Located On the Oregon Coast just a few miles North of Pacific City and Cape Kiwanda is the Sand Lake Recreation Area. It covers over 1,076 acres of open sand dunes, surrounded by forests and along side the Pacific Ocean. The Sand Lake Recreation Area offers a variety of recreational opportunities and is a destination for fun seekers. One of the most popular activities in the Sand Lake Recreation Area is Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) riding in the many miles of sand dunes. People come from all over the Northwest to explore and ride these awesome dunes. There are also year round campgrounds and a day use area. The nearby Sand Lake Estuary is a great place for swimming, fishing, crabbing, kayaking, hiking and wildlife viewing. This 900 acre estuary is home to many species of water fowl and access is available at Fisherman’s Day Use area near the Sandbeach OHV Campground. The Sandbeach Campground features 101 campsites for tents and RV’s. Though, there are no RV Hookups, the Parking aprons are paved, and the campground perks include drinking water, flush toilets, campfire rings and an off-road vehicle loading ramp. There are also two adjacent campgrounds, East Dunes and West Winds, which offer an additional 71 campsites.
Located 11 miles North of the dunes and campground is the town of Tillamook. Tillamook is home to The Tillamook Cheese Factory which is a cheese (or ice cream) lover’s dream! Awarded for producing the “World’s Best Medium Cheddar”, guests from all over the world arrive to learn more about the Tillamook Cheese Factory. The free, interactive, self-guided tour answers all creamery related questions while giving guests a behind the scenes peak at how their famous cheese is packaged and produced. After the tour, visitors can enjoy a free sampling of various cheeses to determine their favorites. Buy plenty of cheese and treats to take home from the store, stop by the ice-cream counter and choose from an array of Tillamook ice-cream flavors, (We reccommend Grandma’s Cake Batter) and indulge in a scoop or two, or grab lunch at the Creamery Cafe. Don’t forget to pick up a treat for the road at the Fudge Counter, where visitors can choose from 30 different flavors of old-fashioned fudge made with rich Tillamook butter. The Tillamook Cheese Factory is open year round and is fun for all ages. With beautiful summer days still ahead, now is the perfect time to come and play at the Oregon Coast!
