6 Friendliest Towns to Visit on the Pacific Coast in 2024
What do you know about the Pacific Coast? Perhaps you think of popular destinations and large coastal cities or picture yourself on a sunset cruise or cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway. Encompassing many islands and parts of the Pacific Northwest, countless small towns open the doors to the hyped beach vacationland and adventurer's respite. Praising the mighty ocean from under the soaring Mount Baker, La Conner is an artist colony, while the hillside Oceanside flaunts a secret tunnel beach.
Every waterfront, distinct, features boardwalks, beaches, and marina sunsets, with fishing boats returning from successful salmon runs, stately cruise ships, and schooners ready for their next voyage. Let's not forget the historic architecture of Victorian mansions or Mediterranean vibes, exuding an antiquated aura straight from a storybook cover or a romantic seaside novella. Home to cheery locals, lonesome lighthouses, and serene views, these six gems can ease any heavy soul.
Brookings, Oregon
Easy to overlook and hard to forget in its slumberous state, Brookings genuinely welcomes each visitor near the southernmost point of coastal Oregon, just six miles from the Golden State. Stretch your legs along the long, sandy beaches, ideal for beachcombing, swimming, and scenic relaxation with virtually no crowds under the delightful “Banana Belt” climate. Just north, the breathtaking Harris Beach State Park features various trails and a rock-studded, intimate beach for spectacular photoshoots. Chetco Point Park embraces Macklyn Cove with its serene oceanfront trails, tide pools, a scenic point, and cool picnic spots between the rocks.
Home to bars, grills, a brewery, and a handful of local shops and galleries, like Manley Art Center & Gallery, it's easy to escape the heat or unwind in the evening, including free summertime concerts at Azalea Park, with a bandshell, sports facilities, and play areas for kids. Snap a selfie by the unique wood-and-stone chapel, Capella by the Sea, built by film producer Elmo Williams, and cross the Chetco River to Harbor, another charming town. The suds at Chetco Brewing Company are made using only ingredients from its own property, like Irish moss for clarifying in the beer-making process, without pesticides, herbicides, or additives, so the final brew tastes fantastically refreshing.
Depoe Bay, Oregon
Overlooking Depoe Bay in the Pacific, this friendly town embraces the world's smallest natural navigable ocean harbor. Welcoming marine enthusiasts to experience it first-hand, this is not the only unique feature. Contrasting the "tiny" attraction with a huge one, Depoe Bay is also the whale-watching capital of the Oregon coast, drawing many whales, including humpback whales, gray whales, and orcas, from March through December among a bevy of regular sea wildlife. Unlike other destinations where whale watching is a paid experience, sighting the friendly giants is free and guaranteed during the migration season from the vast observation deck.
From the Whale Watch Center to Dockside Charters and Whale Watching Tours, which could comprise a fantastic birthday gift idea for nature lovers, admission to the museum at Whale Research EcoExcursions is under $5, and it's right on the world's smallest harbor. The beautiful bayfront hotels—worth the bang—attract couples, particularly for special getaways like a honeymoon. Next to the unique Arch Rock Café, Depoe Bay Scenic Park is a sprawling, rugged space for wading, picnics, and photoshoots, while Gracie's Sea Hag offers stellar oceanfront seafood dining with a bar and a live music scene.
Fort Bragg, California
Some 150 miles north of San Francisco, it feels farther in Fort Bragg. The only bustle is the soothing beating of the waves, and the "city lights" stud the black sky. The clean, fresh air seeps through uncrowded streets—the outdoors are too addicting—from refreshing water dips to all kinds of birdlife and year-round whale-watching opportunities. Explore Noyo Harbor from its boat docking area in a kayak, or ride the Skunk Train or a rail bike through meadows and redwoods. For a leisurely day, visit the Glass Fire Art Glass Gallery and the nearby trails through the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens before enjoying the sunset at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, with its 15-mile reach into the sea after dusk.
From history walks to wine tastings and pub crawls for world-class brews, historic Downtown Fort Bragg features a cooking school and the Discovery Center with a Blue Whale skeleton. Many like to escape to the 25-acre Pomo Bluffs Park just south, with benches and interpretive signs along the coastal hiking and biking trail—those fishing boats below catch salmon, Dungeness crab, and abalone for your waterfront dinner at The Wharf. Surrounded by secluded beaches and scenic overlooks, MacKerricher State Park offers bird-filled wetlands and seal-watching next door to the rocky "Glass Beach" with colorful, broken pieces of glass, like gifts from the ocean—to give your own friends.
La Conner, Washington
La Conner, the pretty town on the delta near the mouth of the Skagit River, is Skagit County's oldest. With beautiful downtown architecture dating to the early 1860s, the days of its founding, Alexander Underwood, Michael Sullivan, Sam Calhoun, and A.G. Tillinghast were the first non-Native Americans who settled just after the Civil War. Originally christened Swinomish, John Conner renamed it after his wife, Louisa A., when he purchased John Hayes' trading post in 1869 and established the first post office/general store on the west side of the Swinomish Slough. The Civic Garden Club was the first courthouse north of Seattle, and the entire town is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Still home to the Swinomish Tribal Community, La Conner is a beautiful and genuinely warm blend of an old fishing village and an artists' colony, as well as a wintering spot for swans and Canada geese. Nestled along the Salish Sea coast, between Seattle and Vancouver, come celebrate the annual Tulip Festival throughout April or visit anytime to mingle with Shelter Bay residents and every type of craftsman, and stock up on art while enjoying splendid views of Mount Baker reflecting in the waters. From fields of daffodils in March to classic cars and "Brew on the Slough" in October, the easy-going vibes make it a top-tier weekend destination, with eclectic boutiques, culinary adventures, and three museums.
Oceanside, Oregon
Exuding a soothing vibe with its name alone, this humble town, as if preaching the ocean, is a powerful reminder of how the vast water bodies rule the Earth. Oceanside, everything you imagine and more, is the place to feel grounded with clear views to the horizon, from a peaceful oceanfront café to the beautiful beach. Three Arch Rocks, a national wildlife refuge, is visible from your doorstep. The ocean also enjoys playing with your perception at Maxwell Point, a large promontory at the northernmost end of Oceanside Beach. As a portal to Tunnel Beach at low tide, visitors can voyage beyond the waters around two more rocky points to a series of secluded coves.
From beach rentals to cozy B&Bs, spend a morning at Blue Agate Cafe and return for a homey affair at Roseanna's Cafe, featuring seafood, homemade desserts, and drinks, before winding down under the watchful eye of the imposing arched rocks—a stark profile impossible to forget. Surrounded by strikingly memorable landmarks, Symons State Scenic Viewpoint, Lost Boy Beach, and Short Beach Trailhead are just a hike or short drive away. It is a wonder how this friendly community stays humble when the place you call home looks like a hillside amphitheater, with 360-degree views from its vast Oceanside Beach State Recreation Site.
Tofino, British Columbia
Stretching from Washington south through Oregon into California, the "West Coast" of the US extends north to British Columbia. Blessed with great geography, Tofino is full of charisma along Vancouver Island, with its vast wild patches and black bear sightings. Offering quick access via a fairly-priced charter flight or a ferry and bus, it's hard to believe something so wild, beautiful, and authentic is just a hop from the bustle of Vancouver. The popular Rhino Coffee House is a great springboard after an easy-going morning spent among the islanders. From fishing to kayaking and hiking, explore at your own pace and lounge on the sands of Tonquin Park, stretching from the wild Tonquin Beach near the tip to the more placid Chesterman Beach.
Home to only around 1,400 people, including many surfers keen on whale-watching, Tofino is the self-proclaimed end of the Trans-Canada Highway, with a number of great campsites. Whether you're into riding the waves or sighting Grey and Humpback whales near the shore, just lying on the beach and breathing the cedarwood scent in the sea breeze with eagles overhead feels like you own a little slice of paradise all to yourself. Tofino is void of chain stores and cafes, offering a safe hideaway from the everyday in a temperate climate—mild winters, not-too-hot summers. Roy Henry Vickers Gallery features locally inspired works, while the amiable Wolf in the Fog serves creative, fresh-from-the-source plates and cocktails in rustic digs.
These colorful beachside towns welcome with captivating views, crashing waves, and fresh ocean breezes, awash with inimitable old-world charm and a distinct modern maritime culture. As diverse as the states of Washington, Oregon, California, and the Canadian province, visitors can easily sight the friendly giants of the ocean in Depoe Bay, Fort Bragg, and Tofino, a surfer's haven at the self-proclaimed end of the Trans-Canada Highway.
Each meandering turn along the languid streets reveals the treasures of artisan boutiques, local eateries, and rustic cottages. Whether you're road-tripping along the ocean, escaping the city, or it's time for a vacation, a beautiful and genuinely warm blend of local life and wildlife captures the soul through unforgettable experiences. From the whale-watching capital of the Oregon coast to charismatic Tofino on Vancouver Island, and in Fort Bragg, visitors can explore Noyo Harbor in a kayak.
