6 Delightful Towns to Visit on the Pacific Coast

Washington's San Juan Islands hide Friday Harbor, a ferry-only town whose boats chase orcas through the summer salmon runs. The Oregon shore adds Seaside, where a vintage arcade and a Lewis and Clark monument share the sand, and Florence, where towering dunes back the largest sea cave in the country and the strongest light on the Oregon coast. California weighs in with the sixty-foot Mavericks swells off Half Moon Bay and the 576-foot volcanic plug at the mouth of Morro Bay's harbor. North across the border, British Columbia's Tofino rounds out the run with rainforest trails, shoreline black bears, and Canada's best surf. Six small towns spread across the United States and Canada, all on one long stretch of Pacific.

Friday Harbor, Washington

Friday Harbor is a seaside town on San Juan Island, the second-largest island in the San Juan archipelago, reachable only by ferry, seaplane, or private boat. The surrounding waters host orcas, humpbacks, minkes, and gray whales, which makes the town a natural base for a whale-watching trip. Summer is the best time, when orcas follow the salmon runs through the islands. All Aboard Sailing runs full-day tours with a captain and wildlife guide, and seals, sea lions, and seabirds round out most outings.

For a view from land, hike to Lime Kiln Point State Park, also called Whale Watch Park, and bring a picnic for the shoreline near the 1919 Lime Kiln Light. Downtown Friday Harbor has coffee and handmade "ugly" donuts at Medio Cafe, antiques at Funk & Junk, and Pacific Northwest work at Waterworks Gallery. Close the day with a craft beer from San Juan Island Brewing at the Friday Harbor House.

Seaside, Oregon

Seaside lives up to its name on the Oregon coast, known for a wide sandy beach and an oceanfront promenade that locals call the Prom. The walkway runs about a mile and a half and meets Broadway at the Turnaround, a midpoint landmark where a bronze statue marks the western end of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804 to 1806.

Seaside is an easy destination for families, with the Seaside Aquarium, one of the oldest on the West Coast, plus the Funland arcade, the Carousel Mall, and Captain Kid Amusement Park with go-karts and mini-golf. A walk on the Prom pairs well with saltwater taffy from the Seaside Candyman, two scoops from Zinger's Homemade Ice Cream, or classic treats from Phillips Candies.

Half Moon Bay, California

Mavericks, the big-wave surf break off Pillar Point about 25 miles south of San Francisco, is Half Moon Bay's claim to fame. Winter swells there run 25 to 60 feet and draw the world's top surfers, and it is strictly a break to watch rather than paddle out. For a gentler angle on the coast, the Devil's Slide Trail up the shoreline gives walkers a clifftop view of the surf, with seabirds like peregrine falcons and pigeon guillemots nesting in the rock.

North of Pillar Point Harbor, the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve protects one of the best tide-pool habitats in Northern California, home to sea stars, hermit crabs, and sea urchins. The pools shift with every tide, so no two visits look quite the same.

Florence, Oregon

Florence backs onto the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, home to some of the largest coastal sand dunes in the United States and a playground for dune buggies, sandboarding, and hiking. Up the coast, the Heceta Head Lighthouse caps a worthwhile climb along a stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail. The 56-foot tower stands 205 feet above the Pacific Ocean, and its light, first lit in 1894, reaches 21 miles out to sea as the strongest on the Oregon coast.

Nearby, the 25-million-year-old Sea Lion Caves bill themselves as the largest sea cave in the US and shelter sea lions along with seabirds like pigeon guillemots and cormorants. In historic Old Town, the River Gallery shows Pacific Northwest artists and hand-blown Oregon glass floats, and Mo's serves New England-style chowder at picnic tables over the Siuslaw River.

Morro Bay, California

Morro Bay is defined by Morro Rock, the 576-foot volcanic plug standing at the mouth of the harbor. Formed about 23 million years ago, it is the most prominent of the Nine Sisters, a chain of volcanic peaks running inland toward San Luis Obispo. You can drive to its base or rent an electric bike from Cal Coast Adventures on the Embarcadero, but climbing the rock is off-limits.

The Embarcadero is the town's waterfront downtown, lined with shops, seafood restaurants, and tour operators. Sub Sea Tours runs a semi-submersible for views above and below the water, and Lost Isle Adventures offers tiki and sunset cruises.

Pack a picnic from the Boat Yard Marketplace and head to Morro Bay State Park for kayaking, fishing, and bird-watching, or visit its Museum of Natural History for the area's geology and Native American history. Back in town, the Embarcadero's seafood spots include Dutchman's Seafood House, one of the original Morro Bay fish houses, and the dog-friendly Kicker's.

Tofino, Canada

On Canada's Pacific Coast, Tofino is a town wrapped in ocean and temperate rainforest, a draw for surfers, hikers, and weekend thrill-seekers. Bear-watching season runs spring through fall, when operators such as Jamie's Whaling Station run roughly two-and-a-half-hour tours by open boat or covered cruiser to spot black bears foraging along the shore at low tide. Less adventurous travelers can book whale-watching and sea otter tours, or take a boat or seaplane out to Hot Springs Cove for a soak in geothermal water.

Known as Canada's surf capital, Tofino has its best waves at Long Beach and Cox Bay, with boards and wetsuits for rent at Pacific Surf Co. and beginner lessons down the street at Surf Sister. On land, the 197-square-mile Pacific Rim National Park Reserve wraps around town, with short day hikes like the boardwalked Rainforest Trail and the Nuu-chah-nulth Trail in its Long Beach Unit. The famous multi-day West Coast Trail lies farther south in the park, reached from Bamfield and Port Renfrew rather than Tofino. End the day at the Tofino Brewing Company tasting room with a flight of craft beer.

Six Towns, Six Ways To Slow Down

Each of these towns leans on the water in its own way. Some run on adventure, with surf breaks, whale boats, and dunes built for sandboarding. Others keep it slow, trading big attractions for an old boardwalk, a tide pool, or a picnic under a volcanic rock. None asks for more than a weekend, and any one of them rewards an unhurried coastal drive.