Nature Enthusiasts Flock To An Underrated Oregon Town With The World's Best Cheddar Cheese

Listen up cheeseterians, this one is for you. Located just one and a half hours west of popular Portland, Oregon, lies a small town packed with flavor — cheddar flavor that is. And okay, there are more things to do in this town than just sit and eat cheese (aka nature lovers can rejoice in knowing that there are plenty of activities for them, too), but the main focus should be on that creamy, delectable fermented product people have been chowing down on since the discovery of milk. In Oregon, Tillamook is the place to go for all your cheddar-y dreams to come true. 

For those who don't love cheddar (gasp), The Tillamook County Creamery Association (which you can visit during your cheese-centric vacation) also makes butter, yogurt, and ice cream. It even won an award at the World Cheese Awards in Portugal for its Tillamook's Maker's Reserve 2014 Extra Sharp White Cheddar (try saying that 10 times fast). If that's not enough to have you hopping on a plane, the scenery in the area is also to die for. Located mere miles from the Oregon coast, Tillamook lets you hike off your cheese coma at one of the many nearby trails or grab a kayak and paddle down one of three local rivers, Tillamook, Trask, and Wilson, that intersect in Tillamook. With plenty to see, do, and eat, Tillamook makes a great weekend trip for cheese lovers. 

Tillamook Creamery is one of the top attractions visitors flock to in Tillamook. Here, tourists can view the process behind how the company's delicious cheddar is made before trying some for themselves. The creamery offers options for guided and self-guided tours of the facility. It also provides guests access to its dining hall, wherein they can try some delectable Tillamook ice cream or lunch items like mac and cheese, fried cheese curds, or a double cheddar grilled cheese sandwich. On the way out, visitors can stop by the gift shop for tons of dairy-themed goodies like cookbooks, souvenirs, and of course, cheese.

Sticking with the theme of food-related activities, the Oregon coast is also well known for its bustling crabbing and clamming industry. Visitors can partake in a day out on Tillamook, Nehalem, or Netarts Bay, all of which have marinas that sell bait and rent boats and equipment. At low tide, have fun raking for clams along the Netarts Bay shore. Fall through winter are the best times of year to try your hand at catching some delicious (and expensive) Dungeness crab. It is legal to catch them year-round off jetties, piers, beaches, and tide pools; however, if you decide to go crabbing in the ocean, you need to make sure to have the appropriate license. 

As promised, nature lovers, there are a plethora of activities for you to partake in as well. Driving along Highway 6 up to Tillamook, take a detour over to the Tillamook Forest Center, a 13,500-square-foot learning center and outdoor classroom built to provide visitors with a deeper connection to and understanding of Oregon's forests through hands-on programs. There are also beautiful tree-covered trails that nature lovers can walk along to be one with the outdoors. 

The great thing about the Pacific Northwest coastline is that it has some fantastic viewpoints and hikes. Cape Lookout State Park is a fabulous spot for those seeking cliffside vistas, and visitors can hike to the cape's tip along marked trails or alongside the bluffs. For whale-watching enthusiasts, the Cape Lookout Main Trail weaves its way through lush forests to the end of the Cape Lookout, where visitors have perfect views of both Cape Meares and Cape Kiwanda, areas where gray whales can be seen migrating from December to April. At nearby Cape Meares, visitors can enjoy a short hike to take a tour of the 1800s Cape Meares Lighthouse.

Drive 15 miles north to Kilchis Point Reserve, another great spot for wilderness hikes alongside Tillamook Bay. Visitors can walk along three different interpretive trails that share information about local plants and animals, Native American history, and early pioneer life. Heading 28 miles north of Tillamook, visitors can find a beautiful 3-mile trail along the Neahkahnie Mountain Trail that leads hikers from Neahkahnie Mountain to a lovely view of Tillamook Bay. Some other honorable mentions for great hiking are Bayocean Spit, Kings Mountain Trailhead, Whalen Island, and Oswald West State Park.