Two miles south of Cannon Beach, Arcadia Beach State Recreation is one of those finds that draw people back over and over again, even if you don't exactly know why.

At higher tides, a headland separates you from the beaches to the north, but most of the time that point is open to wander round. Walk between it and a sea stack that resembles a dragon just a bit, and you'll find tide pools, an odd cave or two, and then an enormous stretch of sand that heads for miles, until you reach Hug Point. In the distance, Cannon Beach's Haystack Rock looms ever present, as if never to let you forget which sea stack is king in the area.

To the south, it's almost a mile to the wonders of Hug Point, accessible about 70 percent of the time, even with the road carved out of the rocky headland.

Sand levels can do some wild things here. Note the photo at the top at normal sand levels. The at the bottom is a high-sand level event that holds back the tides and lets you walk out in front of this rock structure.