Discovering Tillamook County

Cape-Ape Imports is more than a great place to buy mini-trucks and more; it’s located in a fabulous destination that features hundreds of vacation and travel opportunities all within close proximity to our store. Make Cape-Ape Imports your first stop, and then plan to take some time enjoying this remarkable area.

Located on the Oregon coast about an hour and a half west of Portland, Tillamook is home to a dizzying palette of outdoor recreation, adventure, indescribable beauty and travel opportunities too long to list.

A tour through the world famous Tillamook Cheese Factory (located right across the street from Cape-Ape) is a must-do side-trip and one of Oregon’s most popular attractions. Stretch your legs and go whale watching atop the tall overlook of Cape Lookout.  It’s a 4.8 mile hike that takes you through ancient forest and lands you 400 feet above the crashing waves of the Pacific. 20 minutes south to Pacific City surfers ply predictable curls throughout the year…this beach has become a haven for surfing enthusiasts from around the world. Dotted throughout the immediate area are a collection of state and county parks that deliver limitless outdoor opportunities.

How about mining for succulent Dungeness crab? It’s easy, and our friends at Netarts Bay or Garibaldi Marina have the boats and gear you’ll need to do it right. Tillamook’s the world capital for these tasty crustaceans.

Fishing is a year around pursuit in Tillamook.  From world-class salmon fishing on nearby rivers and in Tillamook and Nehalem Bay to coastal cutthroat trout that are thriving in our area streams, Tillamook is one of the nation’s premier fishing centers and regularly produces prized Chinook salmon that tip the scales past the 50 pound mark!  These storied rivers also offer another prize, steelhead, available from January through April and again through the summer months. In fact, you’ll find exceptional fishing in Tillamook every month of the year!

Just offshore there’s tuna, a broad sampling of bottomfish and tasty halibut.  If you prefer to stay inside, no problem, crabbing and clamming are always outstanding and the bay is home to hard fighting sturgeon and runs of salmon in the fall and again in the spring.

A maze of trails criss-cross the coast range and invite you into dense Douglas Fir forests that are perfect for mountain biking, hiking, and in some areas ATV access. 

The wildlife watching is off-the-charts!  Birders will revel in the dozens of local species that include rare puffins, bald eagles and a bounty of sea birds too long to list. It’s a common sight to see large Roosevelt elk herds in the hills from the road and with ample feed these majestic animals make frequent forays into lowland pastures fattening up for the rut then winter.

Through local rental operations you can prowl our waterways by paddle or outboard power.  Exploring the estuary habitat from a kayak is a special treat that shouldn’t be missed. Our beaches stretch for miles and unlike any other state in the country Oregon beaches are all open to the public…there are no private beaches along the coast. Thanks to annual volunteer beach clean-ups Oregon beaches are amazingly pristine.  You can walk for hours logging memories and miles along this uninterrupted shoreline.

Just south of Tillamook is the enchanting seaside town of Oceanside and just a few minutes south of Oceanside is Netarts.  The views at Oceanside are something special.  Rugged wave torn stacks jut out of the ocean as tall cliffs rise vertically from the sea. A trip into Roseanne’s Café will affirm that Oregon plays host to culinary genius in a typically understated style that’s casual but will captivate you from the first bite.  Get there early because Roseanne’s doesn’t take reservations.  There are lots of other food stops like Tillamook’s Farmerhouse Café in the Tillamook Cheese factory…a great stop for breakfast or lunch, La Tea Da Tea Room or the Blue Heron.

While you’re here you might want to stop by Tillamook’s Pioneer Museum, The Tillamook Naval Air Museum or the Garibaldi Museum just a few minutes north. Garibaldi is a quaint port town set against the dramatic backdrop of the coast range that climbs immediately from Tillamook Bay. Stop by the bakery for gourmet coffee and oven-fresh pastries as you stroll the waterfront and take in the thick Pacific salt air.

This is only a thumbnail of what you’ll find in Tillamook, an area teeming with possibilities and opportunities for all ages and senses.  We invite you to give us a call and direct you to our friends at the Tillamook Area Chamber of Commerce or Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association.  Tillamook’s waiting for you to discover!