Pelican Brewing in Pacific City is the only brewery we know where you can watch a dory boat run full speed onto the beach while you finish your stout. It sits directly on the sand at Cape Kiwanda, 15 minutes north of Neskowin, and it's the default answer when a guest asks where to eat on a coast trip.
The setting does the work
Big windows, a heated patio, and the whole Cape Kiwanda scene laid out in front of you: the giant sand dune people climb and tumble down, Haystack Rock offshore (yes, Pacific City has one too), surfers in the cove, and the dory fleet launching and landing right off the beach. On a sunny afternoon there's nowhere on the coast quite like it. On a stormy afternoon, honestly, it's even better.
What to order
Pelican has been brewing here since the mid-90s and has a wall of medals to show for it. The classics:
- Kiwanda Cream Ale. Light, easy, the beach beer. Order this first.
- Tsunami Stout. Big, roasty, and perfect when the weather turns.
- Beak Breaker Double IPA. For the hop people in your group.
- Seasonal and small-batch taps rotate; ask what's on.
Food is solid pub fare done well. The fish and chips are the move. The clam chowder is thick. Pizzas are shareable and kid-friendly. They have a kids' menu, root beer, and enough space that a table of eight isn't a problem.
When to go
Weekend lunch in summer means a wait, sometimes a long one. Put your name in, then walk the beach or climb the dune. Weekday afternoons are easy. Winter is quiet, and a rainy Sunday with a stout and a window seat is about as good as the coast gets.
Sunset is the prime slot. Get there an hour early on a clear evening.
Parking and the fee
The big lot at Cape Kiwanda is a Tillamook County day-use area with a parking fee in peak periods, paid at kiosks. Pelican has some spots, but on a busy day you'll end up in the county lot. Bring a card or check the current rate. There's also street parking in town if you don't mind a short walk.
Dogs
Dogs aren't allowed inside, but the beach right outside is dog heaven and the dune is a full-body workout for a lab. Bring water and a towel for the car. If you're staying at The Weekender in Neskowin, your dog gets the beach there too, plus a hot tub soak for you when you're back.
Make it a day
- Morning: Coffee in Neskowin, then drive north on 101. Stop at the Cape Kiwanda overlook.
- Midday: Climb the dune. It's steeper than it looks and everyone runs down. Watch the dory boats come in, usually late morning to early afternoon.
- Lunch: Pelican. Sit outside if the wind allows.
- Afternoon: Walk south along the beach or watch the surfers. If you're tempted, we wrote about surfing and bodyboarding near Pacific City.
- Evening: Back to Neskowin for low tide at Proposal Rock and the hot tub.
Around the corner
Pacific City has a handful of other stops: a couple of taco and burger spots, a good coffee shop, and a small market for cabin supplies. Pelican also runs a tap room and larger brewing facility in Tillamook and locations in Cannon Beach and Lincoln City, but the original on the sand is the one that matters.
Cape Kiwanda is the closest big-day-out from Neskowin, and Pelican is why most people make the drive. Pair it with a quiet cabin down the road and you've got the coast weekend figured out. More ideas on our Neskowin things-to-do page.