30 VISITTHEOREGONCOAST.COM NORTH COAST FOOD TRAIL There’s a reason food lovers flock to the North Oregon Coast. Cheese, for example, is practically a way of life in this area. You can see how it’s made on a tour of the Tillamook Creamery, or visit the nearby Blue Heron French Cheese Company for a wide selection of flavorful snacks. These nibbles pair nicely with a visit to a brewery for an afternoon pint. Pelican Brewing Company and Public Coast Brewing can both be found in Cannon Beach, de Garde Brewing is in Tillamook, and Fort George Brewery sits right up the road in Astoria. During your stay in Seaside, start your day off right with an Ocean Vista breakfast hash from Osprey Café; mornings in Astoria aren’t complete without a pastry from Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe. Seafood enthusiasts also have some great restaurants to choose from. For inventive takes on local fish and Dungeness crab, check out the menus at South Bay Wild Fish House in Astoria, the Offshore Grill in Manzanita, Bell Buoy in Seaside and The Schooner Restaurant & Lounge in Netarts — which also serves fresh oysters from the bay it overlooks. If you’re visiting when the regional markets are taking place, meet the makers and enjoy their handmade or farm-grown products. You’ll find intimate stalls and great conversations at the Pacific City Farmers Market, Neskowin Farmers Market and Seaside Farmers Market. Find out more at NorthCoastFoodTrail.com. COURTESY OF PELICAN BREWING COMPANY Pelican Brewing Company vibe in a soaring modern dining room overlooking the ocean. Swing in early for oysters and a glass of Oregon chardonnay, then stick around for a rib-eye steak or Wagyu burger. CASUAL BITES Mornings in Astoria aren’t complete without a pastry from Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe. For lunch head to South Bay Wild Fish House. The owners have a commercial-fishing vessel, which means the specials often spotlight the freshest catch. If there’s lingcod on the menu, don’t miss it. Building on its success with two popular restaurants in Portland, Pho Mekha serves up steamy, herbmounded bowls of pho and other Vietnamese soups and rice plates. For a classic pub meal, head to the Portway Tavern for brews and burgers in a 100-year-old bar. Did you know the corn dog is an Oregon invention? Taste the original Pronto Pup in Rockaway Beach (there’s also an outpost in Seaside). Munch on crab cakes, fried oysters and chowder at the no-frills Old Oregon Smokehouse in Rockaway Beach. A stop at the Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook is a must for dairy lovers of all sorts. After watching an assembly line packaging cheddar on the factory floor, dig into creamy mac and cheese or an oozy grilled cheese sandwich. Before you leave, hit the on-site cheese shop for fresh curds. Nearby, continue your cheesy adventures at Blue Heron French Cheese Company, which serves samples of its signature Brie as well as smoked gouda and other artisan cheeses; and Nestucca Bay Creamery in Cloverdale, a fifth- generation, family-owned artisan cheese factory and store. Fish and chips are everywhere on the Oregon Coast, but the Riverside Fish n’ Chips cart in Nehalem is a standout for its perfectly crispy batter and cozy covered seating. There are a couple of important choices to make: cod or halibut? Paired with classic fries or tucked into tortillas for Baja-style fish tacos? CHEERS! Grab a pre-dinner cocktail at the candlelit Blaylock’s Whiskey Bar in Astoria — which has a collection of hundreds of spirits — or sail away with a tropical cocktail at the piratethemed Dead Man’s Isle. For more tiki fun, try Castaways in Cannon Beach, which serves up global fusion cuisine. Cozy up to one of several bars at Fort George Brewery + Public House for a pint of deep, dark stout. It’s one of 12 breweries and taprooms along the North Coast Craft Beer Trail, along with Sisu Beer in Seaside, McMenamins Sand Trap Pub in Gearhart, Pelican Brewing Company and Public Coast Brewing Company in Cannon Beach, and many others. Get your mobile passport on the app store, and once you’ve visited at least 10 stops, you’ll get a souvenir pint glass. Wine lovers are in luck too. Sample regional wines — including a wide range of Oregon pinot noirs — at Brut Wine Bar in Astoria and The Wine Shack in Cannon Beach. In Pacific City, enjoy friendly company and house wines made in McMinnville at Twist Wine Company’s tasting room near the beach. OUTDOORS CYCLING Hop in the saddle and explore the North Coast on forested mountain bike trails, quiet city streets and even the region’s miles-long stretches of sand. Roughly 12 miles (19.3 km) of trails sprawl out from Klootchy Creek County Park near Seaside. One of the Coast’s newest mountain-bike- specific trail networks heads through a forest of thigh-high ferns, centuries- old Douglas fir trees and stately groves of Sitka spruce. Looking to travel on gravel? Depart from Cannon Beach on the 31-mile (50-km) Terrible Tilly route, which offers a mix of old-growth forests and sweeping ocean views. Across the North Coast, hop aboard vintage cruisers for moseying
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