as open-air picnic tables where you have front seat views of haystock rock, the dunes, and the surf. They have class beach food like fish and chips and clam chowder, plus tasty onion rings and burgers. 

For another interesting location, nice atmosphere, and good seafood, try The Riverhouse on the edge of the Nestucca. They offer covered seating out on the riverfront.

A popular coffee spot is Stimulus Coffee and Bakery. With its prime location across the street from the main beach parking, lines definitely form on the weekends. 

The Village Coffeehouse is a more old-school diner-type establishment with espresso coffee, fresh donuts, and a great eggs benedict; located “in town.”

I already mentioned Pacific Coast Candy but it’s worth repeating if you’re on the lookout for candies, chocolates, ice cream, or saltwater taffy.

I hope this short guide to Pacific City will help you plan the perfect Oregon Coast day trip or overnight stay. What are your favorite things to do in Pacific City?

Let us know your suggestions and questions in the comments below.

You might also like:
– Best Oregon Road Trip Destinations
– Lincoln City Day Trip Guide
– Things to do in Salem Oregon
– A Local’s Guide to Portland Oregon
– What to Pack for Portland Oregon

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