Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Tiny Garibaldi is Gargantuan on Oregon Coast Distractions and Attractions

Published 07/19/22 at 8:15 PM PST
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

Tiny Garibaldi is Gargantuan on Oregon Coast Distractions and Attractions

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; winter deals

(Garibaldi, Oregon) – Coming in towards this tiny north Oregon coast town from the south, one thing soon begins to flood your field of vision: that gigantic G overlooking the sleepy fishing village of Garibaldi. That and the massive smokestack towering high. However, there's way more to the town than that G, "sleepy” may not be the most correct of descriptions. Garibaldi is deceptively quiet: there's actually quite a bit of bustling going on. (All photos Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

Nooks and crannies abound here, filled with landmarks, sights and stuff going on that you can't often see from the highway as you whiz through. A few miles from the actual beaches, there's a surprising number of attractions and distractions on this otherwise tranquil bay.

When it comes to stuff to look at around here, Garibaldi's tacet motto seems to be "Go Big or Go Home."

In the photo at top, this is Tillamook Bay as you often first encounter if coming from the north. Always a placid place in many ways, even on a chilly winter day it can be much more so, as a light fog envelops the southern end and the big pier of Garibaldi stretches towards it.

That little house? That's the Garibaldi Boat House, or Garibaldi Pier's End, once a Coast Guard base, and now rather cleverly converted into an arts center.

In summer, however, the bay here really lights up. The various boats – commercial and recreational – sit silently and patiently in the calm conditions, awaiting their owners to come and take them out for a watery spin and perhaps some adventure.

In springtime, that same bay lights up in a different way. Those puffy clouds so typical of this time of year on the Oregon coast make for dramatic backgrounds.

Of course, what exploration of Garibaldi would be complete without a good look at the great smokestack of the ancient town? It was built in the 1920's by an industrialist named Hammond as part of the Hammond Mill, which he had recently purchased from a group that had gone under. Known for his caring attitude towards the workers and the townfolk, the great smokestack was built by Hammond to keep the fumes of the sawmill from choking residents of Garibaldi.

While the old mill is gone now, the smokestack has remained, thanks to the efforts of locals over the decades. This is what the stark oddity looks like at night.

Also a glimpse of Garibaldi at night: the famed Three Graces rocks that grace this northern chunk of the bay, seen after dark. Interesting reflections from traffic light up the rocks in places, creating some unusual squiggly lines.


Another major attraction in Garibaldi is the antique train rides – the Oregon Coast Railroad. These ancient beauties ride the rails most every day in the summer and on a fairly busy schedule of specialized rides over the course of the rest of the year.

You'll find Garibaldi at the northern tip of Tillamook Bay, just a stone's throw from Barview, and a few miles north of Bay City. Hotels in Tillamook Bay - Where to eat - Tillamook Maps and Virtual Tours


MORE PHOTOS BELOW






Booking.com

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....


Coastal Spotlight


Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees nearly 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Historic North Oregon Coast Inn Gets New Life as Off-the-Beaten-Path Forest G...
Nehalem River Inn is nearly 100 years but has a new look. Manzanita hotel reviews, Manzanita lodging

Octopus Tree Atop Cape Meares: History, Hikes, Rumors of the Oregon Coast Celeb
Near Oceanside: how old, is it the tallest, shape, freaky facts, rumors

Cuteness Overload: Tufted Puffins Returning, Cannon Beach and N. Oregon Coast...
Annual Puffin Welcome Celebration on April 13th at Haystack Rock. Cannon Beach events

Washington / Oregon Coast Headed for Sunny, Warm Stretch - Portland Mid 70s
Some parts of the coast may reach 70. Weather

Hatfield Marine Science Center's Marine Science Day Returns to Newport, Orego...
Science fair and open house on Saturday, April 13

The Odd and Magnificent Sun Pillar of Oregon Coast / Washington Coast
From faint to fantastic, these are one cool weather phenomena

Waldport's Beach, Bike 'n Blues Fest Slams Into Central Oregon Coast in May
May 4: a festival that's grown by leaps and bounds. Waldport events, Yachats events, Newport events

Razor Clamming Reopens on Central Oregon Coast: Lincoln City to Seal Rock
Open from Lincoln City down to Seal Rock. Lincoln City events, Newport events. Marine sciences


Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted