Florence, Oregon
November 6-7, 2009
Located along the coastal Highway 101, Florence, Oregon is a scenic and recreational paradise. There is a lot to see and do here and we narrowed down our list to visiting the Heceta Lighthouse, touring the Tilamook Cheese Factory, and to viewing the Sea Lion Caves.
Our Accommodations - Carl G. Washburne State Park
The Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park was located across from Highway 101 buffered with natural trees and plants to provide a quiet retreat. It has provided walking paths for access to local beaches and other trails to various lookout points.
Heceta Lighthouse
The Heceta lighthouse on the Oregon coast is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world. We did the 2 hour loop from our campground to the lighthouse and the trail was really beautiful. You can also do a free tour to the top of the lighthouse.
Tilamook Cheese Factory
If you like cheese, this is a great stop. Tilamook Cheese has been in operation since 1909 and the word "Tilamook" is a native american word meaning "land of many waters". There are actually more cows than people in the Tilamook region and they've been producing the recipe since they opened!
Sea Lion Caves
It was another rainy day but we braved it anyway. The famous Sea Lion Caves are one of the largest in the world. Every year, hundreds of sea lions use the caves as shelter and rest areas. At the time we were there, most of the sea lions were out in the surf because the caves were too rough to get into. But, we did get a quick glimpse of 3 sea lions who were curious and came into the caves anyway.