Overview | Location | Cost | Time | Planning | Experience + Ratings Trip Extras | Missed Opportunities
Overview
Get cheesy on the Oregon Coast!
If you in the North Western part of Oregon do not miss out on all Tillamook County has to offer. Clamming in Tillamook Bay, Agate Collecting at Oceanside Beach, and Tillamook Creamery make for a memory making Pacific Northwest experience.
This stop was second in our with our big Pike Place Market, Tillamook, Thunderegg, Hood River adventure!
Location
Oregon
Cost
If you are here you know we already travel on a budget. We like to spend our money on the adventures, experience, and food. Not the lodging, camping, expensive side of travelling.
For us:
$0.00 - Old Mill RV Park Paid for with Capitol One Venture Miles ($25.45/night)
$38 - Clamming just for two 3-day Oregon Shellfish License
$73.13 - Tillamook Store (we really like local products and cheese!)
$14.00 - Tillamook Ice Cream (and ice cream)
$28 - Lunch for Two at Tillamook
$153.13 - Total + Gas
Time Commitment
We were planning just 24 hours in the area and we think our day was perfectly timed. We got up early with the tide and started clamming at 6 AM. Left they bay around 7:30 AM, came back to camp showered and were in Oceanside by 9:30 AM. We enjoyed the beach and agate hunting then headed to Tillamook Creamery at 11 AM. We spent about two hours at Tillamook Creamery and saw the entire place, ate, and got ice cream.
Planning
There are no reservations or tickets needed for any of the adventures we enjoyed. Only planning required is your own timeframes. Clamming begins early with low tide and Tillamook Creamery will have long lines but they move quickly!
The Tillamook Experience:
Clamming in the Bay
Ross's Rating: 10/10
Crystal's Rating: 10/10
It is best to go clamming when the tide is as low as possible, with minimum negative rating. Check the tide charts to know when it is best to go! We we went at a -0.1 but they say the best time is around -1.0 or more. We used the Tillamook Clamming Map to find an accessible area for us to clam without a boat. You will need an Oregon Shellfish License, a bag or bucket for each person clamming to track limits per person, a shovel, and an optional rake. Find a place along the water line and start digging. Just keep going. You will find them! We did not have to go any deeper than about 1-2 feet into the sand. Here is the only video we watched to get an idea of what us southerners were doing.
From Ross the Rockhound: Wear rubber boots, hip boots or rubber waders. If you don't, go anyways and figure it out because it is worth it.
From Crystal the Meathead: Don't worry about having the right equipment. If you have something to dig and a bucket you can enjoy this local adventure! It was one of my favorite things we did on this trip!
Ross's Rating: 7/10
Crystal's Rating: 7/10
From Ross the Rockhound: The rock outcroppings at Oceanside are a cool site to see. The rating is a 7 due to the time of year we went, Early September. My research says it is better in the winter months, while we did find a few small agates. What we did collect, was found in the surf area where the water meets the sand. Otherwise, search the rocky areas for agate nodules within host rock. I have heard of possibly better agate hunting on other beaches further south.
From Crystal the Meathead: I am not a rockhound so hunting for agates was eh for me. It was wonderful to stroll along a Pacific Northwestern beach for the first time and see all the cool rock structures out in the water! Finding the good agates for my rockhound was just a plus. ;)
Ross's Rating: 10/10
Crystal's Rating: 10/10
The lines will look intimating, don't worry they move rather quickly. The whole place is incredible. Great educational exhibits about the Tillamook Dairy Cooperative and how dairy cattle are raised. You can view the working cheese factory as well. The gift shop has all the Tillamook products you could want, plus other great local Oregon products such as Oregon Berries Jelly Candies from Cranberry Sweets , Strawberry Lemon Lime and Root Beer Beverage Mixers from Portland Syrups, plus great salts from Jacobsen Salt Co.
From Ross the Rockhound: Eat the ice cream.
From Crystal the Meathead: There is a blackberry, current, apple hard cider by Avid Cider Company that was fantastic. I also am a big fan of cheese curds so don't miss out on getting you some!
Trip Extras + Supporting Local
There are great local things to do in the area but we were happy with our choices. Let us know if you have any other Tillamook County adventure suggestions!