Oregon just keeps popping up on best-of lists, saluting our state’s food, campgrounds, scenery, and so on. Now, another accolade has come our way, as a popular vacation destination on the north Oregon coast has made the list of “The 28 Most Beautiful Towns in America.”

The list, compiled by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, consists of everything from “coastal cities to southern gems,” as the article says, adding, “these idylls are worth a visit.”

So, which Oregon north coast municipality takes the honors as a “most beautiful” town? Is it Astoria? Seaside? Manzanita? Gearhart?

Not surprisingly, Cannon Beach gets the nod. The town known for its scenic stretch of sandy beach, the imposing Haystack Rock, the annual Sandcastle Contest, super-tasty fish and chips, a top-ranked beach resort, and many more accolades, can now add this one, too.

But then again, any Oregonian who has visited Cannon Beach can testify that the place is gorgeous, and its natural setting is magnificent, as the tourist crowds indicate.

This community is Oregon’s most charming small town, according to HGTV

According to the Condé Nast Traveler magazine article, “While most travelers flock to New York and Los Angeles, the most beautiful small towns in America offer an entirely different —and, dare we say, better? — glimpse at what this country has to offer. You’ll find tiny enclaves filled with friendly locals, walkable downtown areas lined with mom-and-pop cafes, quaint boutique hotels, and incredible views of some of the best landscapes in the U.S.”

Here’s what the list entry for Cannon Beach says: “Drive about 80 miles northwest of Portland and you’ll wind up on one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the country: Cannon Beach. The eponymous village on the shore was officially incorporated in 1957, and it’s popular today for its cute chocolate shops, art galleries, microbreweries, and cozy vacation rentals. It’s perhaps best known for Haystack Rock, a 235-foot monolith protruding out of the water—enjoy the views from nearby Ecola State Park or the guest rooms at Stephanie Inn”

In addition to Cannon Beach, other communities on the “most beautiful” list include Magnolia Springs, Alabama; Bar Harbor, Maine; Leavenworth, Washington; Sedona, Arizona; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Marfa, Texas; Mackinac Island, Michigan; Cape May, New Jersey; Ketchikan, Alaska; Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Snowmass Village, Colorado; Friday Harbor, Washington; Whitefish, Montana; and Deadwood, South Dakota.

— Kristi Turnquist covers features and entertainment. Reach her at 503-221-8227, kturnquist@oregonian.com or @Kristiturnquist

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This Fourth of July might be different for Oregon revelers, as some cities retire colorful fireworks displays in favor of live music, laser shows and swarms of illuminated drones.

Tigard, Lake Oswego and Wilsonville are all opting for these more technologically advanced alternatives. Here’s where you can find them.

Two of the biggest brands in college football left the Pac-12 in search of greener pastures. As the Oregon Ducks and the USC Trojans leave the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten, we are losing some of the regionality that makes college football great, but we’re also getting to preserve a bit of a regional rivalry. 

And that’s not a bad thing. It’s not the best thing ever, but it’ll be fun to see future Big Ten meetings between these two West Coast programs. Especially considering that, for a while, these two Pac-12 powerhouses produced some incredible and memorable moments over the years.

It’s going to be fun to see this series preserved (even if it’s happening in a very different conference).

The rivalry got underway all the way back in 1915 as the Oregon Ducks managed to get a 34-0 win in the first-ever meeting between these two teams. 

So, how did the USC Trojans respond to that defeat? In a rather convincing way. The USC Trojans went on to win the next EIGHT meetings, including the 1931 53-0 beatdown that Oregon suffered on the road in Los Angeles, California. 

There’s absolutely no way that game was fun to be part of or watch.

In recent years, there have been periods of dominance owned by both of these teams. But, with Oregon’s rise to national prominence under Mike Bellotti and Chip Kelly, things started going Oregon’s way somewhat regularly. Oregon has won four of the last five meetings between the two teams as well as seven of the last 10. Dating back to 2000, the Ducks have only lost six meetings with USC. Meanwhile, they’ve won 10. It’s safe to say that things have changed a bit since this series started all those years ago.

The Trojans aren’t on Oregon’s 2024 football schedule, but this series has been preserved a bit considering that both of these teams are making the move to the Big Ten. And here’s to looking forward to the future of what this rivalry looks like.