Tillamook Hits Route 66 With a Not-So-Baby Loaf, Proving Great Cheese is Always Worth the Detour

TILLAMOOK, Ore. — Tillamook believes great cheese is made by taking the long way. That’s why its cheddar is better than it has to be, naturally aged giving its famously bold, distinctive flavor more time to develop. This Labor Day weekend, that commitment to doing things the better way takes a larger-than-life form with the Cheeseside Attraction, the newest oversized landmark along the Route 66 Cheese Trail. 

Located among the pines of Flagstaff, Arizona’s Americana Motor Hotel, the massive replica of the award-winning Tillamook Medium Cheddar Baby Loaf® clocks in at roughly 32,000 times the size of a standard Baby Loaf and gives travelers one more unforgettable reason to pull over on America’s most famous highway.

Tillamook and Americana Motor Hotel will host an unveiling event of the Cheeseside Attraction on Saturday, August 29 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. MST where visitors, road trippers and cheese fans alike can enjoy Tillamook Cheese, take photos with the new landmark and try a limited-edition Tillamook menu at the hotel’s Far Out Food takeout window.

The Tillamook takeover continues across the property through September 7, bringing the beloved brand into the guest experience from check-in to poolside to the plate. Every guest will receive a Tillamook Ice Cream Bar at check-in, while the heated pool transforms into a Tillamook pool party with branded floats and towels. Locals can join the poolside fun too, with day passes available through ResortPass. At Far Out Food, the limited-time Tillamook menu gives even more reason to linger, with road-trip favorites including the Spicy Tillamook Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich, Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Wedge Salad, Grilled Cheese featuring Tillamook Whole Milk Mozzarella and a local root beer float made with Tillamook Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Fans can also book the Tillamook Cheeseside Stay, a dairy lovers paradise decked out in Tillamook-inspired décor and custom touches for a one-of-a-kind stay. Available August 29 through September 7 with a two-night minimum, the limited-time experience turns the Route 66 pit stop into a full-blown cheddar getaway that’s worth the detour. Guests can book the Tillamook Cheeseside Stay by calling 928.833.3060.

For Labor Day weekend, visitors stopping by September 4 through September 6 between 11a.m. and 6p.m. will also enjoy Tillamook samples for their drive (while supplies last).

About Tillamook County Creamery Association

Founded in 1909 by a group of dairy farming families, Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) remains today a farmer-owned dairy cooperative with a vision for the future that’s more than a century in the making. What began as a Pacific Northwest favorite is now a national, multi-category dairy brand, with more than one in four U.S. households purchasing Tillamook® products. The co-op’s internationally recognized, award-winning Tillamook Cheese, as well as ice cream, cream cheese, butter, yogurt and sour cream, are made with uncompromising quality and a long-standing commitment to doing right by the people, cows and land that make it all possible.

Today, the co-op operates manufacturing facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon, and Decatur, Illinois, and employs more than 1,100 team members. The flagship Tillamook Creamery is the largest tourist attraction on the Oregon coast and one of the most popular in the state, welcoming more than 1 million visitors to the world-class facility each year.