Coastal Train Ride

Liam loves trains! Well, he loves anything that travels (trains, planes, cars, trucks, construction vehicles, etc). But when we saw a Groupon deal for a train ride along the Oregon coast, we couldn't pass it up. We made a day of it and drove to the beach early in the morning, stopping for breakfast on the way. We took a scenic drive through some of the smaller coastal towns and to a stretch break when we saw a nice beach. It was October, so it was on the chilly side, but Liam still had a blast chasing the seagulls and playing in the sand.

After our play time, we drove to Garibaldi to have lunch and wait for our train to arrive. Before it was time to get onto the train, we explored the historic trains that are on display at the train station. Liam loved climbing up into the engine and pretending to drive the train. There is also a city park with a playground right next to the station, so we spent a little time there too.


When it was finally time to board the train, we climbed on and picked a table to sit at. I have never seen Liam so excited! He was smiling from ear to ear and watched everyone come on board and take their seats. A few minutes later, we were off! The train runs along the coast the whole way, so the views were amazing! It took about a half an hour to reach the other end of the tracks.


Stopping in Rockaway was wonderful! This was our first "trip" with a potty trained toddler, so Liam and I got off the train and walked to the public restrooms that were on the other side of the parking lot. When we returned to the train, there a couple of vendors selling treats outside the train. We bought a bag of homemade kettle corn., which was still warm! The layover in Rockaway was a half an hour, just enough time to check out the town square (which the train station is located). On the way back, we once again enjoyed the lovely view, ate our yummy snack, and met the conductor, who punched our tickets.

After returning to Garibaldi and exiting the train, we played on the playground until it was time for the train to leave again. Liam wanted to see the train chug away, filled with it's next set of passengers. The train blew it's whistle and was off! On the way home, Liam was so exhausted that he snored until we reached our front door. This is a wonderful activity for a train-lover or a little one, and we enjoyed it just as much as he did.

Watching the Train Chug Away