10 Quirky Small Towns To Visit on the West Coast

While the serene scenery, windswept beaches, and soaring mountains of the West Coast attract visitors far and wide, this region of the U.S. also lays claim to some charming small towns that march to the beat of their own drums. In these towns, you can feel as though you’re in Europe without leaving the country, appreciate fascinating historic architecture, or perhaps even get lost due to a suspicious absence of street signs. Check out these 10 quirky West Coast towns that are sure to steal your heart.

Astoria, Oregon

You may recognize this historic seafaring town from the 1985 cult classic The Goonies. Fans of the movie come to Astoria to visit its iconic filming locations, including the Goonies House on 38th Street, where the characters Mikey and Brandon lived; the Flavel House Museum, where Mikey’s father worked; the old Clatsop County Jail, now home to a collection of film memorabilia as the Oregon Film Museum; and the Lower Columbia bowling alley. 

While The Goonies brought Astoria into the spotlight, its appeal extends well beyond being the film’s shooting location. The city was founded in 1811, making it the oldest city in Oregon and the first permanent settlement in the U.S. west of the Rocky Mountains. The historic Riverwalk Trail offers a glimpse of the once-bustling industrial port, now transformed into the town’s hub for dining and shopping (and sometimes even sea lion viewing). About 8 miles away, neighboring Hammond is a treasure trove of historic sites — including Fort Stevens State Park, Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, and the Peter Iredale Shipwreck at Clatsop Spit, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Columbia River in the infamous Graveyard of the Pacific.

Bolinas, California

This small coastal community located one hour north of San Francisco is a well-kept secret, and that’s no accident. It’s rumored that, in an attempt to keep tourists away, Bolinas locals once resorted to stealing street signs to keep their town under wraps. But if you can overcome the navigational diversions and conquer the winding mountain pass leading into town, this quirky Northern California town promises to enchant the moment you arrive. 

With a population of roughly 1,600, Bolinas has a tight-knit community of surfers and artists, and the town was once even a haven for celebrities. Artistic touches and bold colors are splashed on buildings and homes, and the eclectic atmosphere is further felt when walking down the main drag adorned with brightly painted fishing buoys. Cafes, restaurants, art galleries, and historic 19th-century structures line the town streets, while the main attraction — Bolinas Beach — beckons sun worshippers, wave riders, and families with its meandering sandy coastline and consistent swell. 

Capitola, California

Another quaint California beach town, Capitola is situated on Monterey Bay, about an hour south of San Francisco in Santa Cruz County. One of the biggest draws here is the colorful beach houses of Capitola Village. These painted abodes have provided a gorgeous backdrop for many vacation pictures since their construction in 1925 — and you might just think they resemble something more likely to be found along the Mediterranean than in California. 

Many of the other buildings in Capitola were constructed in the early 1900s, giving the town a quaint, old-fashioned feel. Despite its petite size, Capitola has long been a popular beach retreat. The town welcomed its first guests in 1874, making it one of California’s oldest beach communities. The storied history of Capitola can be explored at the modest but highly recommended Capitola Historical Museum. 

Newport, Oregon

Surrounded by state parks and national forests, Newport is a nature lover’s paradise, known for its rugged beaches, historic waterfront, and the famous Yaquina Head Lighthouse. But with a population of around 10,000, this quirky city on Oregon’s central coast — about a 2.5-hour drive south of Portland — draws visitors seeking more than just outdoor adventures. 

The historic bayfront is filled with shops, galleries, coffeehouses, and restaurants, along with a few quirky attractions. Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Word of Adventure showcases bizarre artifacts, interactive exhibits, and a celebrity wax museum, while the nearby Sea Lion Dock at Port Dock One is home to a colony of sunbathing sea lions. Situated on 23 acres along Yaquina Bay, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, with its underwater tunnel and otter feedings, is another must-see highlight in this vibrant, offbeat town.

Leavenworth, Washington

One could easily mistake Leavenworth, Washington, for a charming Bavarian village — and that’s by design. Founded in 1890, Leavenworth was a typical Old West town until the 1960s, when local leaders decided to revamp the town’s appearance to make it more enticing to tourists. Surrounded by the Cascade Mountains (reminiscent of the German Alps), Leavenworth was remodeled after the three German towns of Bemalte Fassaden, Leipzig, and Munich. 

Several unmistakable features make this town feel distinctly German, including the Bavarian-style architecture, the Nutcracker Museum (home to 7,000 nutcracker dolls), a European chocolatier noted for its Belgian truffles and beer-infused chocolates, and an authentic German beer hall, Stein Leavenworth. In addition to these German staples, Leavenworth also enjoys year-round German festivals, including Oktoberfest, Winter Karneval, and Maifest. 

Tillamook, Oregon

When you think of quirky cities in Oregon, Portland often first comes to mind, but the Beaver State houses plenty of smaller, lesser-known towns with just as much offbeat appeal. Tillamook is one such charming town, located a 90-minute drive west of Portland along Oregon’s stunning coast. 

Dairy lovers, in particular, should check out the renowned Tillamook Creameries, which produce around 170,000 pounds of cheese daily and offer tours complete with gourmet cheese samples. Tillamook is also home to the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, a serene place where visitors can admire a lighthouse and walk along the elevated coastal path that hug the Pacific Ocean while looking for whales, dolphins, seals, and seabirds. The park’s standout feature is undoubtedly the Octopus Tree, a Sitka spruce named for its uncanny number of bulbous branches resembling the eight-legged invertebrate. Tillamook also appeals to history lovers — the Tillamook Air Museum (a former WWII blimp hangar) houses an impressive collection of rare aircraft.

Bodie, California

Bodie, a former gold-mining town in the northern Sierra Nevada, was named after William Bodey, who played a key role in uncovering gold in the nearby Mono Basin in 1859. The town’s real boom, however, came in 1876 after the discovery of gold and silver deposits in the Bunker Hill Mine, which increased Bodie’s population to around 10,000. Like many mining towns, Bodie’s prosperity was short-lived, as natural resources dwindled and residents began to leave. The town’s remote location at 8,375 feet above sea level led many to abandon their belongings rather than endure the difficult task of hauling them along treacherous roads. 

Today, Bodie is still accessible to the outside world, but in winter, the 3-mile dirt road is usually buried in snow, effectively isolating Bodie from the rest of civilization. Visitors who make the trek can get an eerie and fascinating glimpse of a true ghost town frozen in time — with shops, houses, and churches appearing as though they were left waiting for the residents who never returned. 

Olalla, Washington

Nestled on the Kitsap Peninsula midway between Seattle and Tacoma, Olalla is an unincorporated waterfront community of less than 5,000 people. But this tiny town draws plenty of visitors when it hosts the popular Polar Beach Plunge and the highly anticipated Olalla American Music Festival each summer. Olalla is also known for its famous, non-human, residents — an ever-present population of chickens who often stop traffic to cross the road, and its many horses, which are still used as old-fashioned modes of transport around town. 

This once-bustling ferry hub and agricultural center declined into the sleepy town it is today after the construction of several commuter bridges led to a decline in ferry service. However, the hamlet has since turned into a hidden gem for tourists and locals alike with its 140-year-old general store, locally owned Olalla Valley Winery, kayaking trails, and Olalla Community Club, which hosts a monthly concert series combined with a potluck dinner. 

Bend, Oregon

Bend is a small Pacific Northwest town surrounded by both active and dormant volcanoes. Its volcanic origins are evident in the historic downtown buildings made from volcanic material, the lava bed beneath the town, and nearby sites like Mount Bachelor, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and Pilot Butte (a dormant volcano you can hike). 

Beyond volcanoes, Bend is home to the last existing Blockbuster video store, where you can rent movies or buy vintage souvenirs. Another popular attraction is Bend Whitewater Park, with its 26 human-made “gates” that create surfable and raftable waves on the Deschutes River. But if that’s not enough entertainment, you can also drive about 40 minutes to Central Oregon Bungee, the tallest commercial bungee jump in North America, to plunge from a 250-foot-high platform over the Crooked River. 

Winthrop, Washington

This mountain town in Washington’s Methow Valley was inspired by other West Coast themed towns, such as the Bavarian village of Leavenworth, Washington, and the Danish town of Solvang, California. Today, Winthrop is known for its outdoor activities, natural beauty, and its Wild West-themed downtown. A former mining settlement, Winthrop has been beautifully preserved, offering visitors a fascinating glimpse into its rich 19th-century gold rush heritage. 

The town’s 500 or so residents enjoy a quiet, peaceful way of life. Downtown, storefronts reflect the rustic charm of the 1850s frontier. A classic wooden boardwalk winds through town, leading past eclectic gift shops, local galleries, restaurants, a saloon, and a general store. Winthrop is a year-round resort town, offering access to the nearby Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest for hiking and biking, America’s largest network of cross-country ski trails, and whitewater rafting and kayaking on the Methow River.