Built in 1927, the last remnant of the Hammond Lumber Company…read more Built to save the townspeople from choking on the smoke. *It is said if you throw your hat into the base opening, your hat will be pulled into the updraft and fly out of the top!

As you drive through the town of Garibaldi, Oregon, one can't help but to wonder about the history…read moreof the lone smoke stack. Back in 1918, Cummings / Moberly built a small sawmill at this location. Even though they had an advantage over other lumber mills in the area because of the close proximity of the railroad, the company went broke in 1920. The mill was then sold to Whitney Company. Was later sold again in 1924 to A.B. Hammond. Under Mr. Hammond's guidance , Hammond mill became one of the largest lumber mill on the West Coast. The smokestack was built by Hammond Co. In 1927. The Great Depression caused the closure of the Hammond Mill in 1935. History lesson 101. Thanks for reading ! Enjoy !

It took awhile to get to the location from where we were staying but the scenery was well worth it…read more The lighthouse was located below the parking with a couple of trails to get there. It is the smallest/shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast and they were offering a tour. The area surrounding the lighthouse included a trail to the Octopus tree which was worth seeing. There were areas you could stop and look at the coast which was quite stunning. The only downside was that the rest rooms were closed and there were porta potties including one that was unstable plus the doors didn't lock so it was a bit of a challenge. We were glad to have stopped and enjoyed the scenery.

Really enjoyed exploring this spot! Plenty of free parking. The walking trails are well paved &…read moremaintained. The trails are a good steep walk down to the lighthouse but the views are incredible & the trails offer scenic views from each side. They also offer free tour of the lighthouse every 15 minutes.

As you drive on the Oregon Coast Highway heading North, somewhere between the town of Garibaldi and…read moreBay View. You will come across rock formations on your right called " The Three Graces ". These sandstone rock formations are roughly 20-30 millions year old. This area is also an Historical Site were Lt. Theodore Talbot camped during his exploration of the Yaquine Bay. This area is acessible only during "low" tide. There are no safe parking areas near the rock formation, so it is highly recommended to drive past the formation and to park near the intersection at Harborview Drive. From here you can find access to the beach. Enjoy !

This park is in the middle of Rockaway Beach. It has a parking lot, somewhat acceptable public…read morerestrooms, easy beach access, picnic tables, plenty of benches to plop on and stare sleepily at your crazy teenaged kids who insist on getting soaked (even though its 50 degrees outside) from above while drinking coffee, and in general is an all around decent place to hang out. There is a food truck serving burgers and shaved ice next door and a little restaurant that is open for lunch or an early dinner. If you buy kites at Flamingo Jim's this is the perfect place to fly them. There is also a faucet maybe two to wash off sandy feet. That last part is super important.

Some of the staff are remarkably rude. They want to charge $15 to park if you are a customer. Very…read moreunprofessional.

Haystack Rock is spectacular and something you'd see on National Geographic. I couldn't believe…read morehow easily accessible it was from Canon Beach. There are tons of access points to the beach, but the easiest is to park in the parking lot and walk across the street, past the public bathrooms and homes, and you're immediately in front of Haystack Rock. The rock is impressive, jutting out of sea of crashing waves, dotted with greenery. The best part was watching all the pufffins flying round and round. At low tide, you can get pretty close up to bird watch or take photos. The puffins come to nest here in spring, and we saw a tons of them at the end of May. The history is just as interesting. The rock was created by ancient lava flow. People used to climb the rock back in the day and get stranded when high tide came in, requiring many rescues. To prevent this, they dynamited the bottom, creating the monolith shape we see today. The rock is now a protected marine garden and wildlife refuge. It was even featured in The Goonies movie. The beach stretches for miles, so you can also continue on for a nice walk. They were also dog friendly. We saw several remnants of fire pits, so guessing they are ok.

The "Goonies Rock" is no where near Astoria like the movie makes it out to be. No matter what, it…read moreis absolutely worth the drive. Parking is non-existent because you have to walk down a pathway between two houses to get to there, I mean of course there are probably areas North or South of the actual rock but I am not aware of them myself. We were lucky and able to find a spot directly across the pathway that just happened to have someone pulling out. Walking down that pathway, I took a video and love how it shows the beauty of the area just opening up. It was more than I could have wished for after growing up loving the movie Goonies and was delighted that we got there when we did. Tide was out, so the dreamy tide pools that you see associated with the northwest coastlines were accessible and all the wonderful wildlife that live within them. Also, we were able to watch the sunset, which was cloud covered but who cares. While walking around, it first started with just rolling up my pants, so then having a misstep and one of my shoes getting soaked so then I was like, oh well, off with the shoes and walk around freely to be able to go rock to rock or wade around to get to the numerous tidepools. All worth the super cold feet later on in the car. There is just something about seeing everything in the wild vs in various zoos or aquariums. It was by far my favorite part of our trip to Portland and something I'd love to revisit again, regardless of the distance and drive back.

This is for the 4/19 Spring Splendor Excursion from Rockaway Beach to Wheeler…read more Overall a nice pleasant experience, except that the person on the microphone spoke too quickly and didn't explain some of the train specific terms that are not very common. It would have been nice to spend more time in Wheeler shopping. The train seems to move at a snails pace in some parts.

This is a kid-friendly, hour and a half long chu chu train ride, 30 minutes each way with 30…read moreminutes in town. The website was easy to maneuver and order tickets with several options for seating (open air car, covered open car, coach car or car with tables.) Checking in was interesting as there is no depot at the Gardibaldi station. You stand outside the stop and wait for the train to arrive. The ride was very slow perfect for little ones to see the views. A bit too slow for me. The history narration was insightful and not too lengthy. The train stopped at the Rockaway Depot and passengers had 30 minutes to peruse the shops or take a bathroom break. I wish I had thought to schedule the return trip for two hours later, as I would have liked more time to visit in Rockaway. Overall, a pleasant experience, but one I won't repeat at $36.00 (with fees) a ticket.

Neat little bay town. I love clamming here. Beautiful beautiful sunset by the train track…read more Sometimes there is an old style tourist train running by and it's uber nostalgic and cute.

Garibaldi is a small fishing village at the Northern end of the Tillamook Bay. Daniel Bayley was…read moreone of the first property owners after the Civil War in Tillamook Bay. In 1869 President Grant appointed Mr. Bayley as the areas first postmaster, and was given the duty of naming this postmark. At the time Giuseppe Garibaldi was Mr. Bayley's hero for unifying Italy and promoting democracy around the world. And thus the township Garibaldi was born. Today Garibaldi still has that small town feel to it. Main Street is lined with stores, hotels and restaurants. Some attraction in town are the Garibaldi Museum, chartered fishing trips, crabbing, clamming, and catching a ride aboard the " Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad". Major employers are Weyerhaeuser Mill and the marina. Garibaldi is a small city with a lot of history and was incorporated as a city in 1946. Garibaldi is worth checking out the next time your in the area ! Enjoy !

My friends and I had SUCH a great time here! An easy hike and so beautiful. Definitely will be…read morereturning again for a nice day of hiking

5 stars for wilderness areas! The home of the historical 1933 Tillamook Burn, and the 6 year…read morejinx...that repeatedly burned hundreds of thousands of acres of old growth forests. We are blessed to have an area so full of rich diversity and resources. I hike the Elk Creek / Wilson River trails and started from the Elk Creek Campground. The trails are rock covered and steep at times. The water table this year is alarmingly low. However, the forest was lush with ferns, wild flowers, berries and songbirds!

Home is where the heart is. This area was my stomping…read more grounds for many moons! I use to go to Ecola state park, regularly growing up. Go on hikes,look for rocks shells,surf, get lost in nature, just sit in the grass and watch the ocean. Here is what you can do at Ecola State Park: Hiking & Walking: Explore trails ranging from easy strolls to challenging hikes through Sitka spruce forests. The Clatsop Loop Trail follows the path of1806 explorers, while the Oregon Coast Trail offers longer, scenic treks. Indian Beach: A popular, secluded cove for surfing, sunbathing, and tide-pooling to see sea stars and anemones. Viewpoints: Take in spectacular vistas from Ecola Point, including views of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse ("Terrible Tilly") and distant Haystack Rock. Wildlife Viewing: The park is known for herds of elk grazing in the meadows, as well as sightings of bald eagles and migrating gray whales. Picnicking: Enjoy lunch at the picnic areas located on the grassy bluffs with ocean views. Photography: The dramatic, moody coastline provides excellent opportunities for photography. Oregon State

Forgive me for this late review. I should have written it long ago, but perhaps the trees and the…read moreocean were patient enough to wait. The drive through the forest is a passage into another world. Sitka spruce and hemlock lean over the road as if they are curious about you. At the end of the road the land opens and the Pacific announces itself in vast gray blues and greens, broken by sea stacks that rise like stubborn monuments. The trails are generous. Some wander to secret beaches, others climb to high points where the ocean and horizon meet like two old friends. Indian Beach is a gathering of tide pools, surfers, and quiet sand. Crescent Beach feels private, almost hidden, with the company of seals if you are lucky. Wildlife belongs here as much as people. Elk graze, eagles soar, and sometimes whales turn the water into theater. The park offers all of this without asking much in return, except that you take your time. Bring layers because the wind and mist move through the park like they own the place. Take your time. Sit, watch, breathe. This park gives you a rare combination of accessibility, natural beauty, and serenity. I regret not praising this place sooner. Ecola State Park holds the kind of beauty that makes you feel both small and fortunate. Five stars, without hesitation.