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Waves crashing, kids laughing, and cheese in every flavor imaginable, welcome to the Tillamook. In early fall of last year, my family and I explored the Oregon Coast on a family trip. We were immediately charmed by the rocky shoreline, dramatic cliffs, and towering sea stacks rising from the water. My girls kicked off their shoes and ran across the sand without a care in the world… until the cold tide surged in, and they shrieked, sprinting back to mom and dad.
Here are some of the top things to do with kids on the Tillamook Coast.
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Tillamook Creamery
The Tillamook Coast is perfect for a day trip from Portland, but there’s more than enough to keep families busy for several days. One of the most popular stops year-round is the Tillamook Creamery. There’s plenty of free parking, including a separate lot with space for RVs. Visitors can choose between a free self-guided tour or a paid guided option. We opted for the budget-friendly self-guided tour, which allowed us to move at our own pace.
One of them thought I was talking about the other kind of cheese. ©Annetta Skelton
Free Cheese?!
The experience is wonderfully family-friendly, with hands-on activities for kids and giant viewing windows overlooking the cheese factory floor. The tour ends with free cheese samples for the whole family, and yes, we left with an impressive amount of cheese. Before heading out, visitors can browse the gift shop or grab a meal at the on-site restaurant, which serves cheese-inspired entrées and plenty of ice cream flavors for dessert.
An agonizing decision! No worries, get a flight and try a few! ©Brebot via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Tillamonk Air Museum
Just down the road from the creamery sits a massive World War II-era blimp hangar, now home to the Tillamook Air Museum. Inside, visitors will find a spectacular collection of historic aircraft, U.S. Navy vehicles, and aviation artifacts. Exhibits highlight naval aviation on the Oregon Coast, the history of the hangar itself, and the evolution of flight. Many of the planes are full-size and can be viewed up close. My youngest, who loves anything with wheels or wings, was thrilled to climb in and out of the old vehicles.
History class, but feral. ©Hrach, Adobe Stock
Tillamook County Pioneer Museum
Another great stop is the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, located in the old courthouse in downtown Tillamook. This kid-friendly museum features hands-on displays, recreated rooms, and fascinating artifacts that bring pioneer life, logging, dairy farming, and local history to life. It’s an easy indoor activity for the whole family, perfect for a rainy day. As a homeschooling mom, places like this make ideal field trips. It’s a guilt-free way to step away from books and assignments while still learning, and my girls love anything interactive.
And then she said, “This stuff is from way back in the 1900s, like you, Mom.” ©Victoria Ditkovsky, Adobe Stock
Three Capes Scenic Loop
One of my favorite ways to see a lot in a short amount of time is a scenic loop. Hear me out: I get to sit in an air-conditioned car, let my husband drive, and enjoy the views as the passenger princess I was born to be. Tune out the “are we there yet?” chorus, and that’s living.
Peak Mom Life is sitting still while someone else handles the wheel. ©Nenad Stojkovic via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
The Three Capes Scenic Loop packs some of the Oregon Coast’s biggest wow moments into an easy, family-friendly drive through Pacific City, Tillamook Bay, and the forested Coast Range. Starting at Cape Kiwanda, golden sand dunes meet dramatic sea stacks, and at low tide, tide pools emerge, which is perfect for curious kids and adults. Timing a visit during low tide takes a little planning, but it’s well worth the effort. Some areas even offer free tide pool exploration programs to help families maximize their experience. Tidepool exploration is definitely a must-do with kids on the Tillamook Coast.
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Tidepool AKA “Kids yelling ‘LOOK AT THIS ONE’ on repeat.” ©vincentlewis, Unsplash
Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint
A short 30-minute drive North brings travelers to the Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint and the historic Cape Meares Lighthouse. Though it’s the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast, it’s also one of the most scenic, perched high above crashing waves. With perpetually hungry children in tow, we packed a picnic and took advantage of the nearby picnic area. PB&J sandwiches with ocean views? Total win.
Shortest lighthouse, biggest views. Cape Meares Lighthouse ©Christopher Boswell, Adobe Stock
Tillamook Forest Center
From there, the route heads inland to the Tillamook Forest Center, which offers hands-on exhibits and shaded trails explaining the region’s logging history and forest recovery.
Educational stop or just a really scenic kid energy release? ©Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Cape Lookout State Park
Looping back to the coast, the next stop is Cape Lookout State Park, where a short hike rewards visitors with sweeping ocean views and the chance to spot whales. On clear days, you can even see Haystack Rock, famous for its appearances in The Goonies, Point Break, and Twilight. Altogether, the loop offers a compact coastal adventure with equal parts beachcombing, viewpoints, and nature education; it’s well worth the roughly 70-mile round-trip drive.
You should see the outtakes. ©Annetta Skelton
Oregon Coast Scenic Railway
For families who prefer sightseeing without driving, the Oregon Coast Scenic Railway is another great option. The railway operates from March through September, and pets are even allowed in the open-air cars. Unfortunately, it wasn’t running during our visit, or we would have hopped aboard. According to their website, the train departs from either Rockaway Beach or Garibaldi and has 30-minute one-way trips with a 30-minute layover. Passengers can book return trips later if they would like more time exploring the beach or local shops. My vehicle-obsessed youngest was disappointed we missed it, so hopefully next time we’ll visit during the operating season.
Turns out trains hibernate. ©Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Latimer Quilt and Textile Center
We ran out of time to see everything, but one spot still on our wish list is the Latimer Quilt and Textile Center. Housed in a restored schoolhouse, this museum-style textile arts center features historic and modern quilts, rotating textile exhibits, and hands-on fiber arts education. It’s just one more reason we’d happily return to the Tillamook Coast.
A colorful handmade quilt, judging my Target blanket. ©Jen Couser, Unsplash
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Family-Friendly Restaurants In Tillamook
Exploring local businesses is always a priority for us when traveling, and the Tillamook Coast rewarded us with its excellence for doing so. Local restaurants are plentiful, and even the pickiest eaters can find something they like.
Here are a few spots we tried and enjoyed.
The Schooner
The Schooner is a waterfront seafood restaurant that uses fresh local ingredients, like oysters fresh from the bay it sits on. The kids’ menu offers the usual burger, mac and cheese, and pizza that keep children alive. They also have an impressive drink menu for mom and dad.
Werner Beef and Brew
Werner Beef and Brew is actually a deli, meat market, and taproom all in one, which is pretty unique. They offer a wide range of food and drink options, and everything we tried was delicious.
Lin’s Restaurant
Lin’s is a Chinese restaurant. It happened to be my oldest’s birthday while we were in town, and this was her pick. They have very good lo mein.
By the end of our trip, the kids were sandy, happy, and worn out. Our pockets were full of cheese wrappers, our phones were full of photos, and our hearts were full of memories. The Tillamook Coast checked every box for our family. It’s proof that the best vacations don’t have to be complicated. Sometimes, all you need is waves, wonder, and really good dairy.
When You Go
Getting there from LA
Portland International Airport is an hour and a half away from Tillamook and has direct flights from LAX with Frontier, Delta, and Alaska-Hawaiian. The flight will take approximately 2.5 hours. After that, a rental car is necessary.
An excellent discount site for rental cars and flights is Booking! We literally save hundreds using it.
Where to stay on the Tillamook Coast
The Tillamook Inn
The Tillamook Inn is only a half mile from the Tillamook Creamery and offers basic amenities as well as an on-site deli and gas station.
Three Arches Inn
Three Arches Inn boasts private balconies, oceanfront views, and is just two minutes from the sand.
Netarts Bay Garden RV Resort
If your family likes to take your second home with you on vacation, as mine does, Netarts Bay Garden RV Resort is an excellent RV Resort. It is family-friendly, with full-hookup sites and easy access to crabbing, clamming, and the beach.
Annetta Skelton
Annie Skelton is a freelance writer and homeschool mom traveling the country with her husband, an insurance adjuster, and their three daughters. Their family lives part-time in a fifth wheel, learning as they go and adjusting plans along the way. Her family is based out of Indiana and she has a Communications degree from Vincennes University. She writes about family travel, motherhood, and life on the road at www.lifeadjusted5onboard.com.