It sounds like it should be in a Lonnie Donegan song, and if you sing it to Rock Island Line then it works. It does have a mighty big beach, at least with the ride out.
Today was mercifully sunny, a great day to travel in, and we came through Clatsop state forest and then another, stopping at the rest stop in the TillyMoo - sorry, Tillamook - state forest. It's the States, so of course it's massive. The rest stop was big, too, tree lined and with a couple of short trails to follow if you fancy. Carol stopped to share her dog, said her goodbyes and then returned, all the way over to invite us to a drum circle on Friday night, up at Seaside. A literal place name if ever there was one.
Rockaway Beach is a small place, but charming, the highway opening on one side to motels and a condo development, all looking out onto the beach, and on the other side are the usual diners and shops, along with piles of arts and crafts shops. The 'Oregon rain' filled lightbulb shop is probably the highlight - they are simple but stunning, and the owner chatty, with her own music playing in the background. Recorded in 2004, I like to think it has been on a timeless loop ever since.