Waking up to the sound of the ocean will always be a bright start to the day, even when it's rainy and overcast. After taking our time to get to Cannon Beach from Portland (check out the details here), we woke up ready to explore the coast. And every good adventure starts with breakfast! We spent the morning walking down Cannon Beach and stumbled across a local coffee shop, Bald Eagle Coffee House. It was obviously a local treasure, as neighbors came and went with their coffee, even helping the owner behind the counter. He was so helpful in guiding us to choose the right beverage and pastry. He makes the scones himself every morning, and I had to try an Oregon specialty, marionberry. Marionberries are grown exclusively in Oregon and are known as the "king of blackberries." So delicious! Well fed and warmed by our fireplace, we were off on the road again.
Hug Point Trail
So I eluded to the misadventures of our rented Prius in my last post, but they were true to form today. The car would maybe reach top speeds of 55 miles per hour, and that was with my foot on the pedal all the way to the floor. Thank goodness Oregon's speed limits are much slower than I'm used to because we were moving at a snail's pace. Not only that, but getting up a hill was a nightmare. We basically would cheer the car on like the little engine that could and hope we had enough runway to get up the hill. "Come on baby Prius! You can do it!" This became particularly entertaining on the coast because almost every parking lot is off the highway and down a hill. We basically had to gauge if the stop was worth it before we even knew where we were going, praying we didn't pick too steep of a hill that we would never be able to escape. Ah, the joys of renting a Prius.
Our first stop was only a 10 minute drive south from our hotel. Hug Point Trail is a 0.7 mile out-and-back trail that only takes about 15 minutes to complete if you rush it. You won't want to rush this stop though. From the beautiful waterfalls to the small caves, there was so much to see. There was even a group of children who appeared to be taking classes to learn how to be pirates.... costumes, swords, and all! The hike is easy, but I would recommend bringing shoes you don't mind getting wet, even if it's not pouring rain.
Tillamook Creamery
About 45 minutes south of Hug Point Trail, we arrived at the Tillamook Creamery. I know, I know... what is a vegan doing at a creamery? Fun fact - even though I can't eat the products, it doesn't mean watching food being made is not fascinating! In college, I spent many years studying food and agricultural policies, and watching how food was made. From vineyards and breweries, to creameries and smoke houses, the production of food is incredible! That being said, if you don't care about watching food be made, my friend loved the cheese too.
Tillamook is an Oregon staple, and their creamery offers self-guided tours. It's like a cheese museum! The building looks like a modern barn, with the giant face of a cow greeting you. Once you enter, a staircase takes you to the cheese tastings and the observation deck. You can't miss it! It looks like loaves of cheddar are flying over your head. At the top of the stairs, there is a farm exhibit to learn about how the cows are raised and cared for while you taste different cheese slices. The upstairs also includes the observation deck, where you watch every step of how the cheese is made before it's aged for 3 to 5 years.
Downstairs, you can pick up some cheese swag and other local products in the gift shop. There is also a massive dining hall where you can order the Tillamook products like ice cream or grilled cheese. My friend went for fried cheese curds.
Okay, now I'm hungry and I couldn't eat anything! About a mile south from the Tillamook Creamery, Recess is a small food truck parked to the side of the road near a little park. This is the perfect place to find a great, healthy food option while you're on the road. And if your vegan, this is a treat! They addressed my allergies and preferences so kindly. The food was delicious! I had a a BBQ Black Bean Wrap with tater tots.
Devils' Punchbowl
After about 1.5 hours of amazing viewpoint stops and highway road high above the ocean, we pulled off to see Devil's Punchbowl. This massive hole carved out of the rock along the ocean is 75 feet in diameter. We were there during a storm and high tide, so the ocean water rushed into the opening, creating foamy waves along its edge. While you can hike down to be closer, you get a great view from the parking lot area as well. We opted for staying near the car to avoid getting even more soaking wet then we already were from the rain.
Ultralife - Newport
Number 1 Rule of Road Trips - Always make sure you have enough food. No one wants a cranky driver!
This is particularly important when you're vegan and have limited road trip options. We stumbled across Ultralife in Newport and I was so excited! Not only did they have homemade vegan pop-tarts, but also a vegan breakfast sandwich. To round it all out and keep me from freezing, something called a northwest fog latte - an earl grey latte with lavender. It was right up the road from the beach, so the views weren't bad either. A nice time to stretch our legs and fill our bellies.
Hallmark Resort - Newport
We ended the day at the sister hotel of our first night's stay, the Hallmark Resort Newport. Similarly to it's sister hotel in Cannon Beach, this hotel was right on the water with easy beach access. It also had a small gym and indoor pool. Although our room was smaller, it still had a fireplace to dry our clothes near and a balcony that overlooked the water. After a cold, rainy day, we settled in to read our books, listen to the ocean, and enjoy some room service. Our total trip was about 2.5 hours of driving. The adventure continues with the vineyards tomorrow.
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