6 Pacific Coast Towns With Unforgettable Main Streets
Stretching over 1,500 miles from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula to Dana Point just south of Los Angeles, the Pacific Coast Highway follows Highway 1 and U.S. Route 101, taking in some of the West Coast’s most attractive small towns along the way. Whether you’re lucky enough to tackle the entirety of this spectacular scenic route or only parts of it, you’ll stumble across magnificent old main streets established in boom eras that saw everything from salmon canneries to lumber mills shape their layout and their fortunes.
While the industries that once prospered here are, for the most part, long gone, the heritage architecture they left behind now houses everything from boutique shops and art galleries to superb eateries and accommodations. Immensely fun to walk, these six unforgettable main streets deserve to be included on your Pacific Coast travel itinerary.
Astoria, Oregon
Just 96 miles northwest of Portland, Astoria was established in 1811 and has the distinction of being Oregon’s oldest American settlement (the Spanish were her first). Much of that story plays out along Commercial Street, the main drag that dissects the community’s Downtown Historic District. Running parallel with the Columbia River, begin your main street adventure at the elegant Liberty Theatre, built in 1925 and a Venetian-inspired movie house that now serves as concert venue. Around the corner, the Captain George Flavel House Museum dates from 1885 and preserves carved-oak staircases and stained glass from the era.
Walk three blocks north of this majestic old home to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Here you’ll learn more about the town’s seafaring history, including fascinating displays detailing how the river came to be called the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Other cool exhibits include a full-size Coast Guard surfboat and a piloting simulator.
To really get a feel for this unforgettable main street, book an overnight stay at Hotel Elliott. Just steps from Commercial Street, its rooftop terrace offers superb views over downtown and the Columbia River. Although a five minute drive from the historic town center, the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa is worth staying at for its unique setting on a 600-ft dock where fishing boats once moored.
Port Townsend, Washington
It was the Gold-rush era that shaped Port Townsend’s downtown district, an attractive area of red-brick buildings that’s just begging to be wandered. The main street, Water Street, points toward Admiralty Inlet and is bookended by the Haller Fountain, a bronze statue erected in the 1890s, and the Rose Theatre, built in 1907 and still entertaining townsfolk and visitors. Just a few blocks off Water Street, the Romanesque-Revival Jefferson County Courthouse is an architectural marvel built in 1892 with a 143-ft clock tower that still rings hourly.
As for the best time to visit Port Townsend, pick a date and there’s likely something going on. Notable events include late January’s Strange Brewfest, a celebration of fruit-infused stouts in the American Legion Hall on Water Street. Visit in September for the Wooden Boat Festival when Point Hudson welcomes some 300 historic old boats. For lodging, Palace Hotel was built on the main drag in 1889 and still has classic claw-foot tubs for a good soak.
Mendocino, California
Down in California, Mendocino’s Pacific Coast setting is one of the prettiest in the Golden State. Perched on a marine terrace with stunning ocean views, downtown Mendocino still resembles the 19th-century New England village its lumber baron founders intended. A handful of wooden water towers continue to stand tall across town (there were once over 100 of them), lending Mendocino the nickname, “The Town of Water Towers." Main Street attractions include Ford House Museum, built in 1854 with fascinating displays relating to shipwrecks and sawmills (it also houses the town’s Visitor Center).
Main Street is also where you’ll catch a first glimpse of Kelley House Museum, dating from 1861 its grounds now a public park. Speaking of parks, head to the west end of Main Street for a swim or a walk along Portuguese Beach and the Mendocino Headlands (look out for the totem pole, it’s a great selfie spot and overlooks the Pacific). And consider making a weekend getaway of it with a stay at the Sweetwater Inn and Spa, a cozy little place at the east end of Main Street that’s within walking distance of everything there is to do in Mendocino.
Friday Harbor, Washington
Accessible by ferry from Seattle, Friday Harbor is located on San Juan Island and is definitely as romantic a place to visit as it sounds. Step off the ferry and you’re a minute away from Spring Street, a picturesque main street with storefronts showing off everything from sea-glass jewelry to arts and crafts from local artisans. Must-sees on Spring Street include the century-old Palace Theatre. A block uphill from the theater and you’ll come to the first-rate San Juan Islands Museum of Art with its rotating exhibits on Salish Sea landscapes and wildlife.
The nearby Whale Museum, adjacent Fairweather Park and just a few blocks away, streams fascinating live hydrophone audio from resident orcas, along with a full-size orca skeleton in its lighthouse-like tower. You can get out and look for some whales in the wild, too, with reputable companies like San Juan Safaris offering whale-watching cruises and kayak tours. Prefer staying on dry land? Then head across the island (it’s just a 10 minute drive) to Lime Kiln Point State Park, one of North America’s best shore-based whale-watching sites.
After all that fresh sea air, bed down for the night at Friday Harbor House on First Street and just around the corner from Spring Street. You’ll be glad you did for its views over the water and the ferry harbor. Right on Spring Street, the retro-chic Earthbox Inn & Spa is set in a 1960s-era motor lodge and even rents handy electric-bikes.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Located nearly 80 miles west of Portland, Cannon Beach is another Pacific Coast gem waiting to be visited. Much of the action here is focused on Hemlock Street which runs parallel to one of the coast’s most photogenic beaches: Cannon Beach, of course. Have your camera ready to take some great shots of Haystack Rock, a 235-ft tall outcrop that’s home to a colony of tufted puffins that are most likely to be spotted in spring. If planning a visit in June, check out the popular Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest; and be prepared to eat your heart out as there’s no matching the scale and intricacy of these sandy artworks.
Indoor fun can be had at the 1920s roller-rink repurposed as the Coaster Theatre Playhouse at the north end of Hemlock Street. Down at the south end of town, Icefire Glassworks is fun to visit for its glassmaking demos. Although a block off the main strip, the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum has displays about shipwrecks as well as an old lifeboat used to rescue passengers over 100 years ago.
Need a place to stay in Cannon Beach? Surfsand Resort is handily located between Hemlock Street and the beach, making it an ideal place to stay for a night or two. Traveling as a couple? Then opt for the adults-only Stephanie Inn which offers king rooms with views of Haystack Rock and a four-course chef’s tasting menu.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Last but by no means least (we don’t number our favorites… they’re all great!), California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea is well-known for its magnificent Pacific Coast setting. The town’s main street, the traffic-light-free Ocean Avenue, is a pedestrian friendly zone that provides no end of fun things to do. Starting at the beach and Carmel Sunset Beach Viewpoint, Ocean Avenue heads inland past attractive storybook cottages designed in the 1920s by builder Hugh Comstock to the downtown commercial district with its courtyards and boutique shops.
As nice as the main street area is, venture a little south of the downtown core to the Sunset Cultural Center, a star of the town’s cultural and performing-arts scene and home of the Carmel Bach Festival in July. On the southern outskirts of town, the Carmel Mission Basilica dates from 1771 and is now a museum. And there’s no end of great places to stay in Carmel’s downtown area. The classiest accommodations are on offer at L’Auberge Carmel, a luxurious 5-star property a block from Ocean Avenue that even features a Michelin-starred restaurant.
The Final Word
Together, these six Pacific Coast towns portray everything that’s great about the West Coast of the United States. And they all have superb, people-friendly main streets. For travelers, that means you can park the car and wander past shops, galleries, and attractions like old theaters and museums without having to worry too much about running out of fun stuff to see and do. Include any of these destinations on your Pacific Coast itinerary and you’ll experience the very best that Washington State, Oregon, and California have to offer curious travelers.
