My favorite beach in all of Oregon is a little out of the way and not easily discovered.  It's Short Beach, just 1.3 miles north of Oceanside, Oregon. There is a sign posted for it and if you see the Radar Road sign, you have just passed it. The staircase type trail is located at the top of the trailhead and consists of about 190 steps before you get to the beach.

It is not named after the length of the beach, some believe it's named after the person that discovered it.  To enjoy it to the fullest, I would suggest going during a very low tide to see the tide pools, caves, hunt for agates, surf fish and harvest mussels. You might find other special rocks like petrified wood, jasper, calcite, quartz and zeolite.  There is a large waterfall that…

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If you are new to the area you might not know that Netarts and Tillamook Bay are loaded with Dungeness crab! Crabbing is best during months that end in an “er” (like November) but you can catch, keep and eat crab year round.  Crab from Netarts Bay are by far my favorite seafood! Something unique about Netarts Bay vs.Tillamook Bay is that it has very little fresh water influence, whereas Tillamook Bay has five major rivers running into it. This, in my opinion, affects the flavor and quality of the crab meat.

If you think you’d like to try catching your own crab, there’s good news! They are not too difficult to get. We have our own boat and go crabbing as often as we can, but if you don’t, you can rent one along with traps (or rings) from the Big…

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I recently attended the Opening Night Gala of "Four Old Broads", a Tillamook Association of the Performing Arts production, at The Barn Playhouse in Tillamook directed by Chris Chiola and produced by Rob Buckingham.  It's the hilarious story of life and hijinks at Magnolia Place Assisted Living, located somewhere in the South. 

Joni Sauer-Folger portrays Beatrice Shelton, a retired burlesque queen who longs to go on a fun vacation where she can meet men, and lots of them!  A Sassy Seniors Cruise through the Caribbean may be just the ticket if she can just convince her best friend, Eaddy Mae Clayton, portrayed by Kelli McMellon to stop praying long enough to go with her.  Maude Jenkins, portrayed by Val Braun, is obsessed with her favorite soap…

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Do you love a great salad bar but your partner is hankering for a burger and a craft beer?  Werner Beef and Brew has you both covered! This is the best salad bar that I know of in Tillamook and offers a fun trendy environment. This hidden gem can be found by following the giant American flag waving above its parking lot at 2807 3rd Street. 

You can sit inside or outside under the cozy and inviting heat lamps. There is ample parking and lots of seating; a real hidden gem! You can buy and take home freshly made products from their well-stocked refrigerated cases.


Werner Beef and Brew started out as a meat processing business in 1988 from their home where you could bring your deer or elk to have processed into fantastic jerky, pepperoni, steaks,…

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Locals are so excited when a new eating establishment opens up around here, and we all rush to try out the food, hoping it will be our favorite "go-to" spot. Recently, a new restaurant, "East on West" opened up in a local grocery store, By The Sea Grocery in Netarts. Owners Trey Reddish and Christina Custis spent time on the east coast before heading west to Tillamook in 2021. They've taken some of their favorite foods out west and are using the best quality ingredients sourced locally. The exception is for the Philly rolls which are flown in from Philadelphia! 

Featuring Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, four different ways, and a ridiculously good "Smash Burger" with cheese, “smashy sauce” and a sprinkling of chopped lettuce. This is the perfect…

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Volunteering in your community is not only rewarding but worthwhile and makes a difference!  There are so many incredible volunteer opportunities and one of my favorites is Habitat for Humanity. 

I first got involved with Habitat for Humanity by helping with a local home that was built. My part was interior painting and cleanup. After I fell in love with their mission, I became a member of the board which I served on for six years! Becoming a board member opened my eyes to other Habitat opportunities like traveling to Vietnam where myself and over 200 other volunteers from around the world helped build houses. In total there were  20 houses built in 6 days. These aren't your conventional homes! They are very simple, humble homes made out of brick…

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Spring break is just around the corner which means local coastal businesses are getting ready for you to come to town. Here is a go-to guide on local attractions and restaurants that you can count on making your vacation to Tillamook County memorable! Whether you're at the coast to escape the hustle and bustle of the city or you are ready for your next heart racing experience, Tillamook County has something for the active couple, excited solo tripper or family!

Tillamook, Oregon | Located a little over an hour away from Portland

Enjoy kayaking but didn’t pack it in your go bag? Kayak Tillamook has got your back! Explore different parts of the county by paddling your way through various interesting lakes and rivers! Not only will you…

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The history of women in business in the Downtown Tillamook area, much like the rest of the world, was born out of a necessity to assist the family with additional income but has evolved into a community of amazing women-owned, run and thriving businesses County wide. I, personally, come from a historical precedent set by my Grandma Bedford, stepping in to run the Man’s Shop, when her husband Elden “Beds”, fell ill. This was in the late 60s to early 70s. My parents then came back to the area to help and stayed on to eventually buy the business and run it in the Beals Building that sits on the corner of 3rd and Main Street in Tillamook.

Now, in a two-block radius from that very spot, there are no less than 20 businesses owned and operated by some of…

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On February 23, 2023 Oceanside received 11.5” of snow in just over 12 hours. This was the highest recorded snow total in the area since 1940 and was actually the third highest total in all of NW Oregon that day! The forecast the night prior was for a trace to two inches—So close!  At sunrise we had six inches and by 11am we were up to 11.5”. It was almost as if the storm was stuck over Tillamook County. Schools and businesses shut down in the area as many roads were completely impassable. We were kind of stuck that morning, but I knew we had to get to the beach to see this once in a lifetime moment. 

With very little convincing my son agreed we had to get down there, so we put on our winter gear and headed for the shoreline on foot. It was a VERY…

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The Pelicans are here in Tillamook County – big, beautiful, and in higher numbers than most locals can remember. Apparently, they didn’t get the social distancing memo. It’s all part of their annual migration and soon they will be gone, heading south when things get cooler around here. Cabo San Lucas seems to be a favorite destination for the group, and we can’t argue with their reasoning.

Everyday for the past month, they have been giving us a spectacular show. Extremely proficient fishers, a California Brown Pelican catches about four pounds of fish a day. There’s something satisfying, at an almost primal level, watching prehistoric birds (whose features have changed little in nearly 40 million years) nosedive into the water from a height of 60…

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