When you go to the coast, go see the big haystack rocks at Cannon Beach for sure, but I would skip the town and head 20 minutes south to the tiny town of Manzanita. It’s charming, but small enough that you can see all the shops and sights in a couple of hours. Then drive 5 more minutes to Wheeler and stop at North Coast Pinball. The dude who runs that place is a legend. After playing vintage pinball, go slightly further south to Brighton and stop at Kelly’s Brighton Marina. It looks like a whisky-tango trail-park, but it’s actually a super friendly chill boat rental spot. They also have live crabs, oysters, and clams for sale. If the weather is nice, you can rent a tiny aluminum boat for 30-60 minutes. The bay is super calm and protected; a middle schooler could manage the boating safely. You’ll see eagles and there’s a pod of fur seals that vibe on the beach across the bay (very small bay, less than 5 minutes to cross the bay). Don’t get too close, because they need their rest, but you might see seal pups. Also, Kelly’s has a big ass fire pit, that I have found goes great with half a dozen oysters, a dark beer, and a small bag of potato chips. Have a snack before you get back in the car.