PCH Leg 2: Cannon Beach to Klamath

The Nehalem Falls Campground is tucked away in the peaceful Tillamook State Forest, right on the Nehalem River. The Tillamook State Forest features hiking, fishing, and swimming. Also, be aware that it's one of the rainiest parts of the country... don't forget your rain jackets and wellies, just in case!

The origin of Idiotville, Oregon is actually pretty dark. Between 1933 and 1950, four huge fires ravaged the Tillamook State Forest. They were started by sparking steel cables, a discarded cigarette, and possibly even a Japanese bomb during WWII, and collectively they were known as the Tillamook Burn. Two camps were set up deep in the forest to salvage what timber remained and clean up a bit after the Burn, Ryan's Camp and Idiotville. "Idiotville" started off as a joke (because only an idiot would travel days to reach a camp where they would be put to work doing such a meaningless job) but it kinda stuck. Even though the camp dried up once the work was done, it kept popping up on maps; so much so that a nearby creek was named "Idiot Creek". There aren't any buildings left, but there is a sign for Idiot Creek that makes for a great photo op, and it's always fun to suggest to friends that you all take a hike out to Idiotville.

Plan to pull over at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint in Oceanside, OR, for one heck of a view. Hiking trails, an 1890's lighthouse, birdwatching, and old-growth forests add to the coastal beauty here, and make it an essential Pacific Coast road trip stop.

Oregonians also love their cheese. Specifically, Tillamook cheddar cheese. The adorable Tillamook Cheese Factory tour lets you experience the process of how their beloved cheeses are made. You can also sample some of their most popular offerings, too! (PHOTOS - Tatiana)

Portland has been known as the City of Roses since the 1880s, which was when it was discovered that the city has the perfect climate and soil conditions for growing roses. There are tons of rose gardens across the city, including the famed International Rose Test Garden. This garden was founded in 1917, and was originally meant to be a place to experiment with different breeds of rose, as well as to serve as a place where European roses could be grown so that the individual hybrids wouldn't be lost during WWI battles. It's free to visit and enjoy the flowers, which bloom continuously throughout the spring, summer, and fall. All different colors, styles, sizes, and scents can be found here, and the garden's location offers some pretty incredible views of the City of Roses as well!

Is it any surprise for a hip city like Portland to have microbreweries popping up like weeds in an abandoned field? Why not start your beer-cation with a stop at Oregon’s oldest brewery, Bridgeport Brewpub? Be smart and plan your trip to coincide with the Oregon Brewers Festival on the last full weekend each July. The best of Oregon beer shows up, including a root beer garden with free root beer for your designated driver.

The beer abides at the Big Legrowlski. Of course, a bar named for the Cohen Brothers cult classic "The Big Lebowski" that specializes in craft beer could only exist in Portland. They ooze chillness, offer 16 Le-brew-skis on tap... and serve White Russians, too.

From 1850 to around 1941 “Shanghaiing” was a common practice on the coast, particularly in Portland. The idea behind Shanghaiing was to drug and kidnap unsuspecting men and women to use as slaves on ships, many of which were headed to Shanghai, China. A common method for kidnapping victims was to drop them through trapdoors into tunnels, where they were forced into cells and held until they were put on a ship. For obvious reasons, people have spent years telling stories about the dark tunnels that run under a majority of the city. One of the most famous stories is about the ghost of a prostitute named, Nina. According to the legend, Nina was drugged and dropped down an elevator shaft, the fall killing her. Today people still smell her perfume, or catch glimpses of her wandering the darkened halls alone. Tours of the tunnels are offered, and provide an in-depth look into the haunted tunnels and at the horrors of human trafficking.

If there's one thing people in Oregon love more than fresh seafood, it's craft beer. At McMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub in Lincoln City you can enjoy your beer and food in a historic lighthouse-turned brewpub. It doesn't get more Oregon than that! (PHOTOS - Tatiana)

Start off by admiring the singular beauty of the Pacific Coast at Newport's Yaquina Bay. Oregon's wild beaches, with their seastacks and tidepools, are unlike anything anywhere else in the country (and set the West Coast apart from the East Coast's beaches on the Atlantic). Then bid adieu to the shore (for now) and prepare yourself to drive right through the beating heart of America!