That Coast Life

That Coast Life Explore Cannon Beach and the Oregon Coast with me

08/14/2026

Depoe Bay, Oregon is home to the world’s smallest navigable harbor, and it might be the best whale watching value I’ve found on the Oregon coast. I booked online with Dockside Charters. It was $90 total for my family of four, and we saw gray whales just six minutes after leaving the harbor.

There are several tour operators in Depoe Bay, so you’ve got options, but my experience with Dockside was great from booking to the trip itself. Gray whales pass through this stretch of coastline for much of the year, so it’s worth checking into as you plan your visit.

08/12/2026

There’s something special about walking into a hotel that’s been welcoming guests since 1896. The Shelburne, tucked into Seaview, Washington, is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state, and it’s still standing on the same stretch of the Long Beach Peninsula where Portland’s elite once escaped for the summer. It’s on the National Historic Register now, and honestly, once you step inside, it’s easy to see why it’s held onto that history so well.

I took you into one of the rooms in this video so you could see it for yourself. The details, the character, the feeling of a place that’s been around for over 125 years, it’s all still there.

08/11/2026

After my last video about touring Tillamook Rock Lighthouse with Garibaldi Charters, so many of you reached out asking how to book your own trip that they’ve added two new dates this season: August 22nd and September 6th.

If you’ve never heard the story of “Terrible Tilly,” it’s worth the trip alone. Perched on a basalt rock a mile off the Oregon coast, this lighthouse earned its nickname from the brutal weather and rough seas that made it one of the most dangerous lighthouse postings in the country. It operated for decades before being decommissioned, and seeing it up close from the water gives you a totally different perspective on just how isolated and wild that stretch of coastline really is.

Spots are still open for both dates, but after the response to the last video, I wouldn’t expect them to last. Head to Garibaldi Charters’ website to reserve your spot.

08/03/2026

If you’re making the drive between Portland and the north Oregon coast, Public Coast Farm is a nice little stop to break it up. Right off Highway 26 in Banks, Oregon, they’ve got u-pick blueberry fields that my kids had a lot of fun picking through, plus a farm stand with beverages and local goods.

It’s a cute, easy stop to stretch your legs on the drive to the coast. Just check their website for hours before you head out, since they can vary.

07/19/2026

My morning walk near the rocks in Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach, Oregon brought a fun surprise: babies everywhere. A family of oystercatchers and cormorant parents with their young, all out on the same stretch of shoreline.

It’s an encouraging sight. Oystercatchers nest directly on these rocky outcrops, and the past several seasons have been tough on some local chicks due to foot traffic and off-leash dogs getting into the nesting areas. This year looks like it’s off to a better start, and it’s worth remembering how much it matters for visitors to give these spots space when they’re exploring the rocks.

07/18/2026

We spent six hours out on the water with Garibaldi Charters, heading out to Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, also known as Terrible Tilly. This historic lighthouse sits about a mile offshore and hasn’t been operational since 1957, but it’s still one of the most striking landmarks on the Oregon coast.

This trip combined fishing and crabbing with a chance to see the lighthouse up close from the water. But the real showstopper of the day came from an unexpected source. As we approached the rock, we watched a line of what looked like 30 to 40 sea lions taking turns sliding down the rocks like it was their own personal waterpark. It ended up being the highlight of the entire trip.

If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the north Oregon coast, a charter trip like this one is worth adding to your list. Beautiful scenery, good fishing, and if you’re lucky, a wildlife moment you won’t forget.

07/18/2026

Three years ago, one of the wildest wildlife moments I’ve witnessed on the Oregon coast unfolded right here in Cannon Beach: a cougar made its way onto Haystack Rock and stayed there. All day.

It wasn’t until low tide in the middle of the night that it slipped away unnoticed. For the following week, the cougar was spotted around town periodically, so locals and visitors alike stayed alert. I never crossed paths with it again after that, but the whole town was on high alert for days.

Cougars are actually more common in this region than most visitors realize, they’re just elusive by nature, keeping to dense forest and typically avoiding people and open areas like the beach. Seeing one out on the rock in broad daylight was a rare and honestly surreal sighting, even for someone who has lived here and covered this coastline for years.

07/15/2026

July 15, 2026: This morning’s -1.91 low tide opened up parts of Cannon Beach, Oregon that I have never been able to explore in five years of doing this. When the sand runs this high, whole new sections of coastline become accessible, and today did not disappoint.

We came across elk grazing near the shoreline, puffins out on the rocks, nudibranchs tucked into the tide pools, and starfish everywhere we looked. You never know what a big low tide will reveal until you are standing in it.

If you are planning a coastal trip, keep an eye on the tide charts. A strong negative low tide like this one is rare, and it completely changes what you can see and where you can go.

07/15/2026

-1.9 foot low tide at Ecola State Park this morning and the tide pools did not disappoint. Sea stars, sea anemones, and so many babies of both. Tomorrow’s low tide hits at 8:12 AM if you want to catch it too.

07/12/2026

We are here at Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. I was not expecting the sliding sea lions lol. Amazing!

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