From the tiny town of Seaside, the end point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, to the cranberry bogs of the southern coast, with plenty of lighthouses and sand dunes in between, there truly is something for every visitor to the Oregon coast. To help our readers make it a perfect day on the coast, we spoke with Nan Devlin, Director of Visit Tillamook, to get a few tips on preparing for your trip. Nan is lucky enough to have accumulated a lifetime of experiences here, but her current specialty is Tillamook County, the 70 or so miles from Manzanita in the north to Neskowin in the south. In Tillamook County you can find several coastal towns, each with their own unique personality, as well as access to gorgeous public parks. Here is also where you’ll find iconic Haystack Rock, the Tillamook Creamery, and thousands of gray whales passing through on their way to warmer climes each winter.
Here’s what we asked Nan:
1. What book could you recommend that would fill visitors with the spirit of the northern Oregon Coast for their trip?
This is a tough one because not much has been written about this area, other than Astoria by Peter Stark. However, there is a terrific non-fiction book called The Next Tsunami by Bonnie Henderson that reads like a mystery novel. It’s about how scientists discovered the Cascadia Subduction Zone in the Pacific Ocean and much of the scientific discoveries were made from Seaside to Netarts Bay. Also, we published 25 Hikes on the Tillamook Coast, and it’s written like a love letter to the trails here.
2. What is a unique souvenir and why is it special?
Jacobsen Salt products
Tillamook Cheese
Pelican Brewing beer
Tillamook Country Smoker meats or https://www.wernerjerky.com/Werner meats (both make great jerky)
Fresh seafood – all are sourced/harvested here
**Tillamook Coast is also working in partnership with several businesses along the northern Oregon coast to put together a Food, Farm, Fish and Forage Trail that will debut in mid-April, so make sure to keep an eye on their website!
3. In your opinion, what is the perfect winter day?
A walk in the forest or a nature reserve in the morning, a walk on the beach in the afternoon and a great bowl of chowder in the evening.
4. What would be your anniversary restaurant on the northern Oregon Coast?
Meridian at the new Headlands Hotel in Pacific City – or drinks and a light meal at MacGregor’s Manzanita.
Now go enjoy your time on Oregon’s beautiful coastline!
**Edited for additional detail.
