What better way to spend Labor Day weekend than to go on a coast-line drive through Washington and Oregon? My friend, Meghan, and I drove along US-101 from Tacoma, Washington down to Tillamook, Oregon. You never stop seeing tall evergreens through Washington. It becomes more impressive as you hit the Oregon border, where the roads are close to the ocean. Here are some of the highlights of our first day.
What better way to spend Labor Day weekend than to go on a coast-line drive through Washington and Oregon? My friend, Meghan, and I drove along US-101 from Tacoma, Washington down to Tillamook, Oregon. You never stop seeing tall evergreens through Washington. It becomes more impressive as you hit the Oregon border, where the roads are close to the ocean. Here are some of the highlights of our first day.
Route Overview
Fort Stevens State Park - Warrenton, OR
Fort Stevens State Park is in northwest Oregon, and was originally land used for military defense. The park is at the mouth of the Columbia River, which feeds into the Pacific Ocean. There are multiple scenic beaches and nature viewpoints. We originally anticipated spending an hour here; we ended up taking pictures for 3 hours!
The remains of a vessel can be seen on one of the beaches. The ship, the Peter Iredale, wrecked in 1906.
Haystack Rock - Cannon Beach, OR
As we continued south on US 101, we noticed huge rocks sticking above the trees. It was unique scenery that would could not pass up. Meghan mentioned that The Goonies was filmed here, which gave us another reason to visit.
Tillamook Cheese Factory - Tillamook, OR
If you're looking for the best cheese an ice cream in the region, continue along US-101 until you hit Tillamook. There's a factory that has free admission to see the cheese factory and assembly line. In addition, they offer guests free samples of six different types of cheese. As you complete the tour, they conveniently have a cafeteria where you can chow down on entrees featuring their products, or cool down with a desert from the ice cream bar (made from the cows of Tillamook).
Stub Stewart State Park - Baxton, OR
The sun had finally set, and it was time to head home for the evening. In between Tillamook and Portland, we searched for the best spot to do some stargazing. Turns out that a favorite spot was on the way to Portland. We could easily see why! Tomorrow, we continue our trip to Crater Lake National Park.
