written by Jen Stevenson
If Tiny House, Big Living is your HGTV catnip, or your favorite recurring daydream is to KonMari all of your worldly possessions and downsize to a 385-square-foot dwelling, this Bay City tiny home hamlet is just the place to hole up for a beautiful late spring weekend. Husband-and-wife team Hank and Dee Harguth’s first foray into the hospitality industry was in 2005, when they began hosting bicyclists making their two-wheeled way along picturesque Highway 101. A simple bed-and-breakfast followed in 2013, and today, the Harguths’ vision has evolved into an eco-friendly village that attracts road trippers both near and far, charmed by the novelty of tiny home life, the resident ducks and chickens that casually waddle the 3-acre property, the misty morning walks through 200-acre Kilchis Point nature reserve a mere block away, and the proximity to popular coastal destinations like Cape Meares and Nehalem Bay State Park.
Each of Sheltered Nook’s six tiny homes—The Gardener, Beach Comber, Mermaids, Gone Fishin’, Cyclist Haven, and The Birder—has its own distinct personality, plus all the creature comforts of home. Breakfast baskets fortify guests for a long day of beachcombing and birding and the nine-hole disc golf course, and cornhole boards beckon. Come dusk, share stories and pints around the communal fire pit before retiring to your pocket-sized pad to read a good book by the electric fireplace.
7860 WARREN ST.
BAY CITY
www.shelterednook.com
ROOMS
With the exception of the four-person Cyclist Haven, homes are designed to fit a family of six (Fido included, the village is pet-friendly), with three queen-sized beds—one in the master bedroom and two in the loft—locally made McRae and Sons furniture, airy vaulted ceilings, generous closet space, and a roomy bathroom with full-sized shower.
FEATURES
While it’s tempting to check out a stack of board games and DVDs from the front office and stay in, take advantage of all the coastal wonders within a short drive or bike ride. Soak in the dramatic views at Cape Meares State Scenic Viewpoint, book a deep-sea fishing trip with Garibaldi Charters, take a beautiful shoreline-hugging sunset excursion with the Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, or explore nearby Tillamook, home to the famous Tillamook Creamery.
DINING
If craving a hot breakfast and lots of it, head fifteen minutes north to Offshore Grill and Coffee House in Rockaway Beach for packed plates of oyster hash and fresh-baked biscuits with sausage gravy. If starting the day with a Cape Meares hike, opt for crab cakes and eggs and the house flapjacks at Blue Agate Cafe in Oceanside. Ten minutes south of Sheltered Nook, in lively Tillamook, a tour and cheese tasting at Tillamook Creamery is a must, as is an oversized scoop of Oregon Strawberry ice cream on a chocolate-dipped cone. Stock up on picnic provisions and visit the petting zoo at Blue Heron Creamery, and sample wild ales at De Garde Brewing’s downtown tasting room, then back to Bay City for freshly shucked raw oysters and bowls of cioppino at The Fish Peddler.
AMENITIES
If you prefer to eat in, each tiny home’s kitchen is stocked with full-sized appliances, dishes, baking supplies and everyday essentials like a French press and microwave popcorn. Radiant heat and electric fireplaces keep things cozy on stormy nights, each home’s private deck has a gas barbecue for grilling local oysters and Dungeness crabs, and technophiles will appreciate the flat-screen TV, Smart DVD player, and private WiFi network. Should you wish to sip a refreshing Oregon craft brew while schooling everyone at Flickin’ Chicken, the office sells beer by the pint, bottle and growler.
