If you are from Portland looking for an easy day trip, I pulled some of my favorite spots and created what I think is a fun way to spend a sunny summer day at the Oregon Coast! You will not only be driving along the ocean for the majority of your drive, but you will experience amazing food, activities and a true sense of adventure.

To begin the day, head out early in the morning to beat your fellow day trippers to one of my favorite childhood spots--Camp 18, located right off of highway 26 at mile marker 18. This place is full of historical artifacts, friendly staff, and a few roaming outdoor cats. It’s also a great spot for your morning coffee and a hot breakfast. In my opinion the best thing on their menu is a fresh-baked cinnamon roll, made…

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Prior to working at Rob Trost Real Estate, I volunteered at the Tillamook K9 Rescue located at 6965 Officer Row in Tillamook. Tillamook K9 Rescue works with Law Enforcement to ensure dogs found in our community have a safe place to stay while an owner is located. I first learned of the rescue center a few years ago when my family and I took a hike with our dog at the neighboring Anderson Hill Park. When I decided I wanted to volunteer at the K9 Rescue I reached out via Facebook and was quickly connected with Jeanet and Melanie--two very kind and passionate shelter managers.

If you enjoy giving dogs well-deserved love, while also meeting a community of passionate dog lovers, this might be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! There are currently…

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I grew up playing, beachcombing and jumping waves in Netarts Bay, as we were fortunate to have a family beach cabin right on the bay not too far from Happy Camp.  Back then, it was a campground with tents, small trailers and fires dotting the shoreline at dusk.  

Beyond the camping area is an eclectic, fun-loving oceanfront resort called Happy Camp Hideaway, built in the early 1900’s and located at the mouth of the bay.  The centerpiece is The Homestead House, a Southern plantation style home built in 1902 and was made entirely of logs that washed ashore during frequent storms.  The two-bedroom end cabin, fondly known as “Cabin #9”, was originally the carriage house for the camp.  The remaining eight cabins were built in the 40’s and even though…

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You will need to get up early if you want to explore tide pools and caves in the Summer months on the North Oregon Coast. There are numerous opportunities this year with 20 negative tides in July and 16 in August! 

If you look in a tide book the negative tides are usually highlighted in red and it simply means the tides are going to be significantly lower than usual, which exposes beaches and areas you can’t typically get to along with sea life you don’t get to see very often. Memorial Day weekend and the Fourth of July always seem to be when the negative (super low) tides hit, which perfectly coincides with an influx of travelers and explorers. 

We met up with some friends in the parking lot in Oceanside at 6:30 this morning then walked…

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If you haven't been to Cape Lookout State Park, you must put it on your list of places to visit in Tillamook County. It's fun for the whole family! There is a day use area with a gazebo perfect for family picnics, old growth forests to explore, a wonderful 3+ mile sandy beach and multiple well-groomed trails throughout the park.

There are two segments of the Cape Lookout trail; the North Trail and the South Trail which offer hiking through the forest above the ocean. The North Trail begins in the day-use area of the State Park campground and continues 2.3 miles north to the Cape Trail trailhead. The South Trail continues south of the trailhead another 1.7 miles. Or explore miles of ocean beaches along the Netarts Spit, north of the campground. On…

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Shortly after moving to Tillamook, my boyfriend and I joined the watershed council on a tour of Anderson Hill, a beautiful hiking area behind the airbase at the Port of Tillamook. We quickly fell in love with the 0.64-mile understory loop which only takes about 20 minutes to complete (with a few stops in between to admire blooming shrubs, tasty berries and wildlife) and includes moderate and well-maintained trails, native plants, and a variety of song birds.

While you hike along the understory, ferns and other small shrubs sprinkle the trail while large old growth hemlock, spruce and Douglas fir tower over you. Anderson creek also flows through this enchanting landscape which you encounter over a few different foot bridges. 

Since many…

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I love hiking and one of my favorite hikes is up to see the Munson Creek Falls. It's the tallest waterfall in the Pacific Coast Range (319 feet tall!).  We are so fortunate to have it nearby; just 9 miles South of Tillamook. It’s an approximately ½ mile hike through old growth forest and is fairly easy to walk. There is a large parking lot at the trailhead and is well marked with signs.

While walking along the trail, I love the views of giant ferns, moss covered boulders, wildflowers and sunlight streaming through the forest. The trail winds around the creek providing the soothing sounds of water. There are tons of picture opportunities along the way with short trails that lead to the creek formed by the falls.

After a quarter of a mile the…

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One of my all-time favorite things to do in the summer is to take my family to the Tillamook County June Dairy Parade! This year was the 66th Annual June Dairy Parade. The theme was Tree, Streams & Dairy Dreams. The parade starts at 11:00am and typically lasts about an hour and a half!

There are many good spots to sit, so make sure you are there at least an hour before the parade starts in order to stake your claim on the perfect seat for you and your family! The parade route starts at 11th street by Tillamook PUD and ends at Goodspeed Park on 3rd St.  At the parade, you can expect to see Forest Service vehicles with Smokey the Bear, log trucks that have been detailed and loaded with giant logs,  the Bennett Family Farm float and Model-T cars that…

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Are you looking for a unique and exciting way to explore the stunning beauty of the Pacific Northwest? Nestled in the charming coastal town of Garibaldi, The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad offers a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors of all ages. Hop on board and embark on a delightful journey from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach - OR - Rockaway to Garibaldi!

This 90 minute round trip excursion takes you through some of the most breathtaking scenery in the region. Travel along the coastline and see several historic Coast Guard Stations, including the iconic Tillamook Bay US Coast Guard Boathouse known as Pier's End, glimpses of the Bay Ocean spit, an abundance of wildlife and the famous three arches!

Take a step back in history and enjoy this…

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If American history is of interest to you and you’re headed to Oceanside here's something you should take the time to check out: tucked back in the woods up on the hill East of Radar Road in Oceanside (above Short Beach) are remnants of a WWII early warning air defense radar station. 

Through a some online research, it appears to be Station B-25 (SCR-270 radar). This was one of a chain of 65 stations built along the Pacific Coast during WWII -- all for the same purpose. It was in use from 1942-1944. It no longer has a roof, doors, or guns, but the remaining structure is enough to get your imagination going. The trail to get up there resembles an elk trail, but it's worth the short walk (less than 10 minutes) through the brush/woods to see it!

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