Cannon Beach Family Friendly Guide

Cannon Beach is the perfect family vacation destination. The area offers plenty of beaches, hiking trails, and wildlife viewing for families and friends to enjoy. Our Cannon Beach family-friendly guide covers everything from the best things to do to where to eat and where to stay.

What family-friendly activities are there to do in Cannon Beach?

While this list is not a definitive list of kid-friendly activities in Cannon Beach, it covers the most popular things to do for families with children of all ages:

Explore Tidepools at Haystack Rock – Haystack Rock is considered one of the best places to tidepool on the Oregon Coast. You’ll come across sea stars, crabs, anemones, chitons, and more. Haystack Rock is a fragile environment, so make sure you’re familiar with tidepooling best practices when visiting.

Go Puffin Watching – While you’re out tidepooling, keep your eyes peeled for tufted puffins. Puffins return to Cannon Beach in April for the spring breeding season and stick around until July, sometimes August, while they raise their young. Cannon Beach is home to the second-largest on-shore puffin population in the US. 

Visit Seaside’s Funland Arcade – Just a 15-minute drive from Cannon Beach, Seaside’s Funland Arcade is home to hundreds of arcade video and redemption games, virtual reality games, mini-golf, and bumper cars.

Dive into History at Fort Stevens State Park – Hop in the car for a trip up north to Fort Stevens State Park. The 4,300-acre park offers a variety of recreational activities, including swimming, beachcombing, a freshwater lake, trails, wildlife viewing, and a historic shipwreck.

Build Sandcastles & Flying Kites on the Beach – Spend your mornings and afternoons on Cannon Beach building intricate sandcastles and flying kites. It’s a simple and free way to enjoy your Oregon Coast vacation. And don’t forget about the annual Sandcastle Contest in June! Sculptors from all over descend onto Cannon Beach to build massive sculptures with the hopes of winning the grand prize. 

Family Friendly Restaurants in Cannon Beach

  • Public Coast Brewing
  • Pelican Brewing
  • Ecola Seafood Restaurant/Market
  • Pig N Pancake
  • Nonni’s
  • Doogers

Cannon Beach Family Friendly Rentals

Wondering where to stay in Cannon Beach for your family vacation? Our luxury Cannon Beach vacation rentals offer several perks over staying at a hotel. You can expect more space and privacy, access to a range of amenities from pet-friendly homes to homes with a private hot tub, and a better value overall. You’ll get that home-away-from-home feeling, while also supporting a local business!