Last weekend I went to visit a college friend in Eugene, Oregon. She picked me up in Portland and we saw some of the finest sights The Beaver State (yes, that really is Oregon’s state nickname) has to offer on our way down the North Coast.

The Goonies House

My brother and I spent far too many hours of our childhood watching Mikey, Brandon, and their Goonie friends search for buried treasure and outwit the Fratellis, so I was pretty psyched to see the house from The Goonies movie. If you somehow missed this 1985 classic, it’s time to check it out.

Sea Lions

As we climbed up the road to the Goonies house, we heard a cacophony of distinctly animal noises in the distance. Intrigued by the noise, we set out to find out what it was and discovered dozens of sea lions barking. It turns out the house is just a hop, skip, and jump from the ocean.

Haystack Rock

According to the City of Cannon Beach’s website, this awesome monolith is 235 feet tall, which makes it the 3rd largest monolith in the world. It’s also a seabird nesting refuge. The winds picked up as we looked on so we didn’t stay long, but Haystack Rock is magnificent.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

In addition to tasty cheese samples, the factory offers free self-guided tours, 38 flavors of ice cream, and the chance to peer down at Tillamook cheese workers on the job. The last was a little too reminiscent of a zoo for my comfort, but the excursion was fun nonetheless. Where else do you get to sample Marionberry Pie ice cream?

Next time you’re in Oregon, I would definitely recommend a leisurely trip down the coast. It has it all: pop culture, wildlife, natural beauty, and cheese. What more could you ask for?