Day Three: Cannon Beach, Tillamook & Lincoln City
We woke up to another beautiful, sunny day. Our planned drive on this day was about two hours (or 90 miles) – starting in Cannon Beach and ending in the Lincoln City-area. Before checking out of the hotel, we took a morning walk on the beach. It was low tide which meant that all of the tide pools around Haystack Rock were visible.
What to Do
During high tide, water surrounds Haystack Rock. While you’ll notice the many seabirds landing on the rock, like Tufted Puffins, you might not realize that there are many strange and colorful creatures also living in the intertidal area around the bottom of the rock. At low tide, the intertidal pools around Haystack Rock are visible and accessible for exploration. This area is designated as part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, which means it’s protected. Visitors aren’t allowed to climb the rock, or remove anything around it, so as not to disturb marine life and nesting birds. You can however, look around the tide pools and even gently touch some of the creatures. The best time for viewing is one hour before daily low tides. During your visit, you might encounter a representative of the Haystack Rock Awareness Program. These experts can help you identify the sea life and answer your questions. We spent quite awhile looking at the tide pools before hitting the road.
KidTripster Tip: Oswald West State Park near Cannon Beach is another fun place to play. It appeals to beach goers, surfers and hikers. Short Sand Beach is situated between two rocky outcroppings. To get there park at the Oswald West main parking lot and follow the easy half-mile trail through the forest to the beach.
We might have stayed even longer on the beach, but we had an appointment to keep at the Tillamook Creamery (longtime Oregonians, like me, still refer to it as the Tillamook Cheese Factory).
Tillamook has been making cheese for over a century. The bright yellow bricks of cheddar are sold at practically every grocery store in the state. As a kid, we often stopped at the “Tillamook Cheese Factory” when we visited the coast. Many Oregon students even went there on school field trips. The Tillamook facility got a significant upgrade a few years back. It looks much different than the one I visited as a kid. We recommend that you take the tour, then shop and eat.
When you enter, you’ll walk up the stairs for the self-guided tour. The large windows overlooking the factory floor are framed with information about the cheese making process. We liked learning about things like “The Blue Octopus”, the vacuum sealer that looks like, you guessed it, a blue octopus. Although you can get through the tour quite quickly, my kids found it really interesting and particularly enjoyed peering down onto the factory floor, watching the workers below.
The self-guided tour ends in the world’s largest gift shop dedicated to cheese. OK, I don’t know if that’s actually true, but it very well could be. The place is sprawling and the Tillamook logo is on anything and everything you can imagine. There’s also lots of cheese for sale including specialty and aged cheeses that you won’t find at the grocery store.
There’s a food and ice cream available with indoor and outdoor seating. Food choices prominently feature Tillamook cheese. Items include things like fried cheese curds, mac ’n cheese, grilled cheese and cheeseburgers. There’s Tillamook ice cream, too, with a couple dozen flavors to choose from.
The Tillamook Creamery is open daily from 10-6pm. There’s no cost to visit.
After filling up at the Tillamook Creamery, we piled back into the van and continued on our way. After spending the morning on the beach, and the afternoon eating cheese, it was getting late. We were ready to get to our next destination, the Salishan Coastal Lodge, located just south of Lincoln City. This is one of the larger towns on the Oregon coast. There are lots of food choices here including both fast food and local eateries. Here’s a list of 4 unique things to do when visiting Lincoln City.
Where to Stay
The Salishan Coastal Lodge has been a fixture on the Oregon coast since 1965. The large property has lots of room choices, from traditional rooms to suites. The lodge is easily accessible from Highway 101 and it’s conveniently situated between Lincoln City and Depoe Bay.
Our room was a short walk from the lodge, overlooking the golf course. Read our full property review here.
What to Eat
Located just across the highway is The Marketplace at Salishan. There are a few restaurants here. We got dinner at Mangia Italian Restaurant. We opted for takeout. The “Dinner for 2” special (times two) was perfect for our family of four. They even accommodated my gluten allergy! And when I say accommodated, I mean they were super helpful and didn’t make me feel like a weirdo.
Day 4 was dedicated to adventures. We climbed trees and played on the beach. Click below to find out how we spent the day.
