Oregon Coast - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 595

( 503-368-5154, 800-452-5687; www.oregonstateparks.org ; 9500 Sandpiper Lane; campsites/
yurts $24/36; ) On the dunes of Nehalem Spit, 3 miles south of Manzanita off US 101,
this big campground has showers, equestrian facilities, a boat ramp and even an airstrip.

Old Wheeler Hotel HOTEL$$$
( 877-653-4683; www.oldwheelerhotel.com ; 495 Hwy 101; d $99-160; ) This lovely his-
toric hotel, with views of Nehalem Bay, is located 4 miles south of Manzanita in Wheel-
er. The eight rooms are classically styled and decorated with antiques, and some have a
Jacuzzi. There's a two-room suite, a couple of pleasant common areas and continental
breakfast is included.

Rising Star Cafe CAFE$$$
( 503-368-3990; www.risingstarcafe.com ; 92 Rorvik St; mains $14-24; noon-3pm & 5-8pm
Wed, Thu & Sat, 5-8pm Fri, 10am-3pm Sun) Just a handful of tables sit in this fine restaurant,
which looks more like a greasy-spoon shack. The exquisitely prepared dishes will soon
set you straight, however, making it hard to choose between the North Coast cioppino
(fish stew) with roasted vegetables, halibut and shrimp Française in a citrus beurre blanc
and slow-roasted pumpkin risotto. If you're here on Sunday, don't miss the brunch.

Nehalem River Inn NORTHWESTERN$$$

$$$
( 503-368-7708; www.nehalemriverinn.com ; 34910 Hwy 53; mains $16-32; 5:30-9pm Thu-
Sat, 9am-2pm Sun) Located between Nehalem and Wheeler, 1.3 miles up Hwy 53
from Hwy 101, lies this highly regarded farm-to-table restaurant. Mostly organic and
very local ingredients are used to create homey yet complex dishes like roasted bone
marrow, Gruyère mac 'n' cheese and cinder-brined pork porterhouse. Leave room for
dessert - chocolate pot de crème is often on the menu.

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Tillamook
POP 5000
Best known for its huge cheese industry, Tillamook is a nondescript town that's worth a
brief stop to down some dairy. Cheese production began in Tillamook in the 1890s, when
an English cheesemaker brought his cheddar-making techniques to the fledgling dairies
along Tillamook Bay. Nearly a million people stop here annually to visit the famed Til-
lamook Cheese Factory, which produces 167,000 pounds of cheese every day.