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Beach crowds in the summer are no joke there are crowded parking lots, expensive hotels, and people vying for a square foot of sand. However, if you visit the seaside in the spring or early summer, the atmosphere completely changes. Less crowds, cheaper prices, and occasionally even better weather are all part of shoulder season, particularly on the West Coast.
These 7 tiny beach towns in California, Oregon, and Washington are ideal for a peaceful coastal getaway before summer’s turmoil arrives.
California’s Cambria
It feels like something from a storybook in this idyllic tiny hamlet on the Central Coast of California. In spring, Cambria offers wildflowers along the cliffs and peaceful walks on Moonstone Beach in addition to its spectacular coastal bluffs, art galleries, and quaint inns.
Additionally, it’s close to Hearst Castle and Piedras Blancas, which are much more fun to explore when you’re not constantly bumping into visitors.
Oregon’s Manzanita
Manzanita, tucked away just south of the crowded Cannon Beach, is peaceful, quiet, and quite adorable. Wide beaches, foggy coastal vistas, and a walking downtown with independent stores and excellent coffee are all still available in the spring, but parking isn’t as bad.
For breathtaking vistas, hike up Neahkahnie Mountain, or simply relax on the beach while sipping a hot beverage. In any case, it’s subtle coastal beauty.
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California’s Cayucos
If you only think of surfers and a bygone era when you think of a beach town, Cayucos is the place for you. There’s a historic pier, one major road, and hardly any visitors in spring in this Central Coast location. By April or May, the weather is already pleasant, and hotels with an ocean view are frequently available for three times the price in July.
After enjoying some Brown Butter Cookie Co. cookies, you can relax while watching surfers from the pier.
Washington’s Seabrook
Although Seabrook is a planned beach town, it perfectly captures the essence of the coastal cottage core. It’s compact, chic, and much simpler to reserve in the spring before summer crowds from Seattle. You can rent a bike, take a stroll along the paths, or simply settle down with a book and a blanket on the beach.
Since there are fire pits and hot tubs around, it doesn’t really matter if it gets windy and cold in the spring.
California’s Capitola
Capitola is a shoulder-season jewel that is adorable, vibrant, and frequently disregarded in favor of neighboring Santa Cruz. The village is tiny enough to see in a day, but you’ll want to stay longer because of the pastel buildings along the beach, which make it incredibly photogenic.
Temperatures are typically mild enough by May to have a beverage while soaking up the sun. Here, summer is brutal, thus spring is the ideal season.
Yachats, Oregon
This small seaside hamlet, which is pronounced “YAH-hots” (because Oregon is wild like that), is all about rocky beaches, tide pools, and breaking waves. With early wildflowers in bloom, the breathtaking coastline surrounding Cape Perpetua appears even more enchanting in the spring, when the whale migration is still taking place.
Craft beer, comfortable cabins, and a lot of dark PNW vibes minus the tourist caravan are also available.
Oregon’s Bandon
Known for its serene beaches and striking sea stacks, Bandon is less well-known than other Oregon Coast towns. Yes, it’s cooler here in the spring, but it’s also much less crowded, so you can still visit the well-known Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, explore the boardwalk, and get some local fish and chips.
And those gloomy walks on the beach in the morning? pure treatment.
