Discover Garibaldi: Museum, Pier and Coastal Railway

Garibaldi offers several ways to shape your travel plans: maritime history at the museum, a long pier, a waterfront trail and a ride along the Tillamook Coast. An annual summer event and activities on the water are also among the possibilities. If you’re looking for a hotel for your stay, these different highlights can help you plan your trip around your interests.

Museum, Pier and Maritime History

The Garibaldi Maritime Museum is open Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; last admission is at 3:30 p.m. Check the opening hours again before you arrive. At the museum, you can see models of the Columbia Rediviva and the Lady Washington, as well as an eight-foot replica of the Columbia’s figurehead. The two ship models and the replica highlight different aspects of the maritime exhibition.

Another notable landmark is Pier’s End: The pier is over 700 feet long and the longest in Oregon. A building near its end served as a Coast Guard boathouse from 1934 until the early 1960s. This is distinct from the Tillamook Bay Coast Guard Station, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The pier and its surroundings thus bring together both a specific point of comparison in length and several connections to Coast Guard history.

Waterfront Trail and Activities on the Water

The paved Harborview Trail runs along the waterfront north of the marina. It begins at Pier’s End and ends at the U.S. Coast Guard Memorial. Its route description therefore connects two named destinations; if you’re interested in a walk, you can factor this route into your plans.

There are opportunities to collect shellfish near the marina. Access is described as being from the shore via the harbor basin or from the parking lot at the end of 12th Street. For kayaking and canoeing, there are many miles of waterscapes accessible only by boat. This is a different focus from the paved waterfront trail: Here, the emphasis is on activities on the water.

Lumberman’s Memorial Park has a historic area with equipment from the logging and railroad industries, as well as a play area for children. The fishing, charter and recreational boats at the Port of Garibaldi are popular with tourists and photographers. Together, these offerings showcase different aspects of local life, from industrial and railroad history to the harbor and its boats.

Coastal Railway and Garibaldi Days

The Oregon Coastal Excursion – Rockaway Beach & Garibaldi departs from Garibaldi or Rockaway Beach and travels along the Tillamook Coast behind a historic steam locomotive or a historic diesel locomotive. The round trip takes at least 90 minutes: 30 minutes for each leg, plus a 30-minute stop. This gives you a concrete minimum timeframe to plan for the ride. Seasonal dates may change; check the operating days before your trip. The Garibaldi Depot is on the side of Highway 101 leading out of town, across from Dairy Queen.

Garibaldi Days is a three-day summer festival held every year on the last full weekend in July. The program includes a parade along Highway 101. If you’d like to coordinate your trip with the festival, check the dates for the relevant year before making plans.

For timing your visit, the museum and the coastal train ride offer different points of reference: For the museum, consider the opening days and last admission; for the Excursion, consider the minimum duration and seasonal operating dates. Garibaldi Days, in turn, takes place on a recurring July weekend. This lets you match the activities you’re most interested in with their respective visiting hours and dates.

Discover more destinations: Neskowin, Tillamook, Netarts, Nehalem, Cloverdale, Manzanita, Rockaway Beach, Cape Meares.

For the broader travel overview: Tillamook County.