From I-5 South/Salem, take exit #292 - Highway 217 - toward Beaverton 7 miles to Highway 26 - Sunset Highway. Go west on Highway 26 toward "Ocean Beaches" for 72 miles to Highway 101 at the coast. Go 3 miles south on Highway 101 to Cannon Beach. Take the first Cannon Beach exit off Highway 101. Follow that windy road thru the first stop sign to the second stop sign. Turn right to reach Hemlock Street and Downtown - just one block from the beach. (more on the Sunset Highway)

From Portland (75 miles/1.5 hours), go west on Highway 26 toward "Ocean Beaches" for 72 miles to Highway 101 at the coast. Go 3 miles south on Highway 101 to Cannon Beach. Take the first Cannon Beach exit off Highway 101. Follow that windy road thru the first stop sign to the second stop sign. Turn right to reach Hemlock Street and Downtown - just one block from the beach. (more on the Sunset Highway)

From Portland International Airport (PDX) (90 miles/2 hours). The road leaving the terminal is Airport Way. Follow Airport Way to Interstate 205 South. Go south on I-205 for 3 miles to Exit 21B - Interstate 84 (Banfield Highway). Take I-84 West toward downtown Portland for 6 miles. Exit on your left to Interstate 5 South. Take I-5 for 1.5 miles across the bridge, exiting left onto Interstate 405 North. Take I-405 for 1.5 miles to Exit 1D (right) to Highway 26 - Sunset Highway. Take Highway 26 west for 75 miles to Highway 101 at the coast. Go 3 miles south on Highway 101 to Cannon Beach. Take the first Cannon Beach exit off Highway 101. Follow that windy road thru the first stop sign to the second stop sign. Turn right to reach Hemlock Street and Downtown - just one block from the beach. (more on the Sunset Highway)  

Once in the coast range, the two-lane highway rolls over hill after hill of dense forest. At times the road is cut in so that the bases of the huge trees are at eye level on both sides of the road. The feeling is of being deep in the forest. This is deer and elk country, but the deer and elk are cautious and are seldom seen. It's 40 minutes of this relaxing driving through the mountains before dropping down the last hill at Saddle Mountain - the highest point in the coast range.

The next 15 minutes are through the small river valley which leads to the Cannon Beach junction, where Highway 26 meets Highway 101. The last three miles provide a climb through the dense foliage that the coast supports so well. The first glimpse of the ocean is near now. Soon after the decent starts, there is an opening to the west and there it is - The Pacific Ocean! Then is disappears as quickly as it appeared and the road continues down, until straight ahead is a fleeting distant view of Haystack Rock, projecting 235 feet out of the water just off the sandy beach.

Again the trees and hills block the ocean view, as you take the beach loop down the steep slope into Cannon Beach. Then the ocean appears again, this time through the trees.

After crossing the bridge at the bottom of the hill, you find that you have entered Cannon Beach, making a sudden and welcome transition from almost untouched roadside woodlands to a small delightful city.