Astoria, OR What to do in Port

We stayed in Cannon Beach two years ago and found ourselves drawn to Astoria. The main street seems kind of vintage with some interesting shops like a salvage shop with unique furniture and such and restaurants (wholesome/organic/unique).

We ate lunch one day at the Red Dog Saloon overlooking the river (more the burger and fries and salad kind of place), and the trolley went by loaded with tourists.

We went to Astoria Column, and my husband climbed the stairs. It was such a beautiful panoramic view that I took pictures the whole time he was gone.

We stayed in Cannon Beach two years ago and found ourselves drawn to Astoria. The main street seems kind of vintage with some interesting shops like a salvage shop with unique furniture (regretted not having our truck) and things for decor and such and restaurants (wholesome/organic/unique).

We ate lunch one day at the Red Dog Saloon overlooking the river (more a burger and fries and salad place), and the trolley went by loaded with tourists. I thought there had to be cruisers onboard.

We went to Astoria Column, and my husband climbed the stairs. It was such a beautiful panoramic view that I was completely preoccupied taking pictures the whole time he was gone.

I found a great yarn and fabric shop in Astoria. I think it was 1282 Commercial Street. Fantastic selection. I bought plenty and the people were very nice.

Astoria was mentioned in two recent travel articles. One is in Smithsonian Magazine: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/The-20-Best-Small-Towns-to-Visit-in-2013-196855051.html?c=y&page=6&navigation=previous#IMAGES. The other is in New York Magazine: http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/astoria/. Sounds like a great town.

We did an all day ship sponsored excursion to Mt. St. Helens - it is a long (but very scenic) bus ride and once you get inside the blast zone the scenery on the miles and miles long ride to the visitors center is other-worldly. Make sure you see the movie in the visitors center - it is informative and touching and the end isn't to be missed. Being old enough to remember the eruption (we are:D) made it really special.

We are considering the Mt. St. Helen's excursion. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

We are considering the Mt. St. Helen's excursion. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

I would recommend doing it via a ship excursion (as opposed to renting a car) -- it is a long day and you don't want to worry about being responsible for getting back to the ship on time. That way you'll also get a tour guide. We were very fortunate in that we had a wonderful guide who was in the area at the time of the eruption.

Wanted to report on our visit to Astoria in early May. We had a blast! There were lots of town volunteers to greet us and give advice. We were concerned that a shuttle wouldn't come by in time to take us to the ship, and a volunteer gave us her cell number and said to call her if we were running late. Please go to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. You'll learn so much! This is a hazardous maritime area where the Columbia River meets the ocean; the "bar" pilot had to be dropped by helicopter onto our ship! (We were on the NCL Sun.) Be sure to have fish and chips at the Bowpicker across the street from the museum--and get there when they open or you'll have a long wait.

Wanted to report on our visit to Astoria in early May. We had a blast! There were lots of town volunteers to greet us and give advice. We were concerned that a shuttle wouldn't come by in time to take us to the ship, and a volunteer gave us her cell number and said to call her if we were running late. Please go to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. You'll learn so much! This is a hazardous maritime area where the Columbia River meets the ocean; the "bar" pilot had to be dropped by helicopter onto our ship! (We were on the NCL Sun.) Be sure to have fish and chips at the Bowpicker across the street from the museum--and get there when they open or you'll have a long wait.

The Bowpicker is wonderful!

It's a small fishing boat on a trailer in an empty lot. Maybe two picnic tables.

We will be in Astoria in Sept. and it sounds like a wonderful port , the museum sounds great ,and the trolly day pass , you can't beat that for $7 pp. Thanks so much

Cori

We did the Jewel Coastal trip in May. DH did the beer and ale tour and enjoyed it a lot. I don't like either beer or ale,, so I went on a Seafood Cooking and Wine tour. I highly recommend it. The chef of Baked Alaska, a local restaurant, prepared a spring King with a simple aioli sauce. Then we went to a wine shop and down into the basement to taste 5 Oregon wines.

I see some great ideas for Astoria and the area. That map is a handy thing to have. We visit Astoria quite a bit, here's my ideas.

Astoria is a great port to adventure on your own. Lots to do and see. You can do most things by walking or trolly or bike or a combination there of. I love wondering around this town. I always find something new and different.

You might have to grab a cab to get to the Astoria Column, but it's worth it. The view is incredible, but as far as my kids are concerned it's all about flying the little balsa planes off the top. They really got their exercise that day, they went up and down that spiral staircase at least 6 times.

The downtown/waterfront area of town has a nationally recognized Martine Muesum - www.crmm.org/‎ . The Bar Pilots museum is incredible. The Flavel House Muesum and Grounds is a step back in the past. If you don't want to take the time to tour the house, stop by the carriage house and check out the displays of the history of the area.

Tons of shops and galleries, my favorites are Forsythea on 10th st and RiverSea Gallery on Commercial. Cargo on 11th St is a fun place for that hard to find gift or just the bizarre.

Oregon is considered Beervana so don't miss trying out a beer flight at one of the (4 at last count) local Micro Breweries. Fort George Brewery is right next door to Fernhill glass, so stop by there and watch the glass blowers at work.

Astoria is also a foodie's paradise. Many top end chefs have made their homes in Astoria and the food shows it and the variety of restaurants is amazing.

If your into wine there are a couple wine shops that offer tasting and a good selection of Oregon wines, but for a unique experience head to Shallon Winery on Duane St. They only allow 6 people in at a time and it is for about 20-30 minutes. The tasting is run by the owner/winemaker and his personal touch on introducing his wines makes this a special experience. Ever had wine given to you in a mini ice-cream cone? Sound weird but it actually really works with the chocolate wine.

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Must do--Bowpicker Fish and Chips! Deep fried tuna pieces. First time we waited in line for 30 minutes. Second time waited for more than 45 minutes. Worth every minute of it.

We are visiting Astoria in May during our B2B cruise. We have friends that live nearby and they are picking us up at port in Astoria to show us around.

My question is, is this a port that we can easier walk off the ship and out of the port area to meet up with our friends? Or, what is the best way to meet up with them at port? Didn't know if we had to shuttle away from the ship to get to a place for our friends.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

We are visiting Astoria in May during our B2B cruise. We have friends that live nearby and they are picking us up at port in Astoria to show us around.

My question is, is this a port that we can easier walk off the ship and out of the port area to meet up with our friends? Or, what is the best way to meet up with them at port? Didn't know if we had to shuttle away from the ship to get to a place for our friends.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Yes, it is a very walkable port. We just walked off the ship and then down the trail heading downtown. You should be ale to meet your friends at the port.

One thing to keep in mind is depending on the ship it may not not actually dock. I was on the NCL Jewel and the day we were in port there were two cruise ships in port. The NCL ship docked at the port (Pier 1 in the map), just before the bridge. There was another smaller cruise ship in town and it headed up the river, remained in the river and tendered with the tenders docking right downtown.

We are visiting Astoria in May during our B2B cruise. We have friends that live nearby and they are picking us up at port in Astoria to show us around.

My question is, is this a port that we can easier walk off the ship and out of the port area to meet up with our friends? Or, what is the best way to meet up with them at port? Didn't know if we had to shuttle away from the ship to get to a place for our friends.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Yes, it is a very walkable port. We just walked off the ship and then down the trail heading downtown. You should be ale to meet your friends at the port.

 

One thing to keep in mind is depending on the ship it may not not actually dock. I was on the NCL Jewel and the day we were in port there were two cruise ships in port. The NCL ship docked at the port (Pier 1 in the map), just before the bridge. There was another smaller cruise ship in town and it headed up the river, remained in the river and tendered with the tenders docking right downtown.

The Sun is the only ship in Astoria that day, so it will dock at the pier. There is a parking lot a few steps from the pier that you can meet your friends at.

As SadieN says, this is a very disastrous maritime area. Be prepared that you may miss the port of Astoria altogether.

We were there the end of September and had windy, rainy, rough weather. Our visit to Victoria ended up a closed port, and we weren't even allowed to try and enter Astoria. We just continued to cruise South to San Francisco.

According to our Captain the entrance to Astoria is one of the most dangerous and most often missed ports.

Hope you make it, I was looking forward to Tea at the Flavel House Museum on my Birthday, but alas it was not to be.

Have a great cruise!

As SadieN says, this is a very disastrous maritime area. Be prepared that you may miss the port of Astoria altogether.

 

We were there the end of September and had windy, rainy, rough weather. Our visit to Victoria ended up a closed port, and we weren't even allowed to try and enter Astoria. We just continued to cruise South to San Francisco.

 

According to our Captain the entrance to Astoria is one of the most dangerous and most often missed ports.

 

Hope you make it, I was looking forward to Tea at the Flavel House Museum on my Birthday, but alas it was not to be.

 

 

Have a great cruise!

When we were in Cannon Beach 3 years ago, we went down to Astoria and fell in love with it. There are so many vintage historical buildings and Victorian and Craftsman homes. While we were driving around, we saw three deer walking down the street in a residential neighborhood. We drove to Astoria Column and my husband climbed the stairs while I took pictures of the amazing panoramic views.

We ate at the Red Dog Saloon overlooking the river and saw tourists going by on the trolley.

This time we had a unique experience of having the river pilot dropped from a helicopter onto the ship. We had no idea that the mouth of the river was dangerous or that there had to be a special pilot for the river.

As we left the ship there were tents with all kinds of vendors. We were planning to get the trolley, but ended up on a shuttle, the first thing we saw. When we got to town a short distance away, the shopkeepers were asking, "Is the cruise ship here?" There's a fair amount of excitement when ships arrive.

We had fun on the main street and the one behind it. We window shopped and went in an antique store, where I bought a necklace and a picture. We briefly stopped at the Liberty Theater where they used to show vaudeville movies. It has been nicely restored. It has some beautiful paintings that look like Venice. I read that some locals point out that the water looks like the Columbia River with gondolas! There are docents there to tell the history.

We really like to check the streets. There are some organic restaurants, and we ate in one the last time. This time we visited Marie Antoinette's Parlor in an old bank building for coffee (me) and a cupcake(DH). Unfortunately since then it has closed.

We also visited a nonprofit thrift store named Deja Vu on Duane Street. The upstairs had some new items at very reasonable prices. It's a good place to go if you need more clothes ;) or a jacket. I found a new winter fur-lined coat and wound up packing it and sending it home from the PO. (Even so it was a good deal.) My husband found some new camo slacks with a brand name label. Needless to say we had fun there.

I would have liked to try the Bowpicker this time, but my husband really wanted to go to the Red Dog Saloon for fish & chips. It was pretty good, pretty busy, and the view is nice.

We walked along the river to get back to the ship. It took longer than we expected, but luckily we didn't miss it..

Astoria was a highlight of the cruise for us. If/when we go again, I think we will see the Maritime Museum, that and walk around the main streets again.

As SadieN says, this is a very disastrous maritime area. Be prepared that you may miss the port of Astoria altogether.

 

We were there the end of September and had windy, rainy, rough weather. Our visit to Victoria ended up a closed port, and we weren't even allowed to try and enter Astoria. We just continued to cruise South to San Francisco.

 

According to our Captain the entrance to Astoria is one of the most dangerous and most often missed ports.

 

Hope you make it, I was looking forward to Tea at the Flavel House Museum on my Birthday, but alas it was not to be.

 

Have a great cruise!

The normal procedure for the pilot to board the ship is to winched down from a helicopter above the ship. When I was there on the Jewel, the captain said it was one of only two port he has ever been to where that was common procedure.

On a side, note the odd thing is that on the Jewel the helipad area taken up with with the basketball court. The captain said they have the pilot repelled into the Haven area.

I also like Astoria. Have a great cruise.....

Walk down the trail that goes along the river. Find the Goonies house and take your pictures in front of it.

Just a heads up....If it hasn't already been mentioned on here, the Goonies house is is now closed to the public. The current owners don't want people coming by anymore. Apparently during one of the Goonies festivals, some idiots did damage and it ruined it for everyone. The Old 300 guys said they're not even allowed to say where it is anymore

Does anyone know if there any private tour guides available? DH and I will be there in September on Explorer of the Seas and as of right now, there's really no ship tours of the city itself.

Just did a google search. Lots of info popped up.

'Walking tours Astoria Oregon.'

I was surprised to see this thread resurrected but I have another recommendation for future visitors to Astoria - not an excursion but a book I recently read and wish it had been available in 2012: Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition and Survival by Peter Stark. Amazon's description of the plot:

We will be in Astoria on a Tuesday at the end of May. Why is the bowpicker not open on tuesdays, especially when a big ship is in town. I have emailed them but got no response.

I was surprised to see this thread resurrected but I have another recommendation for future visitors to Astoria - not an excursion but a book I recently read and wish it had been available in 2012: Astoria: John Jacob Astor and Thomas Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire: A Story of Wealth, Ambition and Survival by Peter Stark. Amazon's description of the plot:

 

Astoria

is the thrilling, true-adventure tale of the 1810 Astor Expedition, an epic, now forgotten, three-year journey to forge an American empire on the Pacific Coast. Peter Stark offers a harrowing saga in which a band of explorers battled nature, starvation, and madness to establish the first American settlement in the Pacific Northwest and opened up what would become the Oregon trail, permanently altering the nation's landscape and its global standing.

Thanks:) I'll check it out!

We are considering the Mt. St. Helen's excursion. Anyone have any tips or suggestions on this?

I would recommend doing it via a ship excursion (as opposed to renting a car) -- it is a long day and you don't want to worry about being responsible for getting back to the ship on time. That way you'll also get a tour guide. We were very fortunate in that we had a wonderful guide who was in the area at the time of the eruption.

I would definitely agree with a ship excursion for the responsibility point, as I am willing to pay a reasonable difference for the safety of knowing it's the ship's responsibility to get me back to the ship on their nickle. :) My wife & I were on a cruise last year that was on this same route and enjoyed the cruise very much. As we were waiting at the pier to leave watching the various tour buses coming back and unloading we heard a ships announcement that the bus that had gone to Mt. St. Helens had a problem and we would be waiting for the bus that had been sent to bring the passengers back to come back which would delay our departure about an hour. About an hour came and a bus arrived and a surprising announcement was made. It seemed that there were 52 passengers on the bus that broke down but the company only sent a 48 passenger bus to pick them up! Nobody thought to let the ship know this little glitch so they didn't find out that was the case until the bus arrived back at the pier. Luckily the next day was a sea day and the ship would be able to make up the time lost, so the captain had decided to wait until the tour company sent another bus back to the stranded bus to pick up the remaining 4 passengers. We ended up leaving about 2 hours later than originally scheduled but at least we were able to leave with all of our passengers. I suspect that Captain Tuvo, the Captain of the Princess ship had an interesting discussion with someone from the tour company. Could have been worse, though, that's for sure.

Not trying to cause you worry, just thought I'd tell an Astoria "war story!" :D Heck, we're taking that cruise again this year it was so enjoyable!

Have a great cruise.

Tom