7 Quirkiest Pacific Coast Towns You Didn't Know Existed
Looking for seaside charm with a splash of the unexpected? From glittering glass beaches to one-block towns named for harmony, the Pacific Coast is dotted with small towns big on personality. Whether you are wandering through a tattoo museum, watching spouting horns with a glass of wine, or stumbling upon a 500-year-old spruce in a forest of redwoods, these seven offbeat small towns deliver more than just ocean views. This is the Pacific coast like you have never seen it before—salty, artsy, and a little quirky. So pack your binoculars and get ready for a road trip through some of the quirkiest towns hugging the Pacific Coast.
Fort Bragg, California
There is no shortage of small, pretty towns along one of the world’s 10 most scenic drives, coastal Highway 1 in California, and Fort Bragg’s laid-back coastal culture makes it one of the quirkiest. Fort Bragg is not a fancy beach resort; instead, its gritty maritime and logging past gives the town a salty and soulful character. One of Fort Bragg’s most popular attractions, Glass Beach, was once a dumping ground for the town’s bottles, dishes, and glassware from 1906 to 1967. Over time, the broken pieces have been smoothed and polished into glittery sea glass by the giant rock tumbler known as the Pacific Ocean.
Fort Bragg is also home to the world-famous Skunk Train, named for the stench of gas and crude used to power the rail cars. Built in 1855, the train was initially used by the logging industry to haul redwood timber from the forests of Mendocino County to Fort Bragg’s sawmills. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction, offering scenic one- to three-hour guided tours through towering trees on the Highball Express or the luxurious Presidential Class Car.
Wrap up a visit to this eclectic town with a complimentary visit to the Triangle Tattoo & Museum, one of only a few museums in the world dedicated to tattoo artifacts. The museum features exhibits on American patriotic tattoos, circus sideshow ink, and tattooed women from diverse cultures and eras.
Harmony, California
Welcome to the tiniest town in SLO CAL (which stands for San Luis Obispo County), Harmony, California, with a population of around 18. This micro-village is dedicated to art, creativity, and peaceful living, despite its 19th-century reputation as a town that lived in anything but peace due to a dispute over the distribution of dairy products. Nevertheless, despite its Main Street only being one block long, there is much to see and do in this quirky little town.
Start at the Harmony Valley Creamery for pints, tubs, or scoops of your favorite flavor from Cow Town Coffee Bean to Shoreline Swirl Salted Caramel and Doo Dah Mint ‘n Chip. A haven for glassblowers and potters, visit the Harmony Pottery Studio and Gallery to see a collection of ceramic art and porcelain jewelry from over 150 artists, or watch the artisans at work in Harmony Glassworks. End the day in Harmony on a zen note with a glass of local wine over a bowl of Spaghetti Marinara at Harmony’s Tiny Kitchen.
Yachats, Oregon
With a nickname like “Gem of the Oregon Coast,” you know you are in for something extraordinary in the eccentric town of Yachats (pronounced YAH-hots). The surreal, otherworldly scenery is the star of the town’s show, which plays on a loop all year round. Cape Perpetua Scenic Area is a must-visit stop along this stretch of Oregon coastline. Accessible by car, the Cape Perpetua Overlook Day Use Area offers a spectacular 800-foot overlook above the protected Marine Garden shoreline.
From there, stop by the Visitor Center and small museum, or choose from three hiking trails to hike through the surrounding lush forests. The 2-mile Giant Spruce Trail leads to a 500-year-old Sitka spruce tree, which is more than 185 feet tall and 40 feet around. Follow the 0.4-mile Restless Waters Trail to see Devils Churn, a dramatic inlet that sends the crashing waves and sea spray hundreds of feet into the air. The popular 1-mile Captain Cook Trail takes you down to the tidepools, where at high tide, you can see several other dramatic natural waves, including the awe-inspiring Thor’s Well, sometimes called the “Drainpipe of the Pacific.”
Friday Harbor, Washington
Located on San Juan Island, the second largest of the San Juan Islands after Orcas Island, Friday Harbor is a historic, highly walkable town that exudes quirky island vibes, an artsy culture, and a wealth of whale-related charm. From Orca sculptures to whale-watching tours that leave right from the marina with Orcas Enchanted and San Juan Outfitters, Friday Harbor lives, breathes, and serves up the sea at its cozy seafood restaurants.
At The Whale Museum, learn about the pods of whales living in the inland waters of the San Juan Islands, called the Salish Sea, see the exhibit honoring Sooke, a young orca who died in 2012, or watch the film “Springer’s Story.” Wander through the funky downtown, exploring the small boutiques, restaurants, and cafes, including circa 1979 Griffin Bay Bookstore & Café, Friday’s Crabhouse overlooking the harbor, and Joe Friday’s Shirt Co. for Friday Harbor souvenir t-shirts and merch.
Cannon Beach, Oregon
Renowned for its stunning coastline, dramatic rock formations, eclectic artistic vibe, and small-town friendliness, Cannon Beach is an art lover’s paradise. With a reputation as one of the Pacific Northwest’s top art towns, there are over a dozen galleries to discover on a stroll around this very walkable town, such as Icefire Glassworks and House of Orange, where there is always an event going on or a Ukulele jam session to join.
The best time to visit Cannon Beach is in the off-season, when chances are good that you’ll spot one of the 18,000 gray migrating whales from historic Ecola State Park. A hiking, sightseeing, and photography paradise, the trail to Ecola Point in the park will take you to the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse viewpoint. No visit to Cannon Beach would be complete without a visit to Oregon’s most famous landmark, Haystack Rock, the iconic basalt sea stack that rises 235 feet in the air, where at low tide you can walk right up to the giant Tufted Puffin haven and find colorful sea stars in the tide pools at its base.
Depoe Bay, Oregon
Nothing says quirky more than being the hometown of the “smallest active harbor in the world.” Depot Bay is a tiny fishing village on the central Oregon coast. While the harbor is only a tiny six acres, it is reputed to be a top whale sighting hotspot on the west coast of the United States, earning Depoe Bay its second nickname, “Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast.”
Pack your binoculars and start a day in Depoe Bay with a trip to the Whale Watching Center’s viewing platform to see the grey whales migrating to and from the waters of Mexico and Alaska, and keep your eyes peeled for humpback whales, orcas, dolphins, and maybe even a blue whale. Next up is the 1927-built Depoe Bay Bridge, a stunning architectural marvel that is only 48 feet wide and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
After sightseeing, grab lunch at a local institution established in 1963, Gracie’s Sea Hag, and enjoy a bowl of Gracie’s famous chowder, written up in the “New York Times Cookbook.” A few doors down from the iconic diner, finish the day with a wine tasting at the Depoe Bay Winery, one of the few places outside the Hawaiian Islands where you can watch a spouting horn explode from a crack in the seawall over a glass of Pinot Gris.
Trinidad, California
The pretty seaside village of Trinidad in northern California is a California Coastal National Monument Gateway, a protected series of offshore rocks, islands, wildlife habitats, and scenic areas that stretch the 840-mile California coastline. Protected sites in Trinidad include the Trinidad Head Lighthouse, built in 1871, which remains an active navigational aid to ships and is open for tours approximately once a month.
Not to be confused with the 1871 lighthouse, Trinidad is home to another lighthouse, a replica of the original, built in 1949 as a tribute to those lost or buried at sea. You will find the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse in Trinidad Bay Memorial Park. Outdoor enthusiasts won’t want to miss the lush Sue-meg State Park in Trinidad. The one-mile-square park packs a lot of adventure into its tiny size, where you can go agate hunting, tidepool exploring, and wildlife watching for whales, seals, and sea lions.
Who knew that the Pacific Coast was bursting with quirky small towns full of personality? These wacky towns are definitely off the chart when it comes to natural wonders, eccentric museums, one-of-a-kind shops, and offbeat history. From California’s glittering Glass Beach and Skunk Harbor, Oregon’s thundering Thor’s Well and tiny Depoe Bay, to Washington’s orca mecca of Friday Harbor, there is sure to be something to please the nutty eccentric in all of us in any of the seven quirkiest Pacific Coast towns you didn’t know existed. Whether you are into tattoos, tidepools, or tiny lighthouses, these coastal gems offer unforgettable experiences with a twist.
