This peak is an inspiring place, where the Tillamook tribe believed their most powerful god resided. In fact, the name Neahkahnie comes from their words Ne (“place of”) and Ekahnie (“supreme deity”). From this spot you look south past Nehalem Bay to Cape Meares and Cape Lookout nearly 30 miles away. With a huge expanse of ocean before you, this is one of the coast’s best whale watching locations. The roadway, completed in 1941, was blasted out of the side of the mountain and is supported by rock walls built mostly from the material that was blasted away. The multiple highway turnouts are lined with low walls of this classic decorative masonry.

Stretching along four miles of coastline in dense, temperate rainforest, Oswald West State Park has a beautifully secluded sandy beach and miles of trails leading to breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. This vast, scenic treasure is without a doubt one of the most spectacular parks in Oregon.

This picturesque small-town village by the sea is easily walkable and you will be able to explore meandering pathways, enjoy public art and courtyards spilling over with flowers. Known as one of the Northwest’s top art towns, Cannon Beach is filled with art galleries, specialty shops, cafes and fine dining restaurants. While in Cannon Beach you will have time for lunch at one of their amazing restaurants.

Haystack Rock is one of Oregon’s most recognizable landmarks, home to colorful tidepools and diverse bird life. It rises 235 feet from the edge of the shoreline. At low tide, you can walk right up to it and find colorful sea stars and other fascinating tidepool creatures in its intertidal area. Puffins can be observed on Haystack Rock from early spring to mid-summer, offering the most accessible viewing of Tufted Puffins in the Northwest.

No visit to Cannon Beach would be complete ­without visiting Ecola State Park, perched dramatically on the edge of Tillamook Head. Ecola Park Road winds through old growth rainforest before emerging at one of the Oregon Coast’s most famous views, overlooking numerous rock formations and the capes and headlands miles to the south