The Least-Crowded Beach Towns on the West Coast

Sea caves, quaint villages, and fish shacks galore.

The West Coast of the United States has around 7,863 stat mi of coastline . That means there ’s a stunning raiment of beach townspeople full of unique shops , eateries , and more that make each one deserving shoot the breeze . Plus , there ’s a wave size for every kind of surfer ; whether you ’re search for giant swells ( may we recommend Alaska ? ) or a more laid - back scene in the Pacific Northwest . Before you embark onthe entire rural area ’s great beach towns , make your mode through this list ; we promise you ’ll find paradise , or at least something close to it .

Encinitas, CA

Why it ’s so great : One of the few old - school Southern California surf topographic point that has n’t been draw by the urban sprawl of Los Angeles to the north and San Diego to the Dixieland , Encinitas is still a kind of Holy Grail for hardcore surfers thanks to its Swami ’s Beach break ( made famous by the Beach Boys ) . But you do n’t have to hit the waves to delight this laid - back and comparatively low-priced enclave : its C - old downtown boasts charmingly retro attractions like the La Paloma Theatre and a slew of solid bar / restaurants serving everything from tacos and pizza pie , to exactly the kind of seafood you expect to exhaust on the sea . Oh , and there are even two historical boathouse , the S.S. Encinitas and the S.S. Moonlight , that are theater literally shaped like boats you must check out .

Must - have nutrient / drink : Thebest date spot in Encinitas , Solterra Winery & Kitchen , is an urban wine - ry pouring Rhone- and Italian - style varietals made with local grapes from Southern California and Baja Mexico . If wine is n’t your matter , try Biergarden , which unlike your common German - flair beer hall , serve a creative array of cocktails alongside a unassailable natural selection of mostly San Diego beer .

Morro Bay, CA

Why it ’s so bang-up : Not far from Avila Beach and just north of San Luis Obispo , Morro Bay is best known for its namesake Morro Rock — a 578 metrical unit volcanic peak go up from the body of water just offshore — and possibly for its bustling waterfront embarcadero . It ’s also got a collection of interesting shops along Main Street , five - star resort overlooking the ocean , and a middling solidnatural chronicle museumthat sits atop a drop-off . If that ’s not enough , wine-coloured countryand the Hearst Castle are less than an hour away .

Must - have food / potable : For a laid - back , beachy spirit , school principal over toBayside Cafe , and for previous school day vibration , grab a table atTognazinni ’s . If you ’re seem for a more fancy meal with waterfront seating , however , you ca n’t missWindows on the Water , which serves a mountain range of California wines and seasonal fare like their prize - winning Local Halibut .

Laguna Beach, CA

Why it ’s so great : Sure , this one - time artists ' colony has turned into an uber - rich enclave , but it ’s still Southern California’smost picturesque beach townand dwelling to some seriously goodrestaurants , bars , andart galleries , along with a7,000 acre wilderness areaand more than 40 miles of scenic hiking trails .

Must - have solid food / drink : Driftwood Kitchen is a mostly roofless amercement - dining spot at the Pacific Edge Hotel that compound sensational beach / ocean views ( and some reasonably stunning food ) with a refreshingly insouciant vibe . If it ’s packed , opt for its sister organization , The Deck , one floor below , where you get live music and the same amazing view .

Avila Beach, CA

Why it ’s so great : boast a sensational waterfront full of hotel , quaint shops , and restaurants , Avila is a can’t - miss beach townspeople . At the top of your list should be heading to Harford Pier to turn back out the adorable sea otters , dolphin , and Megaptera novaeangliae ways in the curving , protected bay . Plus , the coast between here and Pismo Beach is home base tosome of the human beings ’s best ocean cave .

Must - have intellectual nourishment / drink : you could always hit boisterous beachside mainstay Mr. Rick ’s for a few margarita ( and bide for the lively music ) , but the smart move might be channelise to Mersea ’s , a casual seafood stick on the wharfage that ’ll make you feel like you ’re in an installment ofThe O.C.

Cannon Beach, OR

Why it ’s so great : If you have n’t been to Cannon Beach , you ’ve at least seen it : inGoonies , and in the final scene ofPoint Breakwhere Johnny Utah says , " Vaya con Dios " to Bodhi . And if youhavebeen there , you ’ve seen it become an increasingly pop option to more crowded destinations like Seaside , thanks to its small - Ithiel Town charm and assemblage of artistry galleries , seafood spots , and even a still . And , of grade , to the township ’s most famous attraction , Haystack Rock , which thrusts up from the wave just offshore .

Must have food / drink : We prefer Cannon Beach ’s more casual selection likeCannon Beach Hardware , where in accession to two floors of actual hardware , its get under one’s skin unanimous bar food and an excellent beer collection , or the venerable Castaway ’s Restaurant & Tiki Bar .

Newport, OR

Why it ’s so great : Perhaps the most well - known Oregon seaside township after … um , Seaside , Newport can get crowd . But if you’re able to manage the hoi polloi , there ’s tons to do : unwind ina literary - themed hotelcomplete with aHarry Potterroom , wander through the unnumbered bookshop , term of enlistment one of two beacon , eat Cancer brisk from the boat , or murder South Beach for theaquariumand thescience nitty-gritty .

Must - have nutrient / drink : Yes , there are plenty of excellent seafood shacks , and some other magic eating house in townspeople , but you ’re going to the HQ of one of Oregon ’s most popular suds - makers , Rogue Ales . There you could tour their harborside facility and carry up at the brewery ’s prevention for some beers , some of which ca n’t be found anywhere else .

Pacific City, OR

Why it ’s so great : The brewery scene makes this midget townsfolk of less than 2,000 people worth the visit alone , but if you need more convincing , Pacific City ’s calm beach , like Cape Kiwanda State Park , and prime hiking trails are sure to reel you in .

Must - have solid food / drink : patently , you ’re perish to hitPelican Brewing , but do n’t worry : even without what are probably the best sundown views of any brewery in the world , it ’d still be deserving a visit for lather like the Kiwanda pick ale and Tsunami stout , and a menu of way - good - than - average pub fare including " famous " Pisces & chips , a 14 - hour slow - smoked tri - tip , and a mixture of flatbreads . Oh , and if it ’s too crowded , there ’s alwaysBJ ’s Burgers and Tacosnext door .

Florence, OR

Why it ’s so great : Sotechnicallythis charmingly retro townsfolk is n’t on the beach , it ’s nestled in a flexure near the sassing of the river that distinguish the northern end of the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area , 40 miles of windswept sand hulk as high-pitched as 500 feet and hone for off - roading , camping , or just rolling down . And when you ’re done , the townspeople itself bluster a meddling riverfront row of shop , bars , and restaurants that should n’t be missed either .

Must - have food / swallow : The Pisces the Fishes tacos at Homegrown Public House . geological period .

Westport, WA

Why it ’s so neat : Just across the bay ( but thankfully over an 60 minutes ’s driveway by ) from Washington ’s most popular seaboard destination , Ocean Shores , this surfing mecca ( not joking ! ) attracts a more relaxed , slenderly less family - friendly gang than the town across the water ; because who require to take the kids surfing , or grind for razor clams , or to visit the maritime museum or the town ’s historic lighthouse ? Sarcasm apart , Westport ’s receive it all — plus you may still head by Kurt Cobain ’s childhood dwelling house in nearby Aberdeen on your parkway rest home .

Must - have food / drunkenness : We like any place that call itself a shack , especially if it ’s garb in rusted corrugate metallic element and sits by the water . Which is why we likeBennett ’s Fish Shack , where you ’re get Pisces the Fishes , of course , and some cow chip to go with it .

Sequim, WA

Why it ’s so keen : It ’s the sunniest town in Washington . Seriously ! Thanks to its location in the rainwater shadow of the Olympic Mountains , Sequim ( pronounced " Skwim " ) gets about as much precipitation as Los Angeles , making it about as good a spot for sand as you ’ll find this far north . That suppose , the good beach are a picayune out-of-door town , but since they include the longest sand spit in the United States ( at the Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge ) and public oysterandclam bed ( at Sequim Bay State Park ) , they ’re completely worth the drive .

Must - have food / drink : Posted up on what stay of a pioneer farm from the eighties , Nourishis literally a garden - to - table restaurant that turns hooey you could see growing while you take the air to your mesa into badass burgers ( w/ local artisan cheese , caramelized onions , mustard greens Green & house garlic sauce ) and pork barrel goulash w/ fermented kraut in a creamy paprika sauce & house spaetzle .

Yakutat, AK

Why it ’s so bully : Alaska ’s get a ton of beaches ( think about it , it ’s a HUGE state ) but the ones in Yakutat declare oneself the kind of thing you usually only find in Hawaii : big - undulation surfing . local anesthetic call this townspeople of less than 1,000 the " Far North Shore " thanks to reproducible swells that can balloon up to 20 feet , and they welcome more people each yr drawn by the thrill and the icily beautiful surroundings . Not into surfriding ? The town also boasts humanity - class fly ball fishing , the humanity ’s large internal-combustion engine bailiwick outside the frigid caps , and a ton of other outside diversion activities .

Must - have food / crapulence : Um … maybe what you catch fly sportfishing ? in earnest , there are only like , tworestaurants , so unless you ’re prepared to rough it a little , the only thing you ’ll be eat up is your board when you wipe out .

Morro Bay, California