7 Underrated Small Towns to Explore on the Pacific Coast
The Pacific Coast is stunning and known for its big cities, such as Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. However, if you are looking to explore the Pacific Coast, you will find incredible small towns worth visiting. Not only will they be less crowded than the cities, but they are full of incredible landmarks to enjoy. In La Push, you can enjoy quiet beaches with unique sights. Big Sur in California has one of the most unique beaches with purple sand. These are only a couple of examples of the beauty in the small towns on the Pacific Coast. Here, we will explore the seven most underrated small towns on the Pacific Coast. By the end of this article you will want to pack your bags and go explore them.
Florence, Oregon
Florence Oregon is an amazing underrated Pacific Coast town to visit. Anyone who loves the outdoors will love this town. If you want to have fun in the water and see some wildlife, check out the Sea Lion caves. Here, you can witness sea lions in their natural habitat, where the sea lions are free to come and go. The caves are a spectacular site to see even as a geologic wonder.
For those who prefer exploring nature on land instead of the sea, The Hobbit trail is a great attraction. The hike goes through scenic woods and ends at Hobbit Beach. The walk is mostly uphill and a bit strenuous but stunning views are the reward for your efforts. For a more relaxing walk, take a stroll around Old Town Park. Take in the views while enjoying peace and quiet outside the bustling town. For a change of scenery, pay a visit to the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. The Dunes go for about 40 miles and you can even try sandboarding on them.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Cannon Beach is another amazing Pacific Coast town. The town has picturesque big rock formations, including Haystack Rock. This is a 235-foot-tall stack of basalt rock. Every year puffins make nests on the rock and add to the charm of the area. Cannon Beach is also home to the magnificent Ecola State Park. This park is full of old-growth rainforest, ancient rock formations, tide pools, and hiking trails to enjoy. At the park, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Coast Range and Neahkahnie Mountain. Indian Beach and Ecola Point are two popular places in Ecola Park and are great spots for a scenic picnic.
Those who love marveling at unique natural spectacles should take the time to enjoy the tide pools at Cannon Beach. These form when the ocean waves crash against rocks, creating small pools of water in the sand. There are many tide pools around Haystack Rock. These tidepools may not look like much from far away, but up close you will see that they are home to a diversity of organisms. Some wildlife you might see include sea anemones, barnacles, crabs, urchins, and starfish
Big Sur, California
Another underrated small town on the Pacific Coast is Big Sur in California. The town is ruggedly beautiful and looks like a picture-perfect postcard. There are several beaches and natural attractions to explore. McWay Falls is one of the most photographed and worth stopping for. The 80-foot cascading falls tumble down a cliff onto a beach. One of the most unique beaches to enjoy in Big Sur is Pfeiffer Beach. The beach has purple sand that is actually manganese garnet. This is one of the best spots to take photographs.
A manmade wonder to enjoy in Big Sur is the Bixby Bridge. This is one of the highest single-span concrete bridges in the world. Completed in 1932, the engineering wonder is sure to take your breath away. Big Sur is also near one of the state's most scenic parks, Point Lobos State Reserve. China Cove is one of the most spectacular sights to see in the park, with jade and green waters to enjoy.
Ilwaco, Washington
IIwaco Washington is a sleepy fishing town on the south end of the Long Beach Peninsula, with a rich history and vibrant art scene. There are art walks in the summer on Friday nights and a local market on Saturday mornings. Salmon-canning was the business that built the town's economy. Today the town is still a major fishing destination. There are chartered fishing trips that go out onto the Pacific Ocean.
There are plenty of other outdoor recreation opportunities in town besides fishing. The Discovery Trail connects Ilwaco and Long Beach. The Cape Disappointment State Park is the opposite experience of its name. The park has hiking trails and rental cabins overlooking the ocean with stunning views. Other nearby places to visit include the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge and Leadbetter Point State Park.
Bodega Bay, California
Bodega Bay is another small fishing town on the Sonoma Coast. One of the most famous sites in Bodega Bay is the Bodega Head. This is a gorgeous cliffside area that overlooks the bay and shelters the town from the ocean. This is a great spot to watch seabirds, and there are many hikes in the area that offer different views of the coastline. Beyond birds, whales are sometimes spotted in Bodega Bay. Between January and May, the gray whale migrates along the coast. Whales can sometimes be spotted from the shoreline. There is an Ocean Overlook on the right fork of Westshore Road where whales can sometimes be spotted.
Another great way to enjoy coastal views in Bodega Bay is at a wine tasting. Bodega Bay has several wineries along the highway, including Sonoma Coast Vineyards and Gourmet au Bay. Some people might recognize Bodega Bay from the old horror movie "The Birds." You can visit some of the sites used in the film, including the Potter School House and Saint Teresa of Avila Church.
La Push, Washington
Welcome sign for La Push with directions to local amenities. Editorial credit: Nick Fox / Shutterstock.com
La Push Washington is another coastal village. La Push is set in the breathtaking northwestern Olympic Peninsula. The quaint village is part of the Quileute Indian Reservation and has a population of under 500. The Quileute tribe has a rich culture which you can learn about at their Quileute Tribal School. There they offer many classes in traditional art forms and language classes.
La Push is full of picturesque beaches and wildlife. It isn't uncommon to see bald eagles or pelicans diving into the water to find dinner. All the beaches in La Push have unique landmarks to see. The first beach in La Push has a rocky jetty at the northern end. This overlooks the mysterious James Island, which at one time was a burial ground for Quileute tribe chiefs. La Push's Secon Beach has a trail that has many more local landmarks, including Quateata Arch, the sea stack known as Crying Lady Rock, the jagged form of the Quilete Needle, and the row of sea stacks around Teahwhit Head. La Push is also near one of the most stunning parks in the United States, Olympic National Park. This is a great spot to enjoy stretches of remote wilderness, mountains, and wild beaches.
Forks, Washington
A town close by La Push is Forks. This was the town famously featured in the Twilight Saga. Every year in September, Forks has a Twilight festival. Forks even have a museum that shows original props and costumes used in the Twilight movies, called Forever Twilight in Forks Collection Museum. There are two fascinating museums that aren't Twilight-related to explore in town: the Timber Museum and Loggers Memorial. Beyond the history and Twilight-related landmarks, the town has some stunning but underrated natural places. Hoh Rainforest is a breathtaking temperate rainforest in town that gets nearly 14 feet of rain every year. While there are four rainforests in the Olympic Peninsula, this is the only one that is part of the World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. The Hoh Rainforest has two trails to explore from the visitors center, the Hall of Mosses Trail and the Spruce Nature Trail. Another great spot in Forks is Sol Duc Falls. These are stunning falls reached by a short hike through the woods.
Discover the Underrated Gems of the Pacific Coast
Whether you are looking to take a hike through a rainforest or swim on the beach, these are some of the most scenic small towns on the Pacific Coast. Forks is near the Hoh Rainforest, a beautiful spot to hike and see wildlife. Florence, Oregon, is home to the Oregon Dunes, a place that will make you feel like you have stepped onto another planet. Nearly every small town on this list has a beach to enjoy, with a unique aspect. Cannon Beach has unique rock formations, including the gigantic Haystack Rock. Big Sur has a beach with purple sand, a great spot to go for sand collectors. While these towns are underrated, they should not be overlooked. Consider visiting them on your next vacation.
