Updated: April 4, 2024
Tucked between the eroded cliffs of Cape Kiwanda and serene Nestucca Bay, Pacific City, Oregon has carved out its own little niche on the coast. Popular for surfing, fishing, fat tire biking and beaches, this unincorporated coastal community sits off of Highway 101, at a bend in the Nestucca River where it meets the bay.
Outdoor enthusiasts, families with kids and couples on a weekend getaway or day trip from Portland will find plenty of options for fun activities in this beachfront town. Get ideas for things to do plus find out where to eat and stay while you explore the area in this guide to Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda.
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Contents
- Where is Pacific City, Oregon?
- Transportation to Pacific City
- About Pacific City
- Things to Do in Pacific City
- Places to Stay in Pacific City
Hotels
Vacation Rentals
Campgrounds - Restaurants and Dining in Pacific City
- Weather in Pacific City, Oregon
- Tide Charts for Pacific City, Oregon
- Annual Events and Festivals in Pacific City
Where is Pacific City, Oregon?
Pacific City is located on the northern Oregon Coast in Tillamook County, about 2 hours driving from Portland (96 miles). Take Highway 26 west to Highway 6 west, up and over the coast range through the scenic Tillamook State Forest, until you reach the town of Tillamook. From there, take Highway 101 south to Brooten Road.
Update: In December 2023, Sandlake Road was damaged by a landslide between Tierra Del Mar and Pacific City. For the latest road conditions and closures, use ODOT’s TripCheck.
Transportation to Pacific City
Driving is the easiest and fastest way to get to Pacific City. For air, bus, train, car and camper rental information, see Transportation to the Oregon Coast.
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About Pacific City, Oregon
This area was originally inhabited by the Nestugga tribe. The few remaining natives who survived smallpox and the arrival of white settlers were forced to relocate to reservations in the late 1800s. For more about coastal Oregon native history, see the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.
In 1886, Nestucca Bay and River were so rich with fish and shellfish, a cannery was built near the mouth of the river to process and distribute the bountiful harvests. By the early 1900s, however, commercial gillnet fishing had depleted the salmon population.
A local Pacific City fleet of fishermen and women switched to hook-and-line fishing from double-ended, flat-bottomed Dory boats launched directly from the shore. This tradition has continued for more than 100 years and is still practiced today on Pacific City beaches at Cape Kiwanda (see “Watch the Pacific City Dory Boats,” below).
The population of Pacific City, Oregon is about 1,000 residents.
Top Things to Do in Pacific City Oregon
Explore Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area
The Three Capes Scenic Route is a 40-mile scenic drive to three of the coast’s most impressive points: Cape Meares, Cape Lookout and Cape Kiwanda. Unlike the other two, Cape Kiwanda is made of sandstone, a softer rock that erodes into strange shapes, sinkholes and crevices in the coastline with each pounding wave.
Exploring Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area is one of the most popular things to do in Pacific City. Just be sure to view the seascape from behind the safety fences. Use caution near cliffs and never cross safety barriers as the sandstone rock is unstable here and is known to crumble unexpectedly.
A steep, strenuous scramble up a sand dune will reward you with impressive views of the ocean, including the massive 340-foot tall Haystack Rock (a.k.a. Chief Kiawanda Rock, not to be confused with the other Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, famous for being in The Goonies). This rock is about a mile offshore from Pacific City’s beach and isn’t accessible on foot.
Enjoy Pacific City Beaches
The beaches in Pacific City have some good tide pools at low tide, just be sure to check tide tables and be aware of when the tide is coming back in so you don’t get trapped. North of Cape Kiwanda is McPhillips Beach, a less-crowded alternative to the busier Pacific City beaches on the southern side of the cape.
A popular day-use area shared by surfers, fishing boats, beachcombers and vehicles (driving on the sand is allowed on this area of the Oregon Coast), Pacific City beaches in this zone are often crowded and the parking lot can fill up– especially on summer weekends and during festivals. Arrive early in the morning or on a weekday to dodge the crowds.
Update: Cape Kiwanda Parking lot will be closed beginning March 4th, 2024 until July 2024. Learn more about the lot closure.
Watch the Pacific City Dory Boats at Cape Kiwanda
Dory fishing in Pacific City, Oregon, dates back more than 100 years and is an integral part of the town’s history. Today, it is more of a recreational activity than a commercial one, yet it remains as the only place on the West Coast of the USA where fishing boats launch in this particular way.
Pacific City Dory boats launch at dawn directly from the beach at Cape Kiwanda, where they time the surf and push the boats out manually until the water is deep enough to drop the motor. At the end of the day, watch them skillfully come back to shore at high speed and slide up onto the beach.
The tradition is celebrated every year with the Dory Days festival in July. A few local operators will take visitors on chartered Pacific City Dory boat fishing trips. Haystack Fishing and Pacific City Fishing are just a few local options.
Ride the Cape Kiwanda Fat Bike Route
A fat bike has extra-large tires for riding on the sand and is a fun way to see the coastline (and get a good workout). Cape Kiwanda Fat Bike Route starts on the beach at Cape Kiwanda and you can head either north or south.
Go south to find the Nestucca River and Bob Straub State Park. If you head north over the sand dune (be ready for a climb– and a fun descent) you’ll go through the unincorporated community of Tierra del Mar and reach Sitka Sedge State Natural Area.
For more locations on the coast for fat tire biking, see Fat Biking the Oregon Coast.
Explore Sitka Sedge State Natural Area and Whalen Island
Sitka Sedge State Natural Area offers hiking and walking trails with views of tidal flats, saltwater marshes, wildflowers, coastal forest wetlands, marsh wildlife and sandy beaches. Also worthy of exploration is Whalen Island just across the lake. To the north, Sand Lake Recreation Area is popular for ATV off-roading and camping.
🥾 Find more of the best hiking trails on the Oregon Coast.
Walk or Paddle the Nestucca Bay Wildlife Refuge
Enjoy the peace and serenity of this fee-free natural area near Pacific City with miles of forest, coastal prairie, tidal marsh and mudflats to explore.
The refuge provides some of the best birdwatching on the Oregon Coast for many species of songbirds, ducks, geese, raptors and many other shorebirds and waterfowl. Thousands of Aleutian Cackling and Dusky Canada Geese can be seen from late October to early April.
Fall and winter birds include a variety of sparrows, Hutton’s Vireo, Varied Thrush, and Western Bluebirds.
Spring and summer bring Barn Owl, Northern Pygmy-Owl, Western Tanager, Rufous Hummingbird, Violet-green Swallow, Wilson’s and Hermit Warbler, Red Crossbill, Swainson’s Thrush, Pacific-slop Flycatcher, and Ruffed Grouse.
The Pacific View Trail is a short, easy half-mile round trip walk on a paved path accessible for people with mobility issues. There are two rest benches along the way and one on the viewing deck at the end. On a clear day, you can see Haystack Rock, Nestucca Bay, the Coast Range and the Little Nestucca River.
There is no boat launch in the refuge, but kayaks can use the Little Nestucca River and the Nestucca River county boat launches. See Nestucca Bay Wildlife Refuge for more details.
Visit the Neskowin Ghost Forest
Take a 15-minute drive south of Pacific City to see the ancient tree stumps of the Neskowin Ghost Forest. These spooky remnants of Sitka spruce trees are roughly 2,000 years old and are thought by geologists to be caused by an earthquake that caused the trees to drop abruptly to the sand.
Either mud from landslides or debris from a tsunami then kept the trees buried until a storm in the late 1990s unearthed them.
The best time to see the stumps is at low tide. Head to the Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site where you’ll also find tree-covered Proposal Rock.
Neskowin is a tiny unincorporated community on the Oregon Coast with just a few restaurants, a general store, a golf course and a few hotels and vacation homes.
For a scenic view along the way, pull in at Pacific Wayside Crest off the 101 for a snapshot.
Reserve your dates in advance for the best selection. Hotels do tend to fill up on weekends in popular towns on the Oregon Coast. See the latest prices and deals by searching for your travel dates.
Campgrounds and RV Parks Near Pacific City, Oregon
Cape Lookout State Park is located 25 minutes north of Pacific City and offers full hookup RV sites, tent sites, yurts and deluxe cabin rentals. Miles of great hiking trails surround this forested campground.
🌲 See our complete camping guide to State Park campgrounds on the Oregon Coast for more places to camp.
RV parks near Pacific City include Hart’s Camp Airstream Hotel and RV Park (near Cape Kiwanda), Neskowin Creek RV Resort and Cape Kiwanda RV Park.
🚐 There are several privately owned RV parks and campgrounds along the Oregon Coast off Highway 101. Services and facilities can vary widely, so be sure to check reviews on Google Maps or use a trusted trip-planning app like RV Life to read unbiased reviews of campgrounds by other RVers. Try it free!
Restaurants and Dining in Pacific City, Oregon
Many of the best restaurants in Pacific City are along Cape Kiwanda Drive or Brooten Road. You’ll find dining options from upscale to casual with coastal-inspired menus and Pacific Northwest pub fare.
Pelican Brewing was born in this hard-to-miss ideal spot on Pacific City’s main beach with a front-row view of Haystack Rock. Sit and watch the dory boats come in with a local brew in hand. Outdoor seating is available when the weather is nice.
Stop in at the popular Grateful Bread Bakery in Pacific City for coffee, fresh-baked pastries, breakfast scrambles and sandwiches.
The Riverhouse Nestucca serves seasonal fish, seafood and more from a small, rustic building on the riverfront in Pacific City. There are a handful of other eateries to try along this stretch of Brooten Road following the Nestucca River.
🍴 More of the Best Restaurants on the Oregon Coast
Weather in Pacific City, Oregon
The weather in Pacific City is generally cool (50s-60s F) and damp with frequent rain throughout the year, with the exception of July and August. Temperatures rarely get too hot in summer with highs in the 60s-70s. Lows dip down into the 30s in winter but snow is rare. Spring and Autumn are a mix of sunny and rainy days.
Not sure what to pack for your trip to the Oregon Coast? The beaches are usually breezy and cool. It’s a good idea to wear layers and bring rain gear. See our guide on what to wear to the Oregon Coast by season for a free downloadable packing list and more details.
Tide Charts for Pacific City and the Oregon Coast
There are two low tides and two high tides every day on Oregon’s coast. Low tide is the time for beachcombing, clamming, tide pools and cave exploration.
For your safety, be aware of the tide schedule before boating or heading out to beaches and always keep an eye on the water level. Use extreme caution in rocky areas near the water, where sneaker waves can (and do) strike.
🌊 Check tide tables or ask at state park offices, local visitor information centers and many stores and hotels for a free tide table booklet.
🦀 Find the best tide pools on the Oregon Coast near Pacific City.
Annual Events and Festivals in Pacific City, Oregon
Looking for more fun things to do in Pacific City? Here’s a list of major events to help you plan your trip.
July – Pacific City Dory Days Festival and Parade
September – Cape Kiwanda Longboard Classic Pacific City, Oregon
For more details and events, see Pacific City, Oregon Visitors Association.
👉 See our calendar for more annual events on the Oregon Coast.
Taking a road trip? From Pacific City, drive 35 minutes north to Tillamook or head 30 minutes south to Lincoln City to continue exploring Oregon Coast towns.
