Dreaming of a West Coast escape? The USA's Pacific shores are home to an array of charming small towns and cities, from beach boltholes geared towards families (think arcade games and boogie board rentals) to buzzy ports with artistic flair. Here are 24 of our favourite Pacific locales spread across California, Oregon and Washington.
The 1,200-foot-long (366m) Pismo Beach Pier is the crowning glory of this small California coastal city. It's a favoured gathering place for anglers, who fish for red snapper from its sweeping wooden expanse. Back on land, clam chowder and fresh oysters dominate menus and colourful beach cottages nose up towards the sand. It's a jumping-off point for the fine wineries of Edna Valley too.
The teensy town of Forks was made famous by the Twilight saga, as the moody vampire book series was set here (though the movies were filmed elsewhere). With up to 10 feet (3m) of annual rainfall, it wears its status as the 'rainiest town in the contiguous United States' as a badge of honour too. Attractions like the quaint Forks Timber Museum are worth a peek, but it's the nearby beaches that really sing. The region is known for its rugged, sea-stack-studded strands such as Second Beach (pictured here).
Folded into Mendocino County, Gualala is a springboard for outdoor adventures. Gualala Point Regional Park (pictured), where the Gualala River opens out into the Pacific Ocean, is a favoured spot, with driftwood-strewn beaches and ample birdlife. Back in town, the Gualala Arts Center is a cultural hub hosting exhibitions and concerts.
The Astoria-Megler Bridge, a steel cantilever structure that thrusts over the Columbia River estuary, is one of the county's prime photo ops. And there are plenty more picture-worthy sights in town. It's packed with colourful Victorian-era mansions, all folded between forested hillsides and a trio of rushing rivers. There's plenty for history buffs too; Astoria is thought to be the oldest settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.
Carmel-by-the-Sea is possibly the prettiest town on the entire West Coast. The architecture is what steals the show, especially the town's 'fairy-tale cottages', which were designed by master builder Hugh Comstock in the 1920s. It's also a haven for artists and art-lovers, with almost 100 galleries (even more impressive when you consider that the town is only one square mile), and lots of one-of-a-kind shops.
With a tiny population of just over 2,000, Westport is where you go to get away from it all. Drink in a slower pace of life enjoying evening feasts at down-home seafood restaurants (Bennett's Fish Shack is a crowd pleaser), gaze up at the towering Grays Harbor Lighthouse (the tallest in Washington) and try your hand at surfing. The town is pictured here at sunrise, when the still water in the marina reflects the light like liquid gold.
Gargantuan Haystack Rock has become a symbol of this little beach city, and arguably even Oregon as a whole. The basalt crag rises to 235 feet (72m) and looms large over the shore. It's not all about the beach, though. In town you can sip great local beers at Pelican Brewing and find dinky galleries stuffed with crafts ranging from glassware to watercolour paintings.
This small beach bolthole a short drive from central Los Angeles is known as 'Surf City USA'. The surf here is legendary – there are five separate beaches, with surf lessons in gentler spots for beginners and epic swells for pros. There's even an annual dog surfing competition. Aside from the waves, the little city is filled with swish hotels, rooftop bars and chic boutiques, and the 1,850-foot (564m) Huntington Beach Pier is a stellar place from which to watch the sunset.
Bandon is the self-professed 'Cranberry Capital of Oregon', and vivid fields filled with the fruit spread out like red seas around the town. Aside from its bountiful berries, Brandon is known for the colour-splashed Coquille River Lighthouse (pictured), which perches on a rocky bluff and dates back to 1896. It's a top destination for golfers, too, with several highly rated courses.
You're just a 20-minute drive from the windswept bluffs and yellow sand of Gaviota Beach when you make your base in Solvang, a small city best known for its Danish heritage. A highlight is the Danish Days Festival which takes place each September, and brings folks together for traditional Danish food, concerts and activities such as axe throwing. If you're not in Solvang in time for the festival, you can drink in quaint Danish-style windmills and feast on signature sweet pastries all year round. Santa Barbara wine country is ripe for exploration here too.
The swathe of California coast to the north of San Francisco is a rugged enigma to many, but it's well worth exploring. Jewels include Fort Bragg, a tiny city best known for Glass Beach; a glittering strand made up of colourful sea glass. Beyond Fort Bragg's unique beaches, the sprawling Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens showcases coastal pines and kaleidoscopic displays ranging from dahlias to roses, while the town's old-timey Skunk Train chugs through redwood forests.
Just two hours north of Seattle, this colourful little city has a population of around 10,000, and a whole lot of history. Standout attractions include Fort Worden Historical State Park, which protects an old US artillery base dating back to 1898, and the Northwest Maritime Center, which offers a deep dive into working life on the water. It's a lovely place to wander too, taking in views of the Victorian-era buildings and looking across the impossibly blue Port Townsend Bay.
Even before you get to the beach, Cambria will draw you in with a charming Main Street made up of gabled buildings filled with homely restaurants and souvenir shops. Black Cat Bistro is a local favourite. A quick drive from the downtown area will get you to Moonstone Beach, a dramatic and rugged strand with tide pools, crags and marine life such as dolphins and sea otters. Make time to visit the sumptuous Hearst Castle, built for media magnate William Randolph Hearst in 1919, while you're in the area.
The Tillamook Creamery is beloved in this little Oregon town. The dairy co-op has been operating for more than a century and you can come by for tours and to taste indulgent offerings, from rich cheese to ice cream. After a sugar hit, strike out into the outdoors and try heart-pumping activities like cycling, hiking and especially kayaking. The town is hemmed in by five rivers – the Trask, the Miami, the Kilchis, the Wilson and the Tillamook itself.
Ferndale tips itself as California's 'prettiest small town'. It's not too bold a claim, as the Main Street is a picturesque cluster of Victorian-era buildings. You can immerse yourself in local history at the Ferndale Museum and spot seabirds in the Lost Coast Headlands hiking area. Spend the night at Victorian Inn (pictured), an ornate boutique hotel built from local redwood, which dates to 1890.
Where are California's most beautiful small towns and cities?
Stretching out beside the Salish Sea, Port Angeles has a bounty of natural wonders on its doorstep. It's an easy drive to the mountains and old-growth rainforests of Olympic National Park, but if you need something closer to home sandy spit Ediz Hook juts out from downtown, and is a habitat for seals and sea otters. Downtown does its best to match the surrounding natural beauty, with a colourful mural trail and an outdoor art park that sees sculptures scattered among the meadows.
Clustered on a cliff that slopes into the Pacific Ocean, Mendocino is a postcard-worthy place. It's not all about looks here, though. The town has a rich history with swathes of architecture dating to the Victorian era. For lovers of the great outdoors, the town opens out onto Mendocino Headlands State Park, with its mellow hiking trails and quiet, stone-arched beaches. The wider Mendocino County is a haven for wine lovers too.
If you're looking for somewhere unique to overnight, then Heceta Lighthouse B&B might be just the place. You'll stay in the keeper's house, with its antiques and creature comforts, and be rewarded with epic views over the Pacific coast. Back in town, the downloadable Yachats Walking Guide whisks art lovers to the most creative spots in town, from galleries to tattoo parlours and antiques shops. Earthworks Gallery is another top stop.
Not all beaches are created equal, and the one that fringes aptly-named Long Beach, Washington is particularly picturesque. It's a vast swathe of grey-gold sand that sprawls for 28 miles (45km), while immediately south the 19th-century North Head Lighthouse is an icon of the rugged Cape Disappointment State Park. In town, there's a buzzy resort feel, with a family-friendly promenade, an arcade, mini-golf and the brightly-coloured Neptune Movie House.
This dinky West Coast town has stellar access to some of Washington's loveliest coastal areas. Visit Damon Point (pictured), with its eerie driftwood, sweeping sands and snowy plover birds, or trek to Ocean City State Park for its popular campgrounds and dunes. The town itself has a laid-back feel – for starters, there's the Pacific Paradise arcade, which with 36 holes claims to have the largest mini-golf course on the Washington coast; and Sharky's, a kitsch souvenir and toy store.
With a name like Golden Beach, this little town sets some serious expectations – luckily, its sweep of flaxen sand delivers. It's also a base for adventures on the Rogue River and for exploring the surrounding old-growth forests. The town itself is down-to-earth, with unpretentious restaurants serving up classic American grub, and rustic lodges, relaxed inns and motels promising a comfy night's stay.
Seaside is an apt name for this cute coastal bolthole. It's a classic Oregon beach town with boat loads of seafaring activities (think boogie boarding and kayaking) and a century-old promenade. It also marks the end of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail – the famous explorers finished their expedition here back in 1806, and the spot is now marked by a bronze statue. Sparked your curiosity? You can learn more at the Seaside Museum and Historical Society.
This tiny waterside city punches above its weight when it comes to attractions. The Morro Bay Maritime Museum is the star, with immersive exhibits including its very own fleet of retired boats and submarines. But it's down by the water that the town really shimmers. Spot adorable sea otters frolicking in the waters (they hold hands, apparently to stop each other floating away), browse shops filled with colourful trinkets and gaze across to Morro Rock, a hulking volcanic crag that's sacred to the Indigenous Chumash and Salinan peoples.
A veritable rainbow stretching around Monterey Bay, Capitola could be plucked straight from Italy's Amalfi Coast. It's held up as the oldest resort on the West Coast, with tourists coming in as early as 1874. Sandy Capitola Beach, with its 855-foot (261m) pier, is still the town's drawcard, though its little bakeries, antiques shops and treasure-filled galleries are well worth exploring too.