There are plenty of reasons to spend some time on the Oregon Coast, especially in the lovely seaside hamlet of Cannon Beach. For a beach town, Cannon Beach feels very grown-up. You’ll find more galleries and boutiques, but fewer arcades and candy stores. The beach is clean, expansive, and beautiful. Away from the town and the beach itself, there are a lot of nearby options for hiking and beaching.
Does your dog hate fireworks? So do all the birds that spend their summers at Haystack Rock, like those impossibly cute puffins. Cannon Beach enacted, and seriously enforces, laws prohibiting fireworks. Blame it on the birds. Seriously, no fireworks. If this sounds like a good way to spend the Four of July holiday, make your reservations early. Very early.
Beer is also a reason to visit Cannon Beach and the Northern Oregon Coast. Below, I share some advice for enjoying the beer scene in Cannon Beach and Tillamook.
Cannon Beach
While beer may not be the focus of your trip, there are plenty of options for getting the good stuff in Cannon Beach. Here are my recommendations.
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Stock the Fridge at Fresh Foods
This is a very nice grocery store, especially for a town the size of Cannon Beach. It almost feels like a miniature Whole Foods Market. There’s a deli, a coffee shop, and more importantly, a beer cave. The walk-in cooler is loaded with a large selection of local and not-so-local craft beer options. Tips: Fresh Foods Marketplace has a crowler-filling station with eight beers on tap. Peruse the beer section carefully; there’s a lot of great Oregon-brewed beer here. 3401 S Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110.
Lunch, Dinner, and Beers at Pelican Brewing (Cannon Beach)
Depending on how long you’re in town, you may end up at Pelican Brewing more than once. It’s that good. The place is prominently positioned on a busy corner, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The staff manages peak hours with ease. Dinner hour gets especially busy with families and larger groups. The food is excellent, with a nice selection of pub grub. The beer is fantastic, as you would expect from Pelican Brewing, which operates three other locations on the Oregon Coast. Tip: Try to avoid the absolute peak hours. If you show up for lunch at 11:45, you’ll probably get seated right away. Show up at 12:15 and expect a wait. Same at dinner hour. 1371 S Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110.
A Taste of Something Different at Public Coast
Located on the north end of town, Public Coast Brewing takes its name from the happy fact that Oregon’s beaches are public domain, entrusted to the state, and accessible by its citizens. The cabin-like brewpub offers indoor and outdoor seating for guests of all ages. The beers here diverge from the typical path of IPAs (though they have those, too), offering things like an oatmeal stout brewed with maple and cinnamon or a beer brewed with Earl Grey Tea and lemon that was inspired by Arnold Palmer (the drink, not the man). The food menu is a bit more predictable than the beer but offers plenty of options. Indoor and outdoor seating. Tip: The QR codes on the tables lead to a menu that does not necessarily reflect everything on tap. Look at the menu inside, on the wall behind the bar. 264 E 3rd St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110.
The Time Machine at Bill’s Tavern and Brewhouse
Located in the heart of bustling downtown Cannon Beach, Bill’s Tavern and Brewhouse is the original brewery in town. They’ve brewed beer here since 1997. In some ways, it tastes that way. I say that with reverence. The beers are true to style, simple, clean, and free of many of the flavors that confuse craft beers these days. If you want a pale ale that tastes like a pale ale, this is your place. The food menu is pretty standard for a pub of this type. Tip: The space is divided, with one half welcoming families and the other reserved for grownups. This makes it a good option for getting a table at peak eating hours, because so many folks have kids in tow. Indoor seating. 188 N Hemlock St, Cannon Beach, OR 97110.
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Warren House Pub
Located at the south end of town, across the street from Tolovano State Park, Warren House Pub never disappoints. Happily trapped in time, I was there 25 years ago and remember liking the place—I still do. The pub is owned by the same folks as Bill’s Tavern and Brewhouse, so the beers are solid, as described above. The food menu is pretty typical for a pub, with perhaps more seafood options than many pub menus. For this recent visit, I was part of a group of six people and we managed to get seated at a table in the bar section (no kids). It’s a pub. It’s not fancy, but good. Tip: The bar area is reserved for 21+. In this town, where so many groups include children, that’s worth noting. Indoor and outdoor seating. 3301 S Hemlock St, Tolovana Park, OR, United States, Oregon 97110.
Tillamook
The town of Tillamook is about an hour south of Cannon Beach and makes for a great daytrip. Drive down the coast passing through a number of beach towns along the way. If you are willing to endure the massive crowds, the Tillamook cheese factory is interesting, with an “exit through the gift shop” sort of vibe. At the time of publication, Pelican Brewing was preparing to open a new location in Rockaway Beach, which is between Cannon Beach and Tillamook.
Rare, Outstanding, Special… de Garde Brewing
This highly esteemed brewery attracts people from across the region, many of whom enjoy a de Garde Brewing Premier Keepers membership, an exclusive bottle club that grants members access to rare, special-release beers. It’s not uncommon to see folks walking out the door with multiple cases of beer. If you like wild-fermented, sour, and barrel-aged beers, do not miss de Garde Brewing. It is not an overstatement to say this brewery is one of the nation’s premier producers of those kinds of beers. There’s often a food truck right outside. If not, or if you want more selection, there is a food cart pod right around the corner with multiple options. Tip: Get a flight of smaller-sized beers so you can experience the broadest range of flavors. Indoor and covered outdoor seating. 114 Ivy Ave, Tillamook, OR 97141.
Pelican Brewing’s Tillamook Outpost
Located about a block away from de Garde Brewing, Pelican Brewing operates a brewery and taproom with an expansive beer garden out front, and a smaller indoor space that overlooks the brewery. There’s no table service here so step up to the counter and order your food and beer. All the great beer you’d expect from Pelican Brewing along with a basic, smallish food menu: a couple burgers, a couple salads, fish and chips, and a few other options. Outdoor seating, with some indoor seating. Tip: The indoor seating area is pretty small, so come prepared to sit outside. 1708 1st St, Tillamook, OR 97141.
Be Kind to This Beautiful Place
Sunsets at the beach are beautiful, and so is sitting around a beachfire with a beer. Sunny afternoons playing in the sand and the surf are memorable. Watching the pelicans skim the waves is fascinating. Bring your binoculars and try to spot a puffin. If you are enjoying those things with a beer in hand, leave no trace. Pack it out. Enjoy. Navigating the beer scene here requires the intuition of a mentalist magician, noticing subtle details and making choices that reveal unexpected delights.
