It’s Easter weekend in Oregon, and the wife and I decide because of excellent weather in the forecast, to head to the beach. Our destination location, Cannon Beach, Oregon. Although I haven’t spent much time in Cannon Beach, I was pretty excited to really check it out. There is an annual wine event there that for some reason, I haven’t been able to attend, and as this year could be it, time to check this place out.

Nothing quite like a frosty Fosters on the beach

My first impression as we pulled up on the main drag was, WOW!, coolness! What a cute little town, with great looking shops and restaurants, plenty of people in shorts, tanks and sandals, and everything looks so new and clean. We park in a public lot, and head to the local favorite for late morning breakfast, the Pig n Pancake. Let me say, the food was definitely worth the half hour wait.

Next it’s off to check out some stores and walk off the crab omelet, so off we go, flip flops a clacking. Of course, most of the stores are ladies designs, but these people have it together, with seating outside each shop for us guys. Then we came to one of my personal favorites, second only to kitchenware shops, the pet shop! Having two adult Rottewiellers at home, and a just “hatched” Cavalier King Charles coming home in five weeks, hey! I’m all over that store.

Are you kidding me? an organ grinder?

As we leave the pet store, what do my wandering eyes observe (along with my ears) but a organ grinder playing in the square. No monkey, but still, how often do you see and hear an organ grinder?

Two hours and a couple hundred dollars later we are off for the beach, after of course a stop at the local store for snacks and beverages. After all, it’s a holiday weekend, temperature in the 80’s in March, and they allow alcoholic “medications” on the beach.

The beach was beautiful, with the tide out, and families everywhere, flying kites, throwing balls, making sand castles and more. What a wonderful sight to see. And even more so was the fact that I believe there were more dogs on this beach than children? In fact, Cannon Beach is one of the top “Dog Friendly Towns” in the U.S. I was told. People brought dogs into stores, outside dining, and of course the beach. As far as dogs on the beach, I am happy to report that I only saw one owner let his dog take a crap in the sand, and not pick it up! The family looked a little “south of the boarderly”, and another dog owner too care of the log for them.

I was simply amazed at the portable “tent cabanas” available these days, along with some pretty awesome kites being flown. This was just one super holiday for me, and as the day got on with it’s bad self, the old tummy began to growl. Time to think about dinner. After a tour of my friends at trip advisors.com site, I cam up with the best of the best place for dinner, so the reviewers said.

We had a little bit of a walk to just off the main drag, to Castaway’s Tini Tiki, rated by Urbanspoon.com as 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s what I like to call a “hole in the wall” restaurant, with Michelin Star food. With a handful of tables, a kitchen the size of a good size skillet, and one waiter, hey! one can only expect greatness, and thats what I got. I started out with one of the best Mai Tai’s I have ever had, and people, I almost live in Hawaii. I went with most of the reviewers and ordered the Jumbalaya of course. When the server asked how hot I wanted it, from 1-5, of course I said 7, and thats just what I got too. Ahhh, brings me back to my many visits to Thailand, where a 2 kills!

Castaways is an excellent choice for anyone visiting Cannon Beach, as long as you get there early for dinner, and aren’t anal about service and getting food fast. It’s well worth the wait, believe me.

Cheers,

Gary