We don’t often partake in tourist traps, but Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, CA ended up being an exception that was well worth the crowds. After a crazy day of driving the northern portion of the Pacific Coast Highway with our fifth wheel, we decided on a two-night stay at our campground instead of just one. We needed a break! You’ll have to read all about it to know why.
We left our place in Idaho in mid-January to head to escape the rest of the winter by heading to Florida. And along the way, we ended up randomly stumbling upon some really cool spots. Glass Beach was one of them.
Fort Bragg, California is a quaint little town of just over 7,000 residents. Settled along the coast of California, it offers a good mix of scenic outdoor activities and amazing local seafood cuisine.
As for Glass Beach, there’s a reason it’s listed as the #4 thing to do according to Trip Advisor. Even though it’s a complete tourist trap, it honestly turned out to be one of our favorite things we did while we were there.
However, don’t get your hopes up. The pieces of glass aren’t like those you may see at the Sea Glass Museum. In fact, I wouldn’t even waste your time going to the place. We had a rather poor experience. We went thinking we were going to have a fun chat with the owner; maybe get some tips on where to find the best glass pieces.
On the contrary. The owner is quite aloof and rude. There are signs all over the place giving long answers to the most common questions so that he doesn’t have to answer them all the time. In fact, he’ll reference the sign if you end up asking him one of those questions. It’s not a very welcoming experience.
So, in my opinion, just go to Glass Beach and poke around a bit. The glass pieces are small but plentiful. And you’ve got the time to spend, you can easily fill a small jar of your favorites within an hour or so.
Go to Glass Beach with an open mind. Don’t have super high expectations, and you won’t be disappointed. For us, it was about experiencing something new; something we wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else in our country. And because of that mindset, it was a super fun experience. And honestly, we’d go back again. =)
