A highway directional sign in the State of Oregon pointing to the different popular famous places to drive to.
Pacific City, Oregon, is a small and charming coastal town, home to the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area. Pacific City offers up plenty of outdoor things to do as well as a selection of fine eateries, beer brewers and wineries. Check out our list of recommendations for things to do in Pacific City.
Need a place to stay? Check out our Pacific City vacation rentals, and get the best rate when you book directly with Oregon Beach Vacations.
Siblings, triplets, hang out on the beach at Pacific City on a brisk spring day. Hay Stack rocks stands tall surrounded by seawater in the background while waves roll ashore near the kids.
You will not lack things to do at the Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, featuring giant sand dunes and imposing sandstone cliffs. This area provides opportunities for things like hiking, whale watching, surfing, and bird viewing.
During the day, when the tide is low, you can dip your toes in the ocean or explore the tide pools in the area, which are often filled with giant red crabs, purple starfish, and other colorful creatures.
Behind the cape is the Great Dune, a massive hill covered in drifting sand. You can walk up the dune for the gorgeous views, and then you can drop down onto the beach below. It’s going to be quite the hike; you climb 193 feet in elevation to get to the top! But the views once you get there make it all worth it!
Adventurous Girl with a Surf Board is going surfing in the Ocean. Taken in Pacific City.
Pacific City is very popular with surfers. The excellent beach and reef breaks offer easily approachable and consistent waves. Now, this is the Oregon Coast, so you will need to make sure you are wearing a 3 / 4 wetsuit, booties, gloves, and for good measure, wear a hood too.
With a ton of space on the beach, everyone can spread out and set up camp for the whole day. And as a bonus, the Pelican Brew Pub is just a short walk away, so you can cap off your day of surfing with a pint!
Kiwanda Beach is a beautiful, sandy beach just south of Pacific City.
Kiwanda Beach is an excellent spot to spend a day picnicking with the family. Pack a blanket and some food and make your way down to the beach. There are plenty of large picnic tables, so there’s no need to worry about bringing one yourself. Once you’re set up, take in the majestic views of the Pacific Ocean and the gorgeous wildlife around you.
The calm waters of the Nestucca river make it a perfect spot for people of all skills to kayak. Maybe even give stand-up paddleboarding a try? When it comes to things to do in Park City, this is an excellent opportunity to view the scenery in Park City from a different perspective. And if you would enjoy a guided experience, there are organized trips led by instructors. The typical set route is a 5.5-mile route that starts at a kayak rental company.
Nestucca river flows through forests near Pacific City, Oregon.
The Nestucca Rivers – the Big Nestucca and Little Nestucca – are great places to go fishing for chinook salmon and steelhead trout. If you’re an angler at heart, you should give these rivers a shot!
The founders of Team Fly Halo had a shared goal of bringing Powered Paragliding to Pacific City, Oregon and beyond. They provide excellent training, cutting-edge equipment, and a desire for the activity that attracts others to explore adventure flying. If you’re looking for some adrenaline rush, check out their paragliding lessons in Pacific City!
Bike Trails
The Oregon coast offers up some gorgeous bike trails and beach riding.
Park City offers up some fantastic bike trails in and around the city. The most popular course is the Cape Kiwanda Fat Bike route, where you head from the city out into quiet solitude and then back again. Bikes are also allowed on the beach! Vehicles are, too, so make sure you are keeping an eye out for them. With a fat bike, you can ride directly on the sands of the Park City beaches. You can choose to ride down to the North Spit through Bob Straub State Park or head north and leave populated areas behind to reach the small town of Tierra Del Mar.
Wildlife Watching
What better place to catch a snooze than at the beach?
The Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge is an 11-minute drive south of Pacific City. The refuge was established in 1991 to protect one-tenth of the dusk Canada goose population And offers seven different habitats to explore, all of which are home to numerous fascinating creatures. You can expect to find migrant shorebirds, bald eagles, and even some peregrine falcons at any given time.
See Marine Animals on the Beaches of Pacific City
Posting up along the beaches of this area will likely reward you with a menagerie of marine life who come to play in the shallows. Often you will see seals, sea lions, otters, and even some porpoises. If you move a little bit inland, you can spot deer, raccoons, and even the infamous beach bunnies.
Wine, Beer, and Dining
Pacific City offers a variety of options for food and beverages.
With all these other awesome activities under your belt, you will probably be hungry and thirsty. The good news is that Pacific City offers a fine selection of options for wetting the whistle and grabbing a bite to eat.
A small family-owned vineyard that believes that the best wines are made from grapes grown in climates similar to the grapes’ genetic history. Their wine is made in nearby McMinnville, Oregon, and served in their tasting room here in Pacific City.
Grateful Bread Bakery serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside substantial floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views to match. They have been cooking up fresh food, locally caught fish, and produce since 1991. Grab a light lunch and some delicious scones to take back to your vacation rental for later.
this brewery has produced unique and high-quality beers for the last 20 years. You can take a tour of their onsite production facilities and enjoy some of their award-winning beer in their taproom. They also serve up a food menu made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients.
Things to Do in Pacific City, Oregon – Conclusion
There are many fun things to do in Pacific City, Oregon, and this list is just a starting point for all of your adventures. With a gorgeous beachfront vacation rental from Oregon Beach Vacations as your home base, you can explore everything that Pacific City has to offer.
