Neskowin Beach State Recreation Site

Neskowin is a special place on the Oregon coast in that it is very accessible but very few folks go there. Make no mistake, every beach rental is locked up for most of the summer but even so, there are long stretches of the beach where there seems to be no one around. I was just there with my family for several days and it felt like we had the whole place to ourselves. Residents there are very kind and the overall vibe is welcoming.

As a surfer, the one downside to this idyllic spot is the lack of consistent, good breaks. According to some of the locals, the mainstay sand bars have gotten chewed up over past winters and haven't really come back. For this reason, I never consider going there for surf but instead head north to Pacific City or south to Lincoln City.

I'm happy to report that this may be improving. On this most recent trip, I found 2-3 consistently breaking spots that seems to work best at or on either side of low tide. While the waves weren't huge (chest high at best), the waves were well shaped offering fun rides and even some barrel opportunities.

A good place for novices to work out the kinks though there is a strong North/South rip that kicks up at high tide and some gnarly inside double-ups thanks to beach erosion to watch out for.

All things being equal, Neskowin may never be a popular surf destination but that doesn't mean it isn't worth checking out when the forecast looks good at neighboring hot spots. The breaks I'm referring to are all north of Proposal Rock, so try looking for a parking spot around Mount Angel Avenue off of Breakers Blvd.

Note: The only restrooms are at the main parking lot and there are no public showers or rinse areas that I'm aware of.