Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad (2026): Sunset Dinner and Moonlight
Published: September 21, 2026
By: Adam Burns
Garibaldi’s Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad used to sell a Sunset Dinner Train: about three hours along Tillamook Bay, dining-car seating, and a four-course catered meal. That train is not on the 2026 calendar. The evening product this year is the Moonlight Excursion, ages 21 and older, steam from Garibaldi north to Wheeler at sunset and back in the dark, with live music and a choice of pre-made sandwiches. It is a night ride with food. It is not a plated dinner.
The Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad's Moonlight Excursion. OCSR photo.
About Oregon Coast Scenic
OCSR has run public trains on the Port of Tillamook Bay since 2003, on the old Southern Pacific branch that the 2007 floods cut off from the national network. The railroad’s shop and story are logging steam. The 2026 coastal excursion, May 22 through September 27, is the short Garibaldi–Rockaway Beach hop, about 30 minutes each way plus a layover. The Moonlight is the long evening trip, Garibaldi to Wheeler, with Tillamook Bay, the Nehalem, and the Pacific out the window. Depot: 306 American Avenue, Garibaldi.
Related: Oregon dinner trains · National dinner hub
2026 evening rides — At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Product | Moonlight Excursion (21+). The old Sunset Dinner Train is not listed for 2026 |
| Location | 306 American Avenue, Garibaldi, Oregon. North end is Wheeler |
| 2026 dates | Posted music nights include June 27, July 11, July 25, August 1, August 22, August 29, September 19, and an Oktoberfest Moonlight on October 3 (6:30–8:30 p.m.). Confirm the live list. September 19 has passed as of this revision |
| Duration | Evening round trip, sunset northbound and dark on the return. Oktoberfest is posted as two hours |
| Meal | Pre-made sandwiches (ham, turkey, chicken, or chicken salad), no substitutions. Not a four-course dinner |
| Typical fares | Ride only from $57. Food only about $68. Ride with drink tickets and food about $77. Processing fees extra. Ages 21+ |
| Official site | oregoncoastscenic.org |
Menus, dates, and fares change. Confirm on the railroad before you book. Information compiled September 21, 2026.
What the evening is like
You are on a steam train at the edge of the bay, not in a dining room that happens to move. The railroad describes drinks, light food, live music, and the ride. Bands posted for 2026 included Lickety Split, Steve Wasnock, Spindriff, and, for the October 3 Oktoberfest trip, the Polkatones. Drink packages feature Pelican and Freight beer and Nehalem Bay wine. Food is from Twins Ranch Café in Garibaldi and is made before you board.
The four-course Sunset Dinner—prime rib, salmon, pork loin, or eggplant, with salad and Tillamook ice cream, dining car versus a club car without a meal—still turns up on old ticket pages and on the Oregon dinner hub. OCSR’s own 2026 ride list replaced that train with the Moonlight. Book the page that is actually on sale. Hood River is a separate railroad, and its 2026 trains are scenic trips with snacks, not a plated dinner.
Tickets & practical
- Booking: oregoncoastscenic.org. Moonlight is 21+ only, including the food-and-drink tickets
- Station / parking: Garibaldi depot, southbound side of Highway 101 across from the Dairy Queen, next to Lumbermen’s Park. A wheelchair lift is posted at Garibaldi. Rockaway Beach and Wheeler depots do not have one
- Age / alcohol: 21+. The daytime coastal excursion is the family ride
- St. Patrick’s Pub Train, when it is on the calendar, is a once-a-year beer-and-music night, not this Moonlight series
Related reading on American-Rails.com
Always verify 2026 dates, menus, and prices on the railroad’s official site. American-Rails.com does not sell tickets.
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