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Cannon Beach
WHERE : OREGON , USA image : alamy
While swimming is on the agenda for anyone willing to brave the 55F-degree waters , it ’ s Cannon Beach ’ s most celebrated residents — a 100-strong circus of tufted puffins that voyage to this spot every spring and nest until late August — that steal the show . This vast stretch of sandy Pacific Northwest coast , just 80 miles from Portland , can be enjoyed in a variety of ways : from the sandstone cliffs of Hug Point and picture-perfect Arcadia Beach to the iconic Haystack Rock , a 235-foottall sea stack formed by wave erosion . The striking monolith is best viewed at sunset , silhouetted against a dramatic sky . At low tide , the ocean peels away to reveal a littoral ecosystem , granting visitors the opportunity to walk out to the rock via tidal pools that teem with starfish and mollusks . Embark on the seven-mile hiking trail through Ecola State Park on the northern headland for panoramic beach vistas , or wander through quaint Cannon Beach town , where brewpubs , coffee roasters , artisan shops and heritage inns await . summer 2024 • 9