Little Bay City, a small enclave just south of Garibaldi, seems an unlikely destination for foodies. Yet this sleepy fishing village draws in out-of-towners with some of the freshest seafood in the state... and it makes a great home base, with plenty of peace and quiet, for exploring the rest of the Northern Oregon Coast.

Just off Highway 101, the must-eat spot in Bay City is the Fish Peddler restaurant in the Pacific Oyster processing facility. While not a white-tablecloth experience by any means, slurping shellfish doesn't get any fresher than this. The restaurant recently brought in a former McCormick and Schmick's executive to revamp the menu, which now features oyster po' boys and Dungeness crab cakes. If seafood's not your thing, they also offer locally-sourced burgers; head to the nearby Tillamook County Smoker to stock up on the jerky, sausage, and pepperoni they've been making for over 35 years.

While Bay City itself is quite small, its proximity to the star attractions of Tillamook County make it an ideal spot. Tillamook's Cheese Factory and Air Museum are perfect rainy day attractions. Head to the miles of sandy shoreline near Rockaway Beach for surfing, sand castle building, and kite flying, all within a ten-minute drive of Bay City. Don't miss out on the nearby Three Capes Scenic Drive, which begins just south of town, or hiking in the Tillamook State Forest to the east; popular Seaside & Cannon Beach are within an hour's drive north. Situated only an hour and a half from Portland, Bay City is an often-overlooked but worthy destination for a Northern Oregon Coast getaway.