A Place to Park and Watch an Oregon Coast Sunset (Astoria: neighborhood, restaurant)

[mathewsurf]

Hello,

I am taking someone to the Oregon Coast (preferably Cannon Beach) and am looking for a nice spot where we can park the car and enjoy a sunset over the water.

The idea is to walk along the beach for a while and then watch the sunset from the warm car. I'll have my dog with me, so going to a restaurant with a view is unfortunately not an option.

Suggestions are very much appreciated!

[aroseinrain]

I was just at Cannon Beach a couple of weekends ago. They have a huge parking lot right next to the beach (Tolovana Beach State Park) , but if you drive south just a bit there's a wayside (or a lookout, if you prefer) where you can park your car and look out over the cliffs into the sea. It's about a quarter of the way from Cannon Beach to Manzanita. The only problem is that, like many (all?) of the cliffside pull-offs along the way, there's a stone wall that keeps people from toppling off into the ocean - so if you are sitting in your car, I'm not sure if you'd be able to see the sun dip into the water.

Also, there's a Moe's on Cannon beach where you can sit at a table with an ocean view and get some clam chowder before you head out to the lookout.

[mathewsurf]

Thanks for the advice. I'm hoping to find a place a bit more private (which I realize might not exist). The clam chowder sounds great. It's just difficult with the dog. She's a bit too young to stay in the car by herself or outside by herself without sort of freaking out.

[hamellr]

The best spot for sunset watching (on the Northern Oregon Coast) in my opinion, is from the lookout tower on the South Jetty at Fort Stevens. It's usually fairly private as it's a ways out, plus it's near the wildlife area. Lots of birds, sea lions, elk and deer in there.

Here is a picture from my last trip in May 2010.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by hamellr

The best spot for sunset watching (on the Northern Oregon Coast) in my opinion, is from the lookout tower on the South Jetty at Fort Stevens. It's usually fairly private as it's a ways out, plus it's near the wildlife area. Lots of birds, sea lions, elk and deer in there.

Here is a picture from my last trip in May 2010.

My apologies, the photo clearly states 2006, I apparently misfiled it.

[mathewsurf]

Thanks for the advice. I can't seem to find specific directions to the tower. This may be a stupid question, but is the tower sheltered? I am worried about rain.

Thanks and beautiful picture!

Also, any advice for finding more private beach areas is appreciated. It would be nice to let the dog run around a bit without worrying about bothering other people.

[hamellr]

No, the tower is not sheltered. It's just an elevated platform higher then the jetty.

The only sheltered lookouts that I know are still open, is the Oregon Coast Aquarium Building in Depoe Bay. But the windows are frequently so covered with salt and spray you can't see through them.

There is another building in Newport, in the park at Nye Beach that is a bit better.

There use to be some more buildings further south around Charleston for Storm Watching, but I couldn't find them when I was there a few months ago.

In the off season, most of Oregon's beaches tend to be pretty deserted. The ones along Fort Stevens can be desolate. Keep in mind though that some communities and counties have leash laws, which extend to the high tide line on the beach.

The beach in the Taft Neighborhood of Lincoln City is very dog friendly BTW. But not private by any means.

[Larry Caldwell]

Facts & FAQ - Oregon Coast Visitors Association

Maybe you can find a spot on the beach to park.

Can you drive on the beach?

There are places along the Oregon Coast where you are allowed to drive on the beach. Some of these places are restricted to certain times of the year. The information of when and where there is beach vehicle accessibility can be found on the left side of the Official Oregon State map put out by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) – Contact (503) 986-4000 for a copy of the map. Website: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

[mathewsurf]

This is great advice. I didn't even realize this was a potential possibility. Thanks so much everyone for all of the information.

[figmalt]

If you do go to Fort Stevens for the sunset, you should stay another day and see the sunset from the Astoria column. It's really amazing on a clear day. You can see the whole Columbia River estuary and into the Pacific (try a Google search of Astoria Column Sunset for an idea).