Pacific City Beach
Pacific City, Tillamook County, Oregon, USA
Pacific City, Tillamook County, Oregon, USA
Location
Pacific City, Tillamook County, Oregon
Sand Type
Wide Flat Sand, Buff Pacific
Iconic Feature
Cape Kiwanda Sandstone Headland & Dory Fleet
Facilities
Restrooms, Parking, Pelican Brewing Co., Surf Shop
Best Season
June – October (Surf Best: Oct – March)
Nearest Airport
Portland International (PDX) — 165 km
Pacific City is Oregon's most distinctive beach community — a broad sandy strand set between the Nestucca River estuary and the monumental Cape Kiwanda, a 200-foot sandstone headland that shelters the beach from direct northerly swells and creates one of Oregon's most photographed natural settings. The Cape glows amber and ochre at sunset, contrasting dramatically with the dark Pacific waters and the spray-whitened surf line at its base.
The beach at Pacific City has a split personality — the sheltered north side is ideal for families and kite-flying, while the exposed Cape Kiwanda surf break is one of Oregon's premier surfing destinations. Pacific City is home to the last remaining dory fishing fleet on the West Coast — flat-bottomed dory boats that launch directly through the surf line to fish offshore. Watching or helping with a dory launch is a uniquely Pacific City experience. The fleet launches from the beach at dawn during fishing season, engines roaring through the breaking waves in a spectacle impossible to see anywhere else on the coast.
The original beachfront Pelican Brewing Company, Oregon's most award-winning craft brewery, sits directly above the high tide line at the base of Cape Kiwanda — making it one of the most dramatically situated brewpubs in the United States. Hiking the Cape Kiwanda dune and headland trail rewards with 360-degree views of Three Arch Rocks, the Nestucca Bay, and the Pacific extending to the horizon.
Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area has a large parking lot at the north end of the beach (fee in peak season), restrooms, and the adjacent Pelican Brewing Co. The Cape Kiwanda Surf & Kayak shop provides board and wetsuit rentals. The beach itself is undeveloped and not lifeguarded.
The Cape Kiwanda headland is a known sneaker wave hazard — several fatalities have occurred on the rock outcroppings below the cape. Never walk on the wet rock ledges at ocean level. The surf break is powerful and not suitable for beginners without instruction. Beach swimming conditions are safest in the southern, more sheltered section of the beach.
Pacific City is 100 miles (165 km) from Portland via OR-18 to US-101 South. No public transit serves Pacific City directly — a car is required. The Three Capes Scenic Loop connects Cape Lookout, Cape Kiwanda, and Cape Meares — one of Oregon's most spectacular coastal drives, best undertaken as a loop south from Tillamook.
🏕️ Cape Lookout State Park
15 km north, a dramatic headland peninsula extending 2 miles into the Pacific with whale watching and old-growth forest
🧀 Tillamook Creamery
40 km north, Oregon's most famous dairy cooperative with a visitor center, cheese tours, and legendary ice cream
🦅 Three Arch Rocks
Visible offshore wildlife refuge with one of the largest seabird nesting colonies on the Pacific coast — tufted puffins, murres, and Steller sea lions
🎣 Nestucca Bay
Productive estuary immediately south of town, excellent for kayak touring, clamming in season, and watching shorebirds