7 Close-Knit Towns to Visit on the Pacific Coast

A peculiar byproduct of settling between boundless waters and endless forests is that this way of life produces communities grounded in shared history and tradition. Washington, Oregon, and California occupy several thousand miles along the United States' Pacific coast, and while differences in appearance and personality can appear vast, the quiet villages along this region have more in common than first meets the eye. Children are often raised with a knowledge and aptitude for seafaring and fishing, and it is no surprise that adults love to gather together within their favorite pubs. Visitors, too, are welcomed into this social mural through campgrounds, outdoor markets, and historical journeys at museums that honor the Indigenous Americans who settled these lands thousands of years ago. So, if you are prepared to make friends and get your feet wet, then these communal sanctuaries are exactly what you have been looking for.

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Although oceanside rock pyramids, carved by Mother Nature herself, make for an ‘alien’ terrain, Cannon Beach is all the more united for it. This quiet coastal town, parked 25 miles south of the Washington border, is established on values that welcome the wanderer, as evidenced by several high-quality RV resorts and campgrounds that are barely a block away from the main thoroughfare. Despite the inflow of new and friendly faces, the community attitude of Cannon Beach is also upheld by its permanent residents, who staff a local fire department with heroic volunteers, host an annual sandcastle contest, and have worked to keep the beach publicly accessible since a 1967 Beach Bill. So, whether you are an artist seeking inspiration or just a sun sponge, consider stopping in Cannon Beach if you ever come out this far west.

Trinidad, California

Trinidad’s tucked-away beaches are legendary, but the warmth of the community is greater still. In design, Trinidad is tightly packed with only a single gas station that rests squarely between a museum, a library, and an all-American grill. As a united network, the townsfolk worked to preserve the Trinidad Head Memorial Lighthouse by relocating it to a safer point along the harbor that was chosen to better respect sacred Indigenous American burial grounds. More on that point: Trinidad is built on the ancestral ground of the Yurok tribes, which occupied the region for thousands of years, and the Tsurai Ancestral Society has worked alongside Trinidad locals to respect and preserve that history, which can be further discovered in the museum and hiking trails around this region.

Manzanita, Oregon

The guru-in-each-of-us could spend weeks wandering the beach dunes, cliff sides, and vine forests in and around Manzanita before remembering there is a populated downtown worth strolling through. Back in the day, roughly 1912, Manzanita was set up to be a beach resort. Around that time, folks could not resist setting up a hotel and a Tavern and Inn; then, eventually, a community built up around Laneda Ave, which is home to San Dune Pub, The Winery at Manzanita, and Schwietert’s Cones & Candy, each catering to vices that are best pursued in moderation. As far as the local spirit is concerned, Manzanita has passed resolutions regulating short-term rentals, which help ensure housing availability for long-term residents— because friends who stick together stay together.

Ferndale, California

Ferndale is a delightful merger between Victorian architecture and whimsy, where little gnomes might be spotted in the awnings over otherwise-serious entryways. Picture the green hills that slope into a valley with your idea of an 1800s ghost mining town; now, reanimate it with color, crowds, and personality, and that is the beginning of what makes this hamlet great. Every year, the rural members proudly dress up their tractors in Christmas lights for the Lighted Tractor Parade, and this is an effective venue that keeps the ‘downtown’ residents in touch with farmers on the outskirts. Pride for that farming industry is certainly abundant, with locally produced goods such as butter and cheese purveyed at locally owned mom-and-pop stores, like the Ferndale Farmstead and the Red Front Store. So, if you want to support these cheerful and industrious people, drop by for some fresh goods and a parade or two.

Port Orford, Oregon

‘The Beaver State’ is phenomenal because it is one of those states where state parks are more frequent than chanterelle mushrooms in an Oregon forest. Port Orford is essentially boxed in by these serene wilderness enclosures and cornered against vast stretches of sandy beach that extend out of the adjacent Heads State Park. Such beauty and absence of human intervention have breathed life into the Port Orford arts community, such as at the Hawthorne, Tree Wizard, and Cook galleries. Crafts have always been integral to the Port Orford spirit, which was a historical producer of the Port Orford cedar that was an exceptional choice for boat building due to its decay and insect resistance. Furthermore, fishing and logging are team-based industries that long-supported the people living here, which provides a hint into why these townsfolk have each others’ backs.

Pacific City, Oregon

It is hard to believe, but Italian sculptors were not commissioned to turn Pacific City’s dune coast into a surreal geologic exhibit; Mother Earth herself is more than capable. On the human side, visitors can pass by the Kiawanda community center for regular events like dancing classes before easing up at Pelican Brewing for a hearty meal and a quality lager. For a taste of homemade, Cape Kiwanda Marketplace dishes out their own fudge creations, and it is never hard to get fresh clam and crab at the West Fish Co. across the Nestucca River. Interestingly, Pacific City is home to the dory fishing fleet, which practices a unique tradition of launching vessels directly from the beach! For those craving a better view of this curiously active village, hang gliding is a popular activity that is facilitated by locals, and kids are also able to participate.

Ilwaco, Washington

By square footage alone, there might actually be more real estate floating in the Ilwaco marina than in the town itself. Certainly, the handsome masts of countless yachts make for a gorgeous sunrise photo, and nothing glues a community together than a shared interest. Fishing comes naturally to children born here, and events like the Black Lake Fishing Derby involve prizes, while the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse assures a trip back in time due to its status as one of the oldest continuously operated lighthouses on the West Coast. Ilwaco offers an outlet for its artisans, seamen, and artists with its bustling Saturday Market, which features rows of tents packed with trinkets and edible goods every Saturday from May through September. As a whole, this Pacific coast destination has clearly found its identity in the seagoing way of life, which is to the benefit of everyone who resides in or visits Ilwaco.

Final Thoughts

Many folks who grow up near a coast like the Pacific tend to experience a type of claustrophobia when traveling to inland regions. For some odd reason (perhaps it is a habit passed down by countless ancestors), there is a comfort in knowing that it is possible to hop on a boat and sail into the sunset if the mainland is ever found lacking. Once a person experiences life with such like-minded individuals who live in these delightful towns filled with artistry and quality seafood, it becomes nearly impossible to imagine living anywhere else.