We cannot say enough about Blue Heron French Cheese Company in Tillamook! Us moms AND the kids preferred it to Tillamook Cheese because it’s not as crowded and is such a great place for families to hang out. My little guy LOVED “driving” the antique tractors. Many people were picnicking with their families or feeding the penned animals. We bought some Pepper Brie and crackers to eat with our fresh fruit and a good meal was had by all.

Free cheese and wine tastings.

The Tillamook Visitor’s Center is free to walk through. We bought a package of “squeaky cheese” (cheese curds) to-go for the pure entertainment value.

Tip: Skip the free cheese tasting lines if they’re too long and entice your kids upstairs for a view of the assembly line and buy everybody an ice cream cone at the counter up there.

Mo’s Chowder is not only an icon in Historic Bayfront Newport, it also has the best clam chowder I have ever eaten. The kids slurped it down as fast as the adults.  We ate at “The Annex” because there’s more room and it’s not as hard to find a table as the original Mo’s up the street. Plus, Mo’s Annex has a great view of the bay and you can go watch the sea lions lounging on the dock.

Rain or shine, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is a good choice because it’s got amazing indoor displays. Some of our faves were:

• The touching tanks where we got to pet stingrays and starfish
• The Passages of the Deep Tunnel where fish and sharks swim over, under, and around you
• The ODDWATER exhibit where beautiful, elaborate glass sculptures were placed in tanks with “weird” sea creatures

Note: Admission’s expensive, but worth it if you plan to spend a day of it. There’s also a picnic area in the south parking area if you want to pack a lunch.

Free for kids 0-2!

Yaquina Head Natural Area equals fun, fun, fun! The spectacular interpretive center keeps kids busy with hands-on activities like coloring and the all-important skill of hula-hooping. Okay, we’ll admit it. The moms really liked the hula hoops, too. There’s trails to walk and a rocky beach to comb and a lighthouse to climb. Pack a picnic lunch, watch for whales in the bay, and spend the whole day exploring.

Click here for rates and hours.

Cozy Cabin Cafe was a nice, comfy spot to get some good home cookin’ and friendly service. Conveniently located on the drive from Mount Hood to Portland.

The Oregon Coast offers breathtakingly beautiful views. We stayed in a yurt at Beverly Beach and enjoyed the prehistoric/rainforest feel of the regional plants (which were taller than our children). The kids also spotted a slug near our camp site and explored the beach every day.

Ethiopian food provides such a thrill for the senses. There’s something about lapping saucy dishes up with flat bread that makes ya feel so satisfied. Our kids liked the fare, too, so always try new cuisines for the sheer adventure of it.

Click here to read more about Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant.

Fun doughnuts with fun names and fun flavors like maple topping with actual bacon slices. We got a pink/blue one and an orange one with marshmallows, ordered it to-go, and headed to the International Rose Test Garden for some scenery with our fried dough.

Check out the good eats at Voodoo Doughnuts!

At the OMSI, our kids got to: unload and distribute toy shipping containers, learn about babies in utero, become newscasters, and design and test paper airplanes. Plan to spend at least a half day here as there’s plenty to do. Click here for prices and hours.

Note: Closed Mondays.