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Hey ladies! In need of a girls’ weekend getaway? Planning a low-key bachelorette trip with your girlfriends? Whether you live in Oregon or not, a weekend getaway to the Oregon Coast is a wonderful way to get away with your girls!
In my case, it was for a bachelorette weekend for one of my childhood friends growing up in Hawaii. This was my very first proper bachelorette getaway so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I usually prefer low-key experiences (such as those where I can go to bed at a reasonable hour like the old lady I feel I am) – and thankfully that’s exactly what this was!
I didn’t exactly plan this trip myself, so I can’t take all of the credit for such a fun weekend (shout out to Erin for her excellent planning skills – the lovely gal you’ll see below wearing glasses). But, I did live the adventure and I thought it was such a perfect itinerary, I wanted to share it with you all.
- Where: Tillamook and Cape Meares, Oregon
- When: Mid-summer (July)
- Trip Length: Three Days/Two Nights
Day 1: Portland to the Coast
- Fly into PDX airport (if you don’t live in the area)
- Stock up on groceries for the weekend (recommend Trader Joe’s in Beaverton)
- Wine Tasting at Apolloni Vineyards
- Tillamook Creamery – Self-guided tour and lunch
- Check into beach house at Cape Meares
- Enjoy the sunset with appetizers, wine and hot tubbing!
Arrive in Portland
Oregon – hello again, my dear friend! I flew into Portland from the Bay Area in California via Southwest Air (you can also easily fly into PDX via Alaska Airlines as well, but Southwest had the best pricing and flight schedules).
One of the girls picked me up and we headed to Trader Joe’s to stock up on supplies for the weekend. I volunteered to cook dinner one night and we also had to get some wine and bubbly. It’s only fitting for a bach weekend, right?
*If you aren’t from the area or meeting up with someone who lives in the area, you’ll need to rent a car at this point. Driving in Oregon is a breeze!
Wine Tasting at Apolloni Vineyards
We kicked off the bachelorette weekend right where we should – at a beautiful winery in Forest Grove to do some wine tasting. Arrangements were made with the bride-to-be and all the ladies to meet up at Apolloni Vineyards as it was on the way out to the coast (and it was also one of the few wineries that was open on a Friday afternoon).
The wines were great and it was a good opportunity for us to loosen up and chat to get to know one another. We were off to a great start!
Tillamook Creamery & Cheese Factory
From the winery, we drove for about an hour to get to our next destination – the Tillamook Creamery & Cheese Factory! If you can keep your appetite at bay, I would suggest doing the self-guided tour first, passing through rooms filled with fun facts and cheese samples, and giant windows that open up to the factory so you can see the cheese-making magic in progress.
For lunch, you can fulfill all your cheesy desires at the café onsite at The Creamery (I’m talking grilled cheese, mac and cheese, and pizzas!). We all opted for some variation of mac and cheese and split a couple orders of their tempura battered cheese curds (served with a Sriracha ranch dipping sauce). The curds are a must-get!
For my mac, I went with the spicy buffalo, prepared with smoked medium cheddar and hot habanero jack cheeses, and topped with jalapeno kettle chips for crunch. I do think the chips made the dish a little bit on the salty side – but I just washed all that salt down with a refreshing cider.
The portion sizes are also pretty big, which is great because you can heat up your leftovers for some late night snacking later!
Last, but certainly not least, we had to end our time at the Tillamook Creamery with some of their delicious ice cream. Tillamook is one of my favorite ice cream brands – incredibly creamy and full of flavor!
The Creamery has seasonal flavors to try that you can’t find elsewhere, or you can choose from a huge selection of their standard flavors (and yes, you can try samples of them to see what you like best). I went with the blood orange cream and I’m still dreaming about it!
Checking into the Beach House
Our final destination for the day, of course, was our beach house for the weekend! Erin gave us three options to choose from, and we all agreed upon this lovely three-story home in Cape Meares that sleeps eight very comfortably.
To view more pics or book this beach house yourself, visit their listing on VRBO here: 3 Bedroom at Cape Meares
The views from the third story of the home were everything you’d expect from a beach house (sunsets were just as magical), and the house is only a few-minutes’ walk to the beach.
We settled into our new home for the evening and had some finger foods and a bit of wine, enjoyed the hot tub, and admired the beautiful sunset. Such a perfect first day!
Day 2: Explore Tillamook
- Breakfast at the beach house
- Beer tasting in Tillamook at Pelican Brewing & de Garde Brewing
- Stock up on necessities while in town (Safeway)
- Afternoon walk on the beach (good time for photo ops)
- Taco night at the beach house
- Wine and 90’s dance party (my favorite part!)
Breakfast at the Beach House
Ladies – if you’re planning on going out to the breweries in Tillamook, breakfast first is a must. We had a community breakfast of veggie scrambled eggs, veggie and non-veggie sausage, and fresh fruit.
One of the great things about a group vacation are all the helping hands in the kitchen that make meals like this come together quickly and deliciously! Props to our girl Heather for spearheading this meal (and for putting lime juice on the berries. Who knew that was a tasty thing?!).
Head into Tillamook for Brewery Hopping
If you want to get out and see nearby Tillamook a little bit and really embrace that bachelorette culture, there are a few breweries in town that will make all those dreams come true.
First up was Pelican Brewing, where we had some snacks (hummus and veggies and a delicious crab dip with chips), and some beers of course! I went with the big sampler…because heck…I was not the DD on this adventure. We also had beautiful weather that day, which made it perfect to sit out on the patio and enjoy good company.
Pelican Brewing | 1708 1st St, Tillamook, OR 97141
Next up, we headed over to de Garde Brewing for another round of beers! Because you can’t just stop at one place when you’re out adventuring…
Erin had wonderful “Bride’s Crew” shirts made for us all to wear (totally goes with the beach theme) and cocktail-themed sunglasses for us to sport around town. Don’t worry though, we weren’t obnoxious in the slightest. We’re probably the most low key bachelorette group that has ever come through town!
De Garde had some interesting beers on tap – most notably, a lot of saisons, which I don’t typically like but found them to be delicious here. Definitely recommend making this a stop on your itinerary!
de Garde Brewing | 114 Ivy Ave, Tillamook, OR 97141
Afternoon Walk on the Beach
After our beer adventures in Tillamook, we stopped at Safeway for some more foodie ingredients (ice cream and cake for dessert, and breakfast items for the next day). We headed back to Cape Meares to enjoy the rest of the afternoon, walking along the beach and taking photos to remember this fabulous weekend by.
Taco Night & a Dance Party
I volunteered to cook dinner that night and thought tacos were the perfect (and easiest thing) to do for a group of people. We went with a vegetarian-friendly theme and I made my soyrizo and tofu scramble with black beans, and also my version of calabacitas with red bell peppers, zucchini and black beans.
It was a success! And it better be, because if you don’t love tacos, well…you can just get out of my kitchen right now…
Tacos aside, the best part about the evening was enjoying another beautiful sunset (someone was even lighting off fireworks at the beach), and playing games before kicking of a 90’s dance party in the kitchen. It was fantastic.
Day 3: Soak up the Sun & Head Home
- Breakfast at the beach house
- Morning walk on the beach
- Say your goodbyes and head home!
Avo toast for brekkie
Morning came and we were sad that our time at the beach house was coming to an end. But breakfast came first (thanks to Taraneh for these delicious avocado toasts with lemon ricotta).
And then it was time to say goodbye.
I really loved this weekend getaway with all these girls – none of whom I had met before this trip! It got me out of my comfort zone and I walked away with some great new friends.
Also, the Oregon Coast is just such a picturesque destination, and really is the perfect place to spend a relaxing weekend away from home.
What to Pack for a Beach Getaway
Coastal weather can be a little unpredictable – even in the summer! In July, we had pretty mild temps. I was able to wear shorts and a t-shirt (with a light sweater for shady areas) during the day, but definitely wanted a little something warmer for the evenings. Ideally, you’ll want to dress in layers to be comfortable for any type of weather.
Here are a few other travel items you might want to consider too!
- Silicone travel bottles for shampoo/conditioner, etc.
- Travel-sized toothpaste
- Packing cubes
- Blowfish women’s granola sandals – perfect for a beachy getaway
- Sunbum sunscreen (if you plan on being out in the sun long)
Cape Meares Cell Service
I have Verizon as my cell carrier and cell service was pretty much non-existent once we left the winery in Forest Grove. Thankfully, the beach house had great WiFi – but just be aware!
I hope this post gave you some ideas in planning your very own girls’ weekend getaway to the Oregon Coast! Have you ever been to any of the destinations in this itinerary?
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