7 Picture-Perfect Main Streets on the Pacific Coast
The Pacific Coast delivers postcard-perfect main streets, from Carmel’s Ocean Avenue lined with storybook cottages and hidden courtyards, to Cannon Beach’s Hemlock Street with galleries. In Seward, 4th Avenue mixes murals, seafood shacks, and the historic church-turned Resurrect Art Coffee House, while Florence’s Bay Street runs along the Siuslaw River beneath its green arch bridge. And in Carpinteria, Linden Avenue leads straight to the sand. All along the coast, main streets like these turn a simple stroll into a whole trip.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
A coastal village in the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel-by-the-Sea is one-square-mile in size, and is known for its quaint cottages, white-sand beach, and as an artists’ enclave. The town is highly walkable, pet-friendly, and the businesses are locally-owned with no chain restaurants. There are a large number of art galleries, and the downtown features cobblestone paths leading to the beach. The main street is Ocean Avenue, and from there you can explore European-style courtyards and the bamboo-lined Secret Garden Passageway, a walkway between Dolores Street and San Carlos Street.
While on Ocean Ave., you can take a self-guided Carmel Wine Walk that includes wine tastings, or browse some unique shops along the way. Pilgrim's Way Community Bookstore is a long-time favorite, and it can be found by following the Secret Garden Passageway. A landmark of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Terry’s Restaurant + Lounge at the Cypress Inn is a dog-friendly cocktail lounge. The Cypress Inn was once owned by Doris Day, and the lounge was named for her son, music producer Terry Melcher. There are art tours available of the many galleries, focusing on the art history of the area. At the end of Ocean Ave., you will find the Scenic Road Walkway, offering unobstructed views of the Pacific.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
The famed Haystack Rock, a 235-foot basalt sea stack, is just minutes from the coastal town of Cannon Beach. The rock is an iconic presence in the town and is known for its tide pools and diverse bird populations. Cannon Beach is a quiet seaside town with a walkable downtown lined with galleries, boutiques, and restaurants. Hemlock Street is the main artery of the downtown, and a big draw is the locally-owned businesses that keep the community spirit. As an artistic town, Hemlock St. features many galleries and studios, including Icefire Glassworks, where visitors can watch live glassblowing.
Local history is on display at the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum, which also offers rotating and traveling exhibitions and rotating art shows, along with the permanent collection of 12,000 historic Cannon Beach-related photos and documents. For some old-fashioned fun, Bruce's Candy Kitchen, a fourth-generation family-owned candy store with iconic pink-striped decor, has saltwater taffy and other made-on-location treats. Hemlock St. provides easy access to Haystack Rock, where, from April to July, you can see the local puffin population.
Seward, Alaska
Seward is a coastal town with the dramatic backdrop of Mount Marathon. The historic downtown, anchored by 4th Avenue, is lined with eclectic shops, street art, and a vibrant and lively vibe. The walkable 4th Avenue has plenty of dining options and local color, and acts as a gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park. Locally-owned businesses include Resurrect Art Coffee House, which occupies a historic church and serves as both a cozy coffee house and an art gallery featuring Alaskan artists.
Galleries and studios along 4th Avenue feature Alaska-made crafts and jewelry, while the street is adorned with murals. For dining options, seafood is on most menus, with fresh catches arriving in the kitchen daily. A coffee, beer, or wine is perfect after a day of touring the local glaciers, and Seward has a lively nightlife scene as well. For history and culture, the Seward Community Library & Museum includes exhibits on the 1964 earthquake as well as the Iditarod Trail. From 4th Avenue, you can also make your way to the Alaska SeaLife Center to view local wildlife, like sea lions and puffins.
Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend and its seaport are located on the northeastern end of the Olympic Peninsula, on the Puget Sound. There are waterways on three sides of the town, and it is generally considered the gateway to the Olympic Peninsula. Port Townsend has a rich maritime history, and its main street, Water Street, is lined with Victorian architecture. The mix of the two heritages gives the town its particular charm. It is a small town with a strong community spirit, and the Downtown Historic District, anchored by Water Street, is a designated National Historic District. The Victorian buildings are well-preserved and now house speciality boutiques, galleries, and waterfront restaurants.
For local history and art, the Jefferson Museum of Art & History is housed in the 1891 City Hall building. The Northwest Maritime Center, located at the north end of Water St., focuses on the town’s coastal history and culture, and includes a boat-building display. A landmark bronze fountain, the Haller Fountain, is located just off Water St. at the base of the Taylor Street Stairs, and is the link between Downtown Port Townsend and the uptown residential district. A unique feature of the downtown district is The Undertown, accessible via the Taylor Street Stairs, next to the Rose Theatre, with the entrance leading to a brick-and-timber tunnel beneath the historic Mount Baker Block Building. Originally built around 1890 for a hotel, this underground space was to house an underground train station that never came pass. Today, it houses several independent shops and boutiques.
Florence, Oregon
Located on the coast, at the mouth of the Siuslaw River where it meets the Pacific, Florence is a historic spot with a rich coastal heritage. Historic Old Town Florence, anchored by Bay Street, runs alongside the Siuslaw River and is known for its antique shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Dining in Florence on Bay St. means lots of choices in a diverse culinary scene. Seafood, of course, is the main focus, and freshly caught seafood can be found at Waterfront Depot, a riverside bistro, and at Novelli's Crab & Seafood, a casual market and eatery overlooking the Siuslaw River Bridge. The historic green concrete arch bridge is particularly dazzling at sunset.
An artistic town, Bay St. has lots of galleries for art and crafts, with a focus on the local. Accessible from Bay St. are the Sea Lion Caves, a wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary established in 1932. The largest sea cave in the United States, it serves as a habitat for Steller sea lions. To get there, you descend 200 feet in a vintage elevator into a basalt rock cavern that is 12 stories high and the length of a football field. Just south of Florence, the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal dunes in the world. It stretches from Florence to Coos Bay and is approximately 40 miles in length along the coast. Dunes can tower up to 500 feet above sea level and it is home to a diverse ecosystem of wetlands, tree islands, and over 30 lakes.
Carpinteria, California
This classic California beach town has a main street leading right to the ocean. Carpinteria’s Linden Avenue is anchored by Linden Square, featuring a public market, local shops, and a rooftop bar. The beach town vibe has a distinct vintage air, with an abundance of surf-related businesses. The town bills its beach as the World’s Safest Beach, and the connections between the coast and downtown are important to Carpinteria’s culture. A big part of the town’s identity is the annual California Avocado Festival, which takes place in October and is billed as one of the largest free music festivals in the state.
A feature of Linden Avenue and Linden Square is Mural Alley, a showcase for local artists amidst unique retail shops and yoga studios. Just off of Linden Ave., you will find the Carpinteria Valley Museum of History. The focus is on local and quirky history. The local retail environment is eclectic and independent. A huge draw to this street is the lack of chain businesses and other large corporate establishments. With Linden Ave. ending directly onto Carpinteria State Beach, you are never too far from the water. Once you are finished with shopping and dining, take a short walk to the Carpinteria Salt Marsh Nature Park, one of the last coastal wetlands in Southern California. A 230-acre estuary and wildlife refuge, the park serves as a critical habitat for over 200 species of native and migratory birds, including many endangered and threatened species.
Astoria, Oregon
With gorgeous views of the Columbia River, where it meets the Pacific Ocean, Astoria is a classic coastal town and is not only the oldest town in Oregon, but the oldest European American settlement west of the Rockies. Astoria Downtown Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is around 38 blocks of walkable streets lined with Victorian architecture. The main downtown street is Commercial Street, a hub for unique locally-owned businesses and a vibrant creative scene.
For some interesting and unique things to do in and around Commercial St., the Oregon Film Museum is housed in the historic Clatsop County Jail. The museum focuses on Oregon’s place in movie history, with a particular focus on the 1985 cult classic The Goonies, which used the county jail building as a filming location. Astoria Vintage Hardware is housed in a historic former JCPenney building and features two floors of vintage goods, furniture, and building supplies. A fixture on Commercial St., Fort George Brewery has a rooftop patio and a huge selection of craft beers. Running parallel to Commercial St., the Astoria Riverfront Trolley offers historic rides along the river.
The Main Streets Of The Pacific Coast
Whether you are visiting for a few days or taking in more than one town on a coastal drive, the one thing these towns have in common is a perfect main street. The center of life in small communities, these principal arteries provide social energy, a place for people to gather, and a space for local entrepreneurs to grow their business. If it’s a successful town, chances are, they have a picture-perfect main street.
