2 Best Sights in Pacific City, The Oregon Coast

The town's public beach adjoins Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, the southernmost section of famously picturesque Three Capes Loop, and extends south to Bob Straub State Park. Adjacent to Cape Kiwanda's massive 240-foot-tall dune, it's a fun place for visitors of all ages to scamper to its summit—views take in a small cove and tide pools below, and the walk, or slide, down is infinitely easier than the climb. The beach is also popular with tailgaters—it's one of the few places in Oregon where you can legally park your vehicle on the sand. You can also park in the lot beside Pelican Pub. Amenities: none. Best for: partiers; walking.

This 484-acre expanse of coastal wilderness includes a wind-swept walk along the flat white-sand beach that leads to the mouth of the Nestucca River, one of the best fishing rivers on the North Coast. The beach along the Pacific is frequently windy, but it's separated from the stiller, warmer side of the peninsula by high dunes. Multiple trails cross the dunes into a forest that leads to small beaches on the Nestucca, or you can get here more quickly from the parking lot, but you'll miss out on the views from the top of the dunes.