UPDATED DECEMBER 27, 2025
Meet us on the North Oregon Coast! We live and work in the Nehalem Valley, central to the “tri-villages” area of Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler:
Manzanita is an artistic little beach town. It has a walkable Main Street separate from Highway 101 with restaurants and boutiques that ends on a 7-mile beach connecting to Nehalem Bay State Park.
Nehalem is a vibrant little town on the Nehalem River with a boat launch, creative small businesses, and locally-famous food carts.
Wheeler has sweeping views of the Nehalem Bay with waterside restaurants, thrift shops, and a railroad station for railriders and trains. (Fun fact: Wheeler is named for the same family as former Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler!)
As makers of Oregon leather goods and full-time residents of Tillamook County, we've listed some of our favorite places to do, eat, and stay for visitors coming to our area of the North Oregon Coast, which was honored by the BBC as one of the Top 20 Places to Travel in 2026.
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Getting Here and Around
Regrettably, the easiest way to get around the North Oregon Coast is still to drive a car. The railroads that brought tourists here at the beginning of the 20th century fell into disrepair. But new efforts are being made and there are growing alternatives, as Oregon became the first US State verified for accessibility.
Bike
Learn more about biking across the Coastal Range from the Willamette Valley and Portland in our article on Oregon Coast bike routes:
Bus
Year-round the NW Connector provides bus service from Portland to Tillamook, connecting with bus lines that go up the North Coast to Astoria:
During the summer, check out the North Coast Express with service directly north towards Astoria and south to Tillamook with express stops in Rockaway Beach and Cannon Beach:
North Coast Express Bus Service >>>
Accessibility and Beach Wheelchairs
Did you know that Oregon was the first US State to be verified for accessibility by Wheel the World? There are free beach wheelchairs available in Manzanita and an accessibility guide and resources from Visit Tillamook Coast.
Things to Do
Bike
Check out our article on Oregon Coast bike routes and events!
- Road routes and Oregon Scenic Bikeways
- Organized rides like Reach the Beach
- Beach bike rentals
- Railriding on the train tracks
Hike
- Neahkahnie Mountain South Trailhead: sweeping views of the Nehalem peninsula (3 miles, steep uphill)
- Nehalem Spit Loop at the Nehalem Bay State Park: a loop around the Nehalem Bay forest, jetty, and beach (5.2 miles, flat but variable terrain)
- Rockaway Beach Big Tree Trail: boardwalk trail to an old growth cedar tree (1.1 miles, easy)
- Soapstone Lake Loop: a lovely inland wooded walk around a small lake (3.2 miles, easy)
- Saddle Mountain: epic views from the Pacific to Mt. Hood on a clear day on a Coastal Range mountain peak (5.2 miles, uphill)
- More hikes: Northwest Coast Trails Coalition
Beaches
- Manzanita Beach: free beach wheelchairs available for those with limited mobility from the Manzanita Visitors Center
- Nehalem Bay State Park
- Hug Point
- Oswald West
Other Things to Do
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Art galleries, boutiques: downtown Manzanita, Wheeler, and Nehalem.
- (Bonus: check out Revival in Nehalem for a selection of Walnut Studiolo products while you wait for chowder, ice cream, fish & chips, or donuts next door!)
- Boating - canoe, kayak, SUP rentals: Wheeler Marina (Wheeler)
- Bookstores: Cloud & Leaf Bookshop, used books available for sale raise funds at Manzanita Library (Manzanita)
- Crabbing: Kelly's Brighton Marina (Brighton)
- Events calendar: Manzanita Visitors Center (Tri-Villages)
- Farmers market: Manzanita Farmers Market: Fridays 4-7 pm during the summer (Manzanita)
- Massage and spa: Pauseful, Spa Manzanita (Manzanita)
- Pinball arcade: North Coast Pinball (Nehalem)
- Pottery, art classes and lessons: Hoffman Center for the Arts (Manzanita), North Coast Mudworks (Nehelam)
- Surfing: Nehalem Surf Works (Nehalem). Indian Beach at Ecola State Park (a filming location for the 1991 movie Point Break!)
- Theater, performances: NCRD Performing Arts Center (Nehalem)
- Thrifting: Hope Chest (Nehalem), several shops on Main Street in Downtown Wheeler - including our landfill reduction nonprofit store, Heart of CARTM (Wheeler)
- Train rides: Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad (Wheeler)
- Workshop tours: Would you like to see the Walnut Studiolo workshop (Mohler)? Learn more about visiting us >>>
Where to Eat
For local foods and local food supporters, check out the North Coast Food Trail.
Breakfast/Brunch
- Breakfast and Lunch: Yolk (Manzanita)
- Bakery, Breakfast and Sandwiches, and Weekend Dinners: Wanda's (Nehalem)
- Coffee & Newspaper: Manzanita News and Espresso (Manzanita)
Lunch and Dinner
- Contemporary & Local: Offshore Grill (Manzanita), The Salmonberry (Wheeler)
- Chowder: Buttercup Chowders and Ice Creams (Nehalem)
- Corn Dogs and Kitsch: The Original Pronto Pup (Rockaway Beach)
- Crab on the Dock: Kelly's Brighton Marina
- Fish & Chips: Riverside Fish & Chips (Nehalem)
- Ice Cream: Buttercup Chowders and Ice Creams, Nehalem Food Mart (Nehalem), Schwietert Cones & Candy (Manzanita)
- Indian: New Taste of India (Rockaway Beach)
- Oysters at the Source: The Fish Peddlar at Pacific Oyster (Bay City), JAndy Oyster Company and Gardens (Tillamook)
- Pizza: Marzano's (Manzanita)
- Thai: The Happy Elephant (Manzanita)
Pubs, Wineries & Breweries
- De Garde Brewing: traditional wild yeast Belgian-style beers and wines (Tillamook)
- Dixie's Vino: French-style small bottle shop with a knowledgeable proprietor and a curated selection (Manzanita)
- Nehalem Bay Winery: funky and nontraditional winery in a historic creamery (Mohler)
- RustyMoose Whiskey Bar: cozy cocktail bar with a hidden back patio (Manzanita)
- San Dune Pub: comfortable wood pub with good food (Manzanita)
- The Winery at Manzanita: outdoor fire pits with a view of the ocean and a second story porch (Manzanita)
Places to Stay
- Coast Cabins: impeccably designed with beautiful Japanese landscaping and evening bonfires (Manzanita)
- Sunset Surf Motel: on the beach with a pool (Manzanita)
- Vacation rentals and more places to stay >>>
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