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Pacific City, Oregon sits about two hours southwest of Portland on the coast — a small, unhurried beach town known for Haystack Rock, Dory boats, and some seriously good fish.
It’s compact enough to explore in a weekend but has enough going on to make you want to come back.
While Pelican Brewing at the north end of town might be Pacific City’s claim to fame, on a recent trip to this tiny coastal town, our little family discovered lesser known spots that felt much more in line with our tastes. However, I will admit that Pelican Brewery’s live cam feed of Cape Kiwanda Beach instantly reset my nervous system, so it might be worth bookmarking for future use.
My husband and I were actually staying closer to the southern end of town, which puts you right across the bridge from Cloverdale — a tiny backwater town that honestly had more our vibe. Less tourist-facing, more real, and home to some of the best food in the area.
Here’s what we found worth your time — and one place very much not worth it.
Where to Eat
Los Caporales Mexican Restaurant — Cloverdale Our first night stop when we rolled in and the fish markets were closed, and it delivered. Super friendly, family-owned, with a dizzying large menu and great salsa that came out while we waited for our takeout. It was Friday night during spring break and it was jammin’. The Camarones al ajo were delicious — perfectly cooked shrimp in garlic butter that was so good I’m still thinking about it. The carne asada plate was equally great — it might have been the beer chiming in, but it was some of the best carne asada I’d had in a long time. What really impressed me was the beer menu — best selection of Mexican beer I’d seen, especially for a tiny coastal town.
West Fish Co. Fish and Chips —Cloverdale Don’t overlook the super casual fish and chips operation in the parking lot of West Co. Fish. The fish comes from, you guessed it, the West Fish just steps from the cart so you know it’s super fresh. Their menu is simple- A handwritten menu on an old school chalkboard, 2 to 4 pieces, and don’t sleep on the fries — they are as good as the fish.
There’s no seating, except an old bench between the cart and the fish market. But be patient, because I promise the fish is worth the wait!
We overheard the guys at West Fish Co. telling another customer that Sportsman’s Pub-n-grub serves fresh oysters, but doesn’t allow dogs on the premises, so we’ll have to try back another time when we don’t have our pup with us.
Grateful Bread —Cloverdale A full-fledged restaurant next door to West Fish Co, but we were most impressed with their cream cheese brownie and their clam chowder. Worth a stop.
Cold Water Coffee —Cloverdale I had a delicious spicy chai here and their carrot cake was mind-blowing. Grated carrots made it super moist, and the cream cheese frosting — despite how thick it was — somehow managed not to be overly sweet. A really lovely stop.
Stimulus Coffee —Pacific City f you’re up this way near the shops closer to , the almond cake is really delicious. Worth popping in for a pastry and a coffee.
Where to Grocery Shop
West Co. Fish —Cloverdale For fresh fish, this is your spot. The team heads out on their Dory boats in the morning and brings their catch in to sell right after. We picked up rock fish fillets that were some of the best we’d ever had. We also snagged some of their albacore and smoked tuna cans — judging by the quality of the fillets, we can’t wait to dig into those. Their schedule is weather dependent during some seasons, but they are reliably open Saturday 11-4. If you’re in the area, it’s worth just cruising by and seeing what they got.
Chester’s Thriftway —Cloverdale Go Here The best grocery store in the vicinity, and it’s close. Good selection of produce and meats — we spotted Hill’s brand meats out of Pendleton that we don’t have at our local grocery and doubled back to pick some up before leaving town. Excellent spice selection and well-priced.
Hart’s Market — Pacific City Skip It Hart’s market by Stimulus Coffee seems to be a hit for ice cream, but as a grocery store it was sorely disappointing. The prices were outrageous — my Chobani creamer was double what it usually costs — and the selection was all over the place. Barely any produce, only fancy finishing olive oil but no cooking oil, no good bread, just lots of crappy sliced bread options. Hard pass. Head to Chester’s Thriftway.
What to Do
Haystack Rock & The Beach —Pacific City There are two main pay to park lots- Cape Kiwanda Day Use on the north end of town by Pelican Brewery, and then another lot at the south end of town on Pacific Avenue, just past Sunset Drive. Day use parking runs $10, or you can buy an annual pass for Tillamook County for $55.
There is beach access from Ocean Drive that runs parallel to the beach if you — keep your eyes peeled for the beach access signs. If you venture up north closer to Pelican brewery and the other shops up in that direction, there is
Once on the beach, you’ll see Haystack Rock, also known as Chief Kiwanda Rock and a stunning layered hillside view. To be clear, there are several Haystack Rocks along the Oregon coast, so don’t get this confused by the one in Cannon Beach that makes an appearance in the cult classic The Goonies from 1985. The third Haystack rock is in Bandon, Oregon.
Cape Kiwanda Sand Dune —Pacific City on the north side of Pacific City closer to the shops looks like a great walk — that one’s on the list for next time when our pup hasn’t already had a massive day of walking around on her short little legs.
Pacific City Library and Thrift Shop —Cloverdale is a second-hand shop that had gems of all kinds. I realized that I had left behind my grocery bag at the house and we would need something to carry our supplies in for the walk home. Found a wonderful picnic backpack in fabulous condition for ten bucks!
Where to Stay
Shipwreck, a shipping container vacation home on Cape Kiwanda Drive, was a fabulous find — dog-friendly, beautifully designed, and way more spacious than 700 square feet has any right to feel. Full review here.
For a swankier stay, Headlands Coastal Lodge and Spa is a luxury resort at the north tip of Pacific City with sweeping views of the ocean and Haystack rock. The design is an pleasing mix of modern luxury and cabin comfort, and best of all, they are happy to welcome your furry family member. The on-site restaurant and wellness offerings appear perfectly equipped to make for an indulgent getaway- ripe for holing up in your room to storm watch if the weather isn’t fit for the beach. Their live webcam of Haystack rock is also very relaxing to help settle your nerves.
There are plenty of vacation rentals littered throughout Pacific City based on your group size and needs. I always encourage price checking between booking platforms as prices can vary wildly, especially if you’re bringing fur babies. Meredith Lodging, VRBO, Booking.com and Vacasa are my go-to’s for vacation rentals, especially pet-friendly homes on the coast.
With so many beach towns along the Oregon Coast, it can be hard to choose where to visit, but Pacific City has plenty to offer, and there is meat left on the bone and more to explore in the future.
