3 Days in Cannon Beach: A Photo Essay

I recently participated in one of the most incredible opportunities that have come my way, and it all took place in the beautiful coastal town of Cannon Beach, Oregon.  The opportunity was to fill a position on the judging panel for the Savor Northwest Wine Awards.  This Pacific Northwest focused wine competition takes place annually about a week or two prior to the Savor Cannon Beach Wine and Culinary Festival, where the Best of Class, Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze winners are announced.  Read about my experience in detail on my weekly Eugene Daily News column: Wine Down Eugene.  For the winning results of the some 550 wines we sampled and judged, check out savornw.com/winners/2014

Cannon Beach is a picture-perfect seaside town with paralleled cedar shingled, quaint, cozy and inviting buildings that house businesses throughout.  Most of the houses are cedar shingled as well, creating an ambiance and feel that’s unique to this special little town on the Oregon Coast.  As a visitor or tourist to the area, it’s difficult not to want to stop in at every shop and restaurant in town – one of my favorites, of course, being The Wine Shack, which I recently wrote an article about: Heading to Cannon Beach? Don’t Forget Fido, But Do Forget the Wine – The Wine Shack Has You, and Fido, Covered.

One of the main attractions  of Cannon Beach is Haystack Rock,  a mesmerizing 235 foot high intertidal rock that jets out of the ocean in a seemingly unrealistic manner – the same rock that housed One Eyed Willie’s pirate ship filled with jewels and gold in the cult classic film “The Goonies.”  When the tide is out,  beach goers can discover an entire world of marine creatures while tide pooling around the smaller rock formations that surround the larger Haystack Rock – -it’s really an amazing experience for both adults and kids.

I stayed at the Hallmark Inn and Resort, and was literally taken back by the view of Haystack Rock from my room with its larger than average balcony that offered a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.  The room itself was thoughtfully designed: the ultra comfortable bed faced the Pacific Ocean, as well as a table and two chairs.  A fireplace added ambiance and warmth, and the sound of the crashing waves at night literally lulled me to sleep.  There was a coffee maker, a small fridge and a microwave; along with, a complimentary bag of pop corn – my only addiction in life.  Sitting by the fireplace with a breathtaking view of Haystack Rock and the Pacific Ocean, a glass of wine in one hand and a bowl of popcorn in the other, is simply a slice of heaven.  Being the closest resort in Cannon Beach to Haystack Rock, access is easy via a small path from the hotel to the shoreline.

I couldn’t resist compiling the photos I took while I was there to create a photo essay to share:

Thoughtful design: the bed in my oceanfront room at the Hallmark faced the ocean