Four Unique Thrills of N. Oregon Coast's Tillamook County: Video

Updated Periodically
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Manzanita, Oregon) - On the north Oregon coast, what is known as the Tillamook Coast encompasses a mesmerizing mass of forested land and rollicking beaches that are stuffed with surprises. The teensy, weensy villages of Neskowin, Pacific City, Tierra Del Mar, Netarts, Oceanside, Cape Meares, Tillamook, Bay City, Garibaldi, Barview, Wheeler, Nehalem and finally Manzanita make for more than ten little hotspots – and that’s not even counting the purely natural structures.

This area is crammed full of the often jaw-dropping. You can't fit it all onto one page, so here’s a quick overview of four major favorites – and some aspects of them you may not have known about. Click on the links for much deeper information.

Cape Kiwanda. The massive, soaring headland that is the headliner in the show known as Pacific City is a golden wonder, especially when sunset hits it just right. Of all the headlands on the Oregon coast, it’s probably the weakest, made of sandstone, and chunks of it are disappearing. It’s likely we’ll see at least a few more sizable changes in its look in the next few decades. Already, parts of what looked like an ape face has whittled away considerably in 20 years, and in another 20 it won’t be recognizable.

Back around 2010 a massive arch on its northwest tip fell down, changing that look. But it gained something unusual: the giant rocky chunks filled up an area between those rock islands at Kiwanda’s tip, and you could then get closer to that section and peek into what is essentially an oceanic canyon. That may not be around forever, either. The video shows this wild section as it looked in 2012. Hotels in Three Capes - Where to eat - Three Capes Maps and Virtual Tours

Oceanside. One of the most pleasant little secrets of the Three Capes area is the tiny, nondescript village of Oceanside. In the video you see the historically significant Three Arch Rocks: they were designated a wildlife refuge over 100 years ago by President Teddy Roosevelt – an ardent fan of Oceanside, even before it had the name.

The shadow in the foreground is the headland called Maxwell Point, through which is an awe-inspiring and slightly spooky tunnel. On the other side is a semi-secret beach with a host of wonders all its own, including a sizable sea cave at the end. Hotels in Three Capes - Where to eat - Three Capes Maps and Virtual Tours

Rockaway Beach. Skipping over Tillamook Bay and tiny but lovely places such as Bay City and Garibaldi, the video then lands you in atmospheric and rugged Rockaway Beach. The first clip is from the very northern end, about the Manhattan Beach area, where sturdy, steadfast Twin Rocks lies to the south (it’s barely visible in the fog at the very edge of the frame).

In the second scene you see the landmark much closer, and a vibrant, fiery sunset slowly burns its way through thick clouds and out of sight. There’s much to this town, with seven miles of beaches and a host of charming little shops and restaurants that appeal to all ages.

Hotels in Rockaway Beach - Where to eat - Rockaway Beach Maps and Virtual Tours

Manzanita. At the very northern edges of the Tillamook Coast sits the hypnotizing and engaging town of Manzanita, a tiny place packed with many layers. The beaches are, of course, ripping good fun, and that colorful sunset with floating mists are just an example of what is often found there. One of its major highlights is that overlook at the midway point of Neahkahnie Mountain, where you can look down on all the forested charm of the north Oregon coast town and take in more astounding sunset colors.

It’s a place as well known for its natural features as it is fine dining and a rather hopping nightlife – such as the historic San Dune Pub (127 Laneda Ave., Manzanita, Oregon. 503-368-5080. www.sandunepub.com) or the culinary pleasures of MacGregor’s: A Whiskey Bar (387 Laneda Avenue. 503-368-2447. Website here. ). Hotels in Manzanita, Wheeler - Where to eat - Manzanita, Wheeler Maps and Virtual Tours

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