The Tillamook Factory: Traveling Portland with Kids

Urban City

By: Leslie Stroud
Jul 07, 2018
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The Tillamook Factory: Traveling Portland with Kids

Last updated: October 27, 2026. This update separates the family’s past factory visit from current visitor and dining information. Date information added October 28, 2026.

Four ice cream cones with different flavors rest in a wooden stand.

First published July 7, 2018. The Tillamook visit, meals, tour details, and beach stop below are from the family’s trip at that time. See the Creamery’s current visitor page for today’s hours and offerings.

One of our first “field trips” while staying in Portland was to follow the advice of our Airbnb owner to visit the Tillamook Creamery. For us, it was about a 1.5-hour drive through beautiful scenery to Tillamook on the Oregon coast; allow for your own route and traffic. The facility was very well done (I was told it had recently been remodeled), and we took the self-guided tour. It was PACKED with people, but even then it was still fun and doable.

A family poses outside a building with a large Tillamook sign.

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Our Self-Guided Creamery Tour

On our self-guided tour, we learned about the different types of cows and the families behind the cooperative. We could look onto the factory floor, with signs explaining production. We also enjoyed the free cheese samples—there was no limit on how many we took during our visit. The Creamery’s current visitor page lists current hours, tour options, and dining updates. Check it before setting out, especially for café closures or changes to where food is served.

Lunch and Ice Cream with the Kids

We then went to the first floor, where we found the dining area and ice cream counter. We ordered lunch; the line moved well for us, though it was long, and the meal was even better than we expected. I had the shrimp salad and tomato soup (with chunks of Tillamook cheese, of course), the kids had pizza, and RedBeard ordered a burger. We didn’t want to wait in the ice cream line or pay the price, so we bought a few pints in the market area and ate them at our table with lunch. Menus, lines, and prices can change.

Three children stand beside a large milk display with a thermometer.

Round lid reads “Let this be our little secret — Tillamook.”

An Unexpected Beach Stop

There was a grassy area where the kids could play during our visit. We were a little sad not to see any cows, but still enjoyed the stop. We meandered until we found a little beach and let the kids play. We had no towels or toys, and I honestly didn’t think they would get in the water. How wrong I was! They had a blast. We stripped them down from their very stinky clothes and got back in the car.