7 Most Beautiful Small Towns on the Pacific Coast to Visit in 2024
When thinking of a getaway to the Pacific, many focus on California, specifically the big coastal cities or popular resort towns. However, the Pacific Coast encompasses a broader region than one might imagine. Stretching from the Canadian province of British Columbia through Washington and Oregon before reaching California, the towns along the cliffs, beaches, and harbors are the true gems of the Pacific Coast.
From the world-famous Laguna Beach to the lesser-known town of Oceanside, from bluff-top Mendocino to historic Port Townsend, these towns offer easy access via the scenic Pacific Coast Highway. The fine seaside ambiance and the dramatic natural backdrop, featuring cliffs and windswept cypress trees, complement the laid-back West Coast vibe, creating a peaceful escape for every taste.
Laguna Beach, California
Laguna Beach, which sounds like a fairy tale, is a small city in Orange County, globally known as the beach town from the eponymous TV show. While the myth of the glitzy, carefree beachside life holds true, Laguna Beach prides itself on being a welcoming art colony with a sandy fringe of beaches and lush natural attractions. From Victoria Beach to 1000 Steps Beach and Table Rock Beach, and Thalia Street Beach offering amazing mansion views. Just south, Woods Cove is a popular protected stretch adjacent to Ruby Street Park with its wooden winding staircase to the sands. Drawing thousands of hikers, bikers, birdwatchers, and other wildlife lovers, the 2,400-acre Crystal Cove State Park boasts a 3.2-mile sandy beach with coves and tide pools and access from downtown via the Willow Staging Area for rugged hiking and mountain biking trails.
Visitors can enjoy direct access to the El Moro Canyon Trail along the scenic oceanfront highway, as well as its Moro Campground. The verdant Crescent Bay Point Park blends into aquamarine views of the ocean and a tide pool, while Treasure Island Beach looks like a scene from coastal Italy. The curb appeal is enhanced where you can see the beauty from the eyes of others at the waterfront Laguna Art Museum. Featuring a permanent collection of over 3,500 contemporary works, don’t miss the cozy Coast Gallery, while the Sawdust Art Festival hosts lively summer and winter festivals with crafts, ceramics, and sculpture. Rated among the best along the California coast, Cliff Restaurant and the Deck offer a family-friendly feel and a romantic vibe, perfect for inviting someone special to enjoy the ocean's treasures.
Lincoln City, Oregon
Home to just over 10,000 residents, Lincoln City feels larger along its coastal stretch with top-tier attractions like Chinook Winds Casino Resort, yet remains uncrowded, allowing visitors to enjoy its natural features. Siletz Bay offers birding and kayaking opportunities, while the D River State Recreation Site hosts annual sandcastle contests and kite-flying competitions. With seven miles of pristine beaches to soak up vitamin D in the summer, if you’re in the shopping mood, score a deal at the Lincoln City Outlets. Nearby, God’s Thumb is a moderate-to-difficult hike with a trailhead in town, offering a winding path through lush coastal forests, rolling hills, and meadows with seasonal wildflowers.
Lincoln City enjoys year-round popularity thanks to its charming downtown, filled with boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. The beloved Finders Keepers event attracts visitors in the off-season, from October to May, to find hidden glass balls along the beach on a fun and scenic hunt for any type of group. Bring hiking boots and keep your eyes peeled for wildlife and birdwatching as you ascend to the dramatic sandstone promontory, God’s Thumb summit, overlooking the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and Lincoln City. Afterwards, Mo's Seafood & Chowder is a must-visit, and Pelican Brewery’s state-of-the-art restaurant on the bay offers memorable summertime evenings with loved ones.
Mendocino, California
Synonymous with dramatic cliffs and windswept cypress trees, Mendocino attracts scores of outdoor lovers each year. Home to only 894 residents, this picturesque town is completely surrounded by Mendocino Headlands State Park, with rugged headlands flaunting beautiful seasonal wildflower displays that beckon visitors. Choose among the miles of cliffside trails, secluded beaches, or a complete natural immersion through the 7,400-acre wildlife corridor. From Point Kelley and Cypress Grove to the Mendocino Trail, if you make it all the way around counter-clockwise, descend to Big River Beach at Mendocino Headlands State Park.
Looking for an intimate spot to unwind? Portuguese Beach is a protected cove-like space with aquamarine waters and stair access from the bluffs. All that nature inspires artisan shops and cafes in town like Trillium Cafe & Inn and GoodLife Cafe & Bakery, both offering eye-pleasing aesthetics and a classically laid-back West Coast vibe. Whether you're in for the eye candy at the Mendocino Art Center or to satisfy your coffee cravings and tantalize your taste buds at GoodLife Cafe & Bakery, the popular Mendocino Grove offers a serene stay just south of the bustling downtown. While savoring leisurely exploration, don't miss the Ford House Visitor Center & Museum.
Oceanside, Oregon
Just two hours west of Portland, Oceanside feels a world away thanks to its amphitheater-like appeal. Home to only around 465 residents, it's hard to resist this small hillside town, overlooking the sea from the dramatic headland, with pristine sandy beaches below and stunning natural wonders around. While accessible via Highway 101, you'll have to navigate from the big city and make a small detour through Tillamook State Forest. Score a cliffside cabin with incredible views and head beachside with the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge visible from almost any point in town. Just offshore, part of the sprawling Cape Meares National Wildlife Refuge, this main beach access and park offer a vast sandy stretch, great for agate hunting and rockhounding, especially after a storm.
The rocky Maxwell Point juts into the ocean with tide pools and a variety of sea creatures at low tide, and a mysterious opening in the side of the rock. Don't completely ignore the “Caution” sign, but use discretion to enter the 90-foot-long tunnel blasted by ambitious resort owners in 1926. Leaving nothing behind but the gaping hole through the rock, Tunnel Beach on the other side is free for beachcombers to explore. If tight spaces aren't your cup of tea, combined with the rare rockslides that blocked the tunnel in the past, you can still access the secret beach around the rock at extreme low tide. Otherwise, drive three minutes north to the secluded Lost Boy Beach and five minutes further for the Cape Meares Lighthouse and the nearby tentacled "Octopus Tree."
Port Townsend, Washington
Nestled at the northeastern tip of the famed Olympic Peninsula, Port Townsend is an enchanting getaway just two hours north of Seattle. Anchored deep in maritime heritage, the little town boasts exceptionally well-preserved Victorian architecture in downtown, a National Historic District in its entirety. Transporting you right back into the mid-19th century—the days of its establishment—meandering the streets feels like flipping pages of a history book, flickering with ornate old buildings, vibrant shops, galleries, and eateries. The Port Townsend Film Festival attracts crowds in September to watch independent films and documentaries in an authentic atmosphere, while the Old Consulate Inn and Manresa Castle near the waterfront offer stays that complement the old fairytale charm.
Visitors can enjoy strolls and shopping all the way to the historic seaport and the Northwest Maritime Center, a one-stop shop for scenic boat tours and cruises, as well as kayaking adventures along the scenic Puget Sound. Just a stroll northward from the core, the sprawling Fort Worden State Park features trails and a beach area with panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Cascade Range, where the mountains meet the ocean. The aquamarine spectrum against the graying mountain peaks of Olympic National Park is hallucinogenic. So come for the historic charm and adventures in the early fall weather and stay for the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival to celebrate the area's passion and heritage with boat-building demonstrations, races, and workshops.
San Simeon, California
A winery, a castle, a world-famous state park, and a beach all to yourself with a stunning high pier jutting far out into the water? San Simeon, home to only 462 residents as of this year, is easily accessible via the scenic Highway 1 from Cambria just south on your coastal road trip. Visitors can enjoy hiking trails just north of town or take a scenic drive south to Hearst San Simeon State Park, one of the oldest in the California State Park System, with its two natural preserves and a cultural preserve. The well-marked 3.3-mile trail through parts of the San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Washburn Campground features scenic overlooks, benches, and information panels on this wildlife habitat, a wintering site for monarch butterfly populations. Find the popular San Simeon Creek Campground along the park's coastal bluffs, with unobstructed ocean views and rocky shores, at 115 campsites for tents and RVs.
Just 9.3 miles north from here, the elephant seal rookery stretches for six miles along the shoreline near Piedras Blancas Light Station, with the most active mammals during late January, April, or October. The Elephant Seal Boardwalk offers an ideal vantage point to see the seals who arrive at the rookery from the open ocean to give birth, breed, and rest after long migrations in search of food. Back in town, the Hearst Castle Visitor Center offers information and tour tickets for Hearst Castle, as well as a theater, casual bites, and a gift shop. Located just a quick drive north, the hilltop castle, a 20th-century mansion, was built by the eponymous media magnate. The $30 entry fee offers the experience of the opulence and grandeur of the "Casa Grande," "a museum like no other" with lavish interiors, priceless art pieces, and beautiful grounds overlooking the Pacific with manicured gardens.
Westport, Washington
Just across North Bay from the Olympic Peninsula, Westport is hidden in Grays Harbor County along the Pacific coast, with South Bay to the east and the open ocean to the west. Just southwest of Seattle, this peaceful, quaint town of less than 2,100 people feels smaller, having blissfully avoided overcommercialization, while Westport Light State Park invades nearly half its breadth. The 212-acre oceanfront park with an accessible hiking trail and saltwater fishing is home to the state's tallest lighthouse at 107 feet. Located in the park's lower portion, the historic Grays Harbor Lighthouse, built in 1898, offers scenic views from the top. Visitors can also unwind at Blackbeard's Brewing Company, overlooking the lighthouse.
Tipping the peninsula, the Westport Viewing Tower offers an observation deck, while the nearby Observation Platform, a historic landmark, lets you wander even further into the waters past the limits. Home to the Westport Maritime Museum, Merino's Seafood Market, and a few places to dine, it's hard to miss the waterfront Bennett's Fish Shack, an iconic spot next to the museum, beckoning visitors with its glitz for the feast of your life. Home to popular inns and resorts, American Sunset RV & Tent Resort is a great place to stay on a budget at the heart of town, while the 172-acre Twin Harbors State Park just south is a camping park with yurts, cabins, and RV sites for immediate access to the trails and a beach for fishing.
The Takeaway
Oceanside looks like a hillside amphitheater, while San Simeon features the Hearst San Simeon State Park, one of the oldest in the California State Park System, and the Hearst Castle, the magnate's former home. Beckoning travelers with waves of romanticism, marine vibes, and ocean breezes, Port Townsend looks like an old novel along the meandering, languid streets, while Mendocino offers panoramic views of crashing waves against rocky outcrops.
Much of the beauty stems from the soul, like the artistic community of the glitzy Laguna Beach, which reveals treasures through artisan boutiques and contemporary works among the high-end fashions. So whether you're coming to tantalize your taste buds with seafood, chase lighthouses, or enjoy beloved events like Finders Keepers in Lincoln City, these Pacific Coast towns promise to be the highlight of 2024.
