Before leaving the northern part of the coast, we went to Ecola State Park for a lovely morning hike. Ecola SP has been the filming location for several movies. The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Point Break and Twilight. The rocky coast line and dramatic cliff make it perfect for the big screen. Our hike was a 3.5 loop with 1000ft of elevation.
After our hike and check out, we started our drive down the coast. Our final destination was Lincoln City.
We are using the GuideAlong app again. Alfred our narrator, is like having an old friend in the car. Plus, he has so many stories and knows where all the fun places to stop are located. Like Pronto Pups! We wouldn’t have stopped for a Pronto Pup if Alfred hadn’t told us it was the original Pronto Pup location!
Our next stop was at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We completed the self guided tour, sampled cheese and decided to enjoy some ice cream!
Alfred gave us two options for the drive. We could hug the coast or go more inland on the 101. We decided to take the scenic coastal drive. We had so many fun places to stop. The first was Cape Meares to see the light house and Octopus Tree! The Octopus Tree is a 300 year old Sitka Pine and there is still debate as to how the Octopus Tree formed. Naturally or was it created by humans. We may never know…
Our drive continued along the coast with a stop for some salt and salted caramels at Jacobsen Salt Company. (Another suggestion by Alfred) They harvest the salt from the Pacific Ocean and ship to chefs all around the world. The caramels made a lovely addition to our car snacks.
The last stop along this part of the coast was Pacific City. We hopped out to see the beach and were amazed at the giant sand dune.
We made it to Lincoln City in time for check in. The inn is right on the ocean. It’s so lovely. We slept with the sliding door open listening to the waves all night. Nature’s natural sound machine.
We enjoyed another amazing sunset. We walked the beach for a bit and then came back to the fire pits at the hotel.
More adventures await! Thanks for reading!
