Mother-in-law has booked a timeshare in Seaside, Oregon for a multi-generation family vacation (for several families including a baby, a toddler, a pre-schooler and two teens). We spent a little time in Seaside many years ago and I remember fondly a good breakfast and shopping in Cannon Beach. I'd like to go to Tillamook. Any other suggestions for activities or day trips from Seaside? For families or individuals (for example a couple of us might break away to go horseback riding or to a spa - is there one?)
I will continue to review old posts on the Oregon coast and thank you for any new suggestions.

We went to the Tillamook Cheese factory and the Naval Air Museum with children, ages 5 -13. The adults and kids enjoyed both places.
http://www.tillamookair.com/
http://tillamookcheese.com/VisitorsCenter/

Look for posts by kimamom, who has good information about Seaside, Astoria, and environs.

Astoria is worth a drive-thru visit, with a stop at the Astor Column. The teens will get a kick out of flying balsa-wood airplanes from the top. Do that on your way to/from Cape Disappointment State Park, just outside of Ilwaco, WA. Best view of the mouth of the Columbia River from the interpretive center there, not to mention a couple lighthouses and nice beaches.

You probably know about Ecola State Park north of Cannon Beach. Tidepools around the rocks at the south end of Indian Beach there are almost as good as those around Haystack Rock. Further south is Oswald West State Park and Short Sands Beach. Short Sands and Indian Beach are both popular with surfers if that's of interest.

I know there's a spa on the main drag (Broadway) in Seaside. At least one in Cannon Beach too. Sea Ranch Stables does horseback riding on Cannon Beach.

What's your reason for wanting to visit Tillamook?

Beachbum has some excellent ideas.

Another thing we enjoy at Cannon Beach is to rent the surrey bikes for along the beach. There are several places to do this, but we always rent from the one just a block from the Surfsand Resort, next to a minimart. It is $10 for 90 minutes, and great fun to bike along on the sand. The bikes are 3 wheeled, recumbant style.

Thank you for the suggestions. The tide pools sound great. My little one loved to explore them when we visited the west coast of vancouver island.

Thanks also for the stables information. My niece is mad about horses.

I put Tillamook on the list because, frankly, we like the cheese.
I also saw a recent post suggesting a stop at the Full Sail brewery north of where we will be. We like the beer too.

I also just ordered a book on photo opps for the Oregon coast. I take lots of pictures on vacation and would love to hear of any favorite photo spots or tips.

Well, ya know ya don't have to drive to Tillamook to find the cheese. And the self-guided tour is kinda cheesey. But at least the ice cream's good!

If you're serious enough to be on Cannon Beach at sunrise, it's hard to take a bad photo. A wide angle will come in handy. The north lighthouse at Cape Disappointment offers good possibilities too, though it'd be nice if they let you outside at the top. Another favorite spot of mine is Hug Point, where the old road is cut into the rock. That's best early morning, too, when the light is less intense.

The Maritime Museum in Astoria is wonderful..great exhibits some hands on for kids and adults. Great history about the fisherman, boats, coastguard etc...navigational stuff...great bookstore..we found great xmas presents there
Fort Stevens on the Oregon side of Columbia river great trails etc...bird snatuary with a blind that you can hide behind to take pictures..
Really suggest you look at the Oregon PArks site
www.oregonstateparks.org

HI there! There is a nice spa in Seaside called the Spa on Broadway. My husband had a nice massage there and my daughter enjoyed her facial. There is also a spa that I love in Astoria called the Columbia River Day Spa, in the old bank building. I had the BEST pedicure there and my son recently enjoyed a hot stone massage there, his girlfriend enjoyed the herbal wrap and her sister a pedicure. Very pretty place with reasonable prices.

Tillamook is a nice day trip, check out the Air Museum there. Last summer we drove down to Newport to the aquarium, that was a fun day trip. We also like to go to the wine country on day trips from Seaside. If you go to to Newport, check out the spa at Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach, we had a tour there last summer, it is gorgeous, I would love to spend an entire day there with a dinner at the restaurant next visit.

Fort Stevens State Park is worth checking out and Astoria is really cool with all of the history there. ***kim***

The 3 Capes Loop departing from Tillamook is one of our family's favorites. Mixed opinions around these parts, but it's a leisurely day trip we all enjoy.

We were at the Tillamook Cheese Factory in June, 2006 and they had improved their production so much that they were not working on weekends. I was disappointed, my husband would have enjoyed seeing all the action. They still have the cheese tasting downstairs but it really is fun to watch the packaging process so if you are there for a weekday go to Tillamook then if you can.

The Air Museum is interesting and the hangar is fascinating. Of course my husband appreciated it more than I did but I did enjoy it too.

Enjoy!

Sara

Hi, we recently spent several days in Oregon over Spring Break. Seaside has a new Japanese restaurant called Tora that is very good, it is located where Kalypso used to be, right under the spa on Broadway.

We also enjoyed time in Astoria, the Maritime Museum and Fort Clatsop were great fun, the fort is now entirely re-built and open to the public. Pier 39 in Astoria is a new addition, the Rogue Ale House was good for appetizers with gorgeous views from the dining room of the Columbia River.

We also enjoyed the drive over the Astor-Megler bridge to Seaview where we enjoyed a very nice meal at the Depot restaurant. ***kim***

kim, you are topping old threads in order to talk about your visit to Oregon, you really should just post your own Trip Report..more people will notice .. how was your week at the Coast? Did you get to see the sun at all, I know it was cold and rainy in Portland..

mark