Tillamook Cheese Factory Tour (The Best Cheese Factory in Oregon!)
Want to visit Tillamook Cheese Factory? Did you know that the Tillamook tour is one of the best things to do on the Oregon coast? Tillamook is the best cheese factory in Oregon!
My family recently visited and loved taking the Tillamook Cheese Factory tour! The Tillamook factory has a lot to offer! My kids loved it! What can be better than getting free cheese and trying some delicious ice cream?! Right!
In this post, We will give you a complete guide on visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory and everything you need to know about the Tillamook Cheese Factory tour.
We will also let you know all the fun things to do at Tillamook visitors center. From production to exploring the Tillamook Creamery Oregon ice cream selections. It is the ultimate Tillamook dairy tour!
The Tillamook Oregon Cheese Factory is a fantastic place to visit! Letโs explore all the fun things to do on a Tillamook Cheese Factory tour!
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Portland to Tillamook
If you are wondering where is Tillamook Cheese Factory, I included a map above. Hopefully, this gives you an idea!
Portland to Tillamook is actually a great day trip. In fact, the drive is under an hour and a half. It is a perfect day trip from Portland. It could easily be added to your weekend in Portland itinerary.
If you are driving the Oregon Coast from Seaside to Tillamook or Astoria to Tillamook it is under 1.5 hours. Tillamook is a must if you are exploring the Oregon Coast.
Know Before you Go!
There are a few things you should know before you go on the Tillamook tour. This includes operating hours, cost, and a few more things we are going to go over.
We want to make planning a visit to Tillamook easy! Letโs get started!
Is the Tillamook Cheese Factory Good for Kids?
Yes, my kids and teens loved it! We are a total foodie family so getting free cheese samples is always a plus! There are also fun interactive areas for the kids to enjoy.
The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour is self-guided so if your kids get tired you can leave!
What Should I Expect on a Tillamook Cheese Factory Tour?
You will learn the history of Tillamook, plus how the Tillamook factory is run. From the treatment of the cows to the processing of the cheese and ice cream. Plus, there are hands-on exhibits.
Does it Cost Money to Visit Tillamook Cheese Factory?
Here is some exciting news!! The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour is FREE! You can explore and get free cheese.
You do have the option to purchase ice cream and other food at the Tillamook Creamery portion of the Tillamook visitors center.
Tillamook Cheese Factory Hours
The Tillamook Cheese Factory hours are from 10:00 am โ 6:00 pm. The Tillamook visitors center is open 7 days a week.
On our last trip, we were driving north from the Redwoods to Tillamook. It is a 7-hour drive. We had to push it to make it there before it closed. You will want to get there at least an hour before it closes.
How Long is the Tillamook Cheese Factory Tour?
The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour is a self-guided tour. You can spend as much time as you want to exploring the Tillamook visitors center.
I would allow yourself at least 1 โ 2 hours to see everything. 1 hour if you only do the tour and do not plan to eat at the Tillamook Creamery. You will need a little longer if you plan to purchase ice cream. The lines are always long!
Things to Do on the Tillamook Tour
The Tillamook Cheese factory tour is the highlight of your visit to Tillamook Oregon!
The Tillamook tour begins as you walk through the door! I am going to list some of the best things to see on your cheese factory Tillamook tour.
Tillamook Ultimate Experience
Most of us will probably just want to do the self-guided tour of Tillamook Cheese Factory, but if you want to book a special tour. There is a tasting guided tour as well as an ice cream experience tour.
1. Cheese Tasting at Tillamook Factory
The highlight of the Tillamook Cheese Factory tour is the cheese tasting! Yes! you get to sample Tillamook Cheese for free! You will want to head up the stairs and take your first right.
There is a counter where you can sample the delicious Tillamook Cheese!
Tillamook Oregon Cheese
You will be able to try three different types of cheeses. Medium Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, and Colby Jack.
This was my favorite part of the Tillamook tour. I love sampling! I really like the sharp cheddar but it has a kick. It is nice to eat medium cheddar or Colby after the sharp cheese.
Changes to the Tillamook Tour
The first time we went on the Tillamook tour we were given cheese cubes, there were a few more options. Now you get a cheese slice. They are much bigger and individually wrapped.
If you love cheese, then sampling will be your favorite part of the Tillamook Cheese Factory tour!
2. Feed a Cafe
Across from the cheese sampling area is an area your kids will love. You can learn a little bit about cows.
Feeding the calf is a fun interactive way for kids to pretend to be on the farm. There is a bottle that you can insert into the calfโs mouth. It is pretty fun!
3. Milk a Cow at the Tillamook Cheese Factory
Another great exhibit in the cow area is a replica of a cow. There is special milking equipment that you can attach to the cow.
This allows you to learn how the cows are milked at Tillamook in Oregon. My little guy loved playing and learning! It was a little hard to attach the equipment to the udders. It took two people to hold them in place!
4. Learn the History of Tillamook Cheese Factory in Oregon
I love learning history! The history of Tillamook Cheese Factory is awesome! It is a farmer-owned co-op. Basically, farming families in Tillamook County own the company.
If you look out in the front of the Tillamook Factory you will see a boat. This is really cool. When Tillamook first became a company in the early 1900s, it needed a way to transport its products. The fastest way to Portland was the waterway. They sailed fresh products into town.
5. The Official Self-Guided Tillamook Tour
The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour is self-guided. You will see the cheese factory from an ariel view deck. If you are lucky you will see products being made.
We actually saw the products being sealed up. It is pretty fun to walk around looking down at the big machinery in action. You can also read about the different processes it takes to make cheese.
Tillamook Cheese Tour Films
At the end of the viewing deck, there are some benches. You can sit down and watch some funny commercials and a few short films about Tillamook!
6. Visit Tillamook Creamery
You will want to make your way down the stairs to the Tillamook Cheese Factory Creamery. This is where you can grab a bite to eat or try some delicious Tillamook Ice Cream.
The Tillamook Cheese Factory Creamery is a highlight of the Tillamook tour!
7. Cheese Factory Food
Tillamook has a full menu of items to eat. From hamburgers to cheese curds. The meals are very expensive!!!! We decided to order a plate of cheese curds to share.
The cheese curds were really good. You can pick from a few different sauce options. You might also want to try one of the famous grilled cheese sandwiches or order some mac n cheese. They use the best cheese around!
8. Tillamook Ice Cream
We are big fans of Tillamook ice cream. They actually sell it in Utah where we live. There are lots of flavors to choose from. A Tillamook tour would not be complete without getting some ice cream!
If you have a larger family like mine the flights of ice cream were the way to go. Each flight comes with 3 scoops. We bought 2 since there are 6 people in our family.
Warning
The lines will be long. On our last trip, it was off-season, we still waited at least 20 minutes to get ice cream!
Dining Area
Once you order your food or ice cream you can enjoy it in the nice big dining area at Tillamook Cheese Factory. (This is a great place to rest, if you need it!)
9. Photo Ops During your Tillamook Tour
You canโt go to a tourist attraction like the Tillamook Cheese Factory and not get a few goofy shots! We love the Tillamook cheese car.
It is really a kidโs dream come true! I saw so many little kids head straight for the car! It is pretty fun to jump in and play!
10. Tillamook Oregon Cheese Factory Grocery Store
If you want some of the freshest Tillamook products around stop by the Tillamook Grocery store.
You will find one of my favorite items, squeaky cheese! You will also find a lot of different flavors of cheese.
If you want something to take home this is where you will want to head!
11. Tillamook Cheese Factory Gift Shop
I feel like visiting a place like Tillamook, you need something to document it. There are lots of hats, shirts, and standard souvenirs you can purchase.
Iโm sure after reading all the awesome things to do at Tillamook Cheese Factory, you are probably craving cheese! If you donโt want to wait till you visit, Amazon actually has Tillamook. You can order some online!
Is Tillamook Worth Visiting?
Yes! Tillamook Cheese Factory is one of the best stops along the Oregon Coast! It is fun and enjoyable for the entire family!
The ice cream is amazing and the cheese samples are fabulous! Visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory is an absolute must!
Are you Ready to Visit Tillamook Cheese Factory?!
I hope this post gets you excited about visiting the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Oregon! I know you will love your visit and love exploring all of the fun things on the Tillamook tour!
Have fun on your Tillamook Cheese tour!
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What a fun place to visit with kids especially! I would love to take the Tillamook Cheese Factory tour! And try their samples and ice cream.
My kids loved it! We also loved trying the free cheese samples!
I’ve wanted to take this tour! I’ve only been to Oregon once, so this is the perfect reason to return. I haven’t tried Tillamook ice cream, but I really want to. All your food pictures looked really good!
I am a Tillamook fan! Oregon is so beautiful!
Oh my goodness….I lived in Oregon for over 15 years and always wanted to go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory, but never made it! I loved this post and now really want to make a trip back up to the PNW to visit my old stomping grounds and then definitely make it a point to go to Tillamook. I love cheese and ice cream so I know I would be in HEAVEN! ๐
It is such fun vacation spot! You would love it!
Cheese Curds – Yes please! Tillamook Cheese Factory looks like a fun and educational tour.
It is an awesome stop on the Oregon Coast!
Tillamook Cheese Factory offers so much! I donโt eat dairy products but the tour looks interesting. Love the van for a photo op.
It is a fun tourist site to visit!
It’s a dream one day to go to Oregon and if I ever get to, I’ll for sure check out the Tillamook Cheese Factory Tour. I love Tillamook products. I especially love Tillamook’s Coffee Ice Cream and discovered it for the first time when I lived in Colorado. Since I came back to Kentucky, I’ve been unable to find it.
I think Tillamook may only be on the west coast! I know we have it in Utah.
The Tillamook Cheese Factory sounds like an amazing place to visit! I love trying new cheese ๐
I love that they have cheese sampling!