Arcadia Beach Oregon Day Trip

There’s not much better than a day at the beach, especially for our kids, who at 4 and 8 are still in the prime sandcastle building and tide pool exploring ages. Oregon’s beaches are spectacular. The water is ice cold year-round, but the scenery can’t be beaten. There’s something about looking out over the endless Pacific with those ragged pine forests rising up behind you that feels calming and dramatic at the same time.

Arcadia Beach is a hidden gem. It’s about 5 minutes south of the famous Cannon Beach and offers all of the ingredients for a great family day at the Oregon coast without the crowds of the more popular beaches. It's a 1.5 hour drive from Portland, making this a relatively easy day trip from the metro area.

At the north end of the beach you'll see Lion Rock, which a lot like a miniature version of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach.  The base of Lion Rock provides plenty of tide pool exploration at low tide.  We always find lots of little black crabs hiding in the crevices and occasionally spot purple starfish.  Our kids also love scrambling up the sandstone rocks jutting out at the north end of this beach area. Like all Oregon beaches, this one is very clean and your fellow beach goers will be incredibly well-behaved. 

At low tide, kids will enjoy walking through ankle-high water around the headland called Humbug Point to access the beach area on the other side.  This makes them feel like they're little explorers on an adventure. 

The only negatives: (1) Parking is limited and fills up early on nice weekend days; (2) There is a somewhat steep and uneven trail down to the beach from the parking area (anyone with mobility issues should instead opt for Tolvana Beach about two miles north on Highway 101); (3) The bathrooms are pit toilets up at the parking area, making this a more difficult spot to spend the day for toddlers and younger children who need frequent bathroom trips, as you'll be hiking up and down the five-hundred foot access trail each time.

But otherwise, this is a fantastic, low-key spot for a relaxing and beautiful family beach day.