West Coast Road Trip (continued)
My good friend Jason Jue told me something about this that I’ve never forgotten. He is the happiest person I know. I asked, if you could sum it up, how do you stay happy? He told me, “I never have expectations about anything. And get lost once in a while.”
The Oregon Coast Magazine publishes a free Mile-by-Mile Guide of the entire Oregon Coast which you can download, print or request a printed copy that will be mailed to you. Two and a half hours down the coast you’ll hit the town of Florence – if you’re an animal lover like me, stop at the country’s largest sea cave and it’s filled with sea lions.
Quick Stop in Tillamook
We left Portland and went to the Coast, to the city of Tillamook. Why Tillamook, you ask? I love cheese, I love ice cream, I’m near the town, so why not? It was a good call. Tillamook Farms is 1.5 hours west of Portland. I cycled through their buffet style cheese tastings at least twice before zipping through the self-guided factory tour. They have a gift shop that I can only describe as totally entertaining and made for a lot of silly photos and good laughs. And the ice cream… they have an ice cream shop with flavors that sound (and taste) heavenly and soft as clouds.
Beachfront Accommodations In Netarts
We stayed the night at the Terimore Motel in the nearby coastal town of Netarts, Oregon. It’s an older and somewhat rundown property that offers cottages, cabins and regular rooms. But the real star here is their private access right onto the beach. We arrived just in time to enjoy the sunset and it was a really fantastic moment. Pure quiet… not a soul anywhere….it was dreamy…
Empty and mysterious is the beach in Netarts, Oregon.
My tribute photo to the Oregon State Tree: The Douglas Fir.
Our private path from the Terimore Motel to the beach.
Sunset reflections on the pebble-filled shore.
The view from the motel’s ocean-front deck.
The Terimore Motel located on the Oregon Coast.
On our way out of town the next day, I couldn’t help but notice this wild local thrift store in Netarts called Lex’s Cool Stuff (below). What a trip. I had to include it in this post because it really says something. What exactly, I’m not sure.
Welcome to “Lex’s Cool Stuff” in Netarts, Oregon.
This series is called the Road Less Traveled for a reason. There are dozens of popular places along coastal Oregon to visit. But here, in this small, quiet town of Netarts which is not even on some maps, I found exactly what I was looking for and didn’t even know it.
Trip Advisor Top Oregon Destinations & Activities
List of current Oregon Coast Guide Books
