Astoria

Will be stopping at port in Astoria Oregon in September. Doesn't seem like a whole lot there. Suggestions anyone? Tempted to take a wine tasting excursion from ship for the day (we usually just do things independently). Thanks for the input.

The first time we took the HOHO trolley and spent a lot of time at the Maritime Museum which was great. You can find a list of things to do here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60806-Activities-Astoria_Oregon.html

The second time we rented a car and went to Seaside and Cannon Beach to see the haystack rock. There were several cute shops to look at.

Rent a car and take one of two options (or both if you have a full day) -

Head north over the (awesome) mouth of the Columbia River to Cape Disappointment, where there's a terrific Lewis and Clark interpretive center, a couple of lighthouses, and Waikiki Beach (yep.)

Or head south to Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach (Haystack Rock in the distance) -

The first time we took the HOHO trolley and spent a lot of time at the Maritime Museum which was great. You can find a list of things to do here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g60806-Activities-Astoria_Oregon.html

 

The second time we rented a car and went to Seaside and Cannon Beach to see the haystack rock. There were several cute shops to look at.

Who did you rent through? I was thinking of getting a car and doing this. It looks like Enterprise is close to the pier but more expensive

Thanks,

dogdoc2002

The Hertz licensee is pretty good in Astoria.

Astoria is both beautiful and historic - first permanent settlement, end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, etc. There is also a huge craft brewing scene - if you like beer, you're gonna like Astoria.

Depending on how long the port call is, it may be realistic to pick up the car, drive south to Tillamook (stop at the cheese factory for ice cream!) and loop over to the north end of the wine country for a winery or two, then come back up highway 26 and explore a little of Astoria proper, say, the museum and then a beer at Ft George brewery.

We rented from Hertz at the airport. Took a cab to get there, but they told us that we could have made arrangements to pick up the car at the pier. They did let us leave the car at the pier at our leisure. I was a bit nervous about just leaving the car there, but everything went fine.

Who did you rent through? I was thinking of getting a car and doing this. It looks like Enterprise is close to the pier but more expensive

Thanks,

dogdoc2002

We rented from Enterprise. They were too swamped to pick us up and they were closed when we turned the car back in, but they reimbursed us taxi fare both ways (I think it was either $6 or $8 dollars each way). At the time they were the cheapest and included the pick-up/drop-off ( or in this case taxi fares)

I was just there a few weeks ago.

The downtown area is very nice. It is charming and there are things to do including a nice museum.

I would enjoy the town and I want to say the locals are some of the nicest people we have ever met.

Keith

The Astor column went through a restoration last year. I vaguely recall walking up to the top of it on a vacation in grade school. Really want to drive out there this summer to see it again.

Don't try to see the Goonie house: the current owners have not been welcoming to the point it made the news.

We are booked on a tour to Cannon beach. Is this a good choice? Thanks, Jean.

We've now booked the River ecotour that somoene on our roll call started. It's slated from 10-1, but we don't leave port until 6. Any suggestions on other things to do in town? I'd like to find the Goonies house and the column, but doesn't appear to be an easy way there (about an hour walk each way to the column from the pier per Google maps). I see there's a trolley, as well as the maritime museum (we've done a couple of the maritime museums here in the Great Lakes area, not sure how interested the rest of the group will be in this).

Any lunch suggestions, besides going back onboard? Three of the group love seafood, 1 can eat fish but not shellfish

Thanks,

dogdoc2002

We found the Columbia River Maritime Museum extremely interesting both times we visited it.

I wish I could remember its name, but three years ago we had an excellent lunch at a brewpub located about half-way between the CRMM and the port. We walked to the museum, then walked back to the brew-pub. But after lunch we just caught the trolley back to the port.

We are booked on a tour to Cannon beach. Is this a good choice? Thanks, Jean.

With a tour to Cannon Beach I imagine you will get to see Haystack Rock. I'd be shocked if you didn't. The Oregon coast is a beautiful place to be. Lots of scenery up and down 101.

For lunch, go to the Bowpicker for fish and chips. Across the street from the maritime museum.

For lunch, go to the Bowpicker for fish and chips. Across the street from the maritime museum.

It's a Bowpicker boat on a trailer in the middle of a dirt and grass lot. Can't miss it, there's always a line. A food boat not a food truck. http://www.bowpicker.com

Josephson's Smoke house is also good.

Several brew pubs

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We found the Columbia River Maritime Museum extremely interesting both times we visited it.

I second the recommendation. Fascinating museum.

Museum is great. Lots of bars/pubs/eateries to explore also. Renting a car is a good option as well. You can always go check out the wreck of the Peter Iredale if you are into that. Have a walk along the beach, it is beautiful!

We are booked on a tour to Cannon beach. Is this a good choice? Thanks, Jean.

The tour to Cannon Beach should be a good choice. Your driver will most likely stop at pull-outs along the coast highway for views of the ocean.

Cannon Beach is a lovely small coastal town, picturesque, with blocks of shops, galleries and restaurants. There is even a small-town hardware store that sells hot dogs and microbrews! Haystack Rock is a huge coastal "haystack" that is located on the south end of the downtown area. You can walk out to the rock and enjoy the tidepools. Often there are marine biologists and volunteers who will educate on the marine ecosystem, birds and marine mammals. The entire Oregon coast is public, unlike many other states that restrict ocean access and allow private ownership of the tidelands.

We enjoy Bill's Tavern and Brewhouse for lunch. Fish and chips and chowders are very good. http://billstavernandbrewhouse.com/

Here's the website for the hardware store (Cannon Beach Hardware and Public House) http://www.cannonbeachhardware.com/

We've now booked the River ecotour that somoene on our roll call started. It's slated from 10-1, but we don't leave port until 6. Any suggestions on other things to do in town? I'd like to find the Goonies house and the column, but doesn't appear to be an easy way there (about an hour walk each way to the column from the pier per Google maps). I see there's a trolley, as well as the maritime museum (we've done a couple of the maritime museums here in the Great Lakes area, not sure how interested the rest of the group will be in this).

Any lunch suggestions, besides going back onboard? Three of the group love seafood, 1 can eat fish but not shellfish

Thanks,

dogdoc2002

Astoria is a hillside town, and the Column is at the TOP. It would be a very ambitious walk (actually a climb), but amazing views if you can get there.

As mentioned earlier, the current owners of the Goonies house "shut it down" last year and people are really discouraged from still trying to visit. For an alternative, there's a small film museum of movies made in Oregon. It's housed in the old county jail, which you'd recognize from the movie. It's priced right for its size at $6pp, and the riverfront trolley could get you close if you're on foot.

http://www.oregonfilmmuseum.com/page/14

Does the trolley have a pick up location located near the cruise pier?

Does the trolley have a pick up location located near the cruise pier?

Route 11 stop there while ships are in port. http://portofastoria.com/Pier_Side_Activities.aspx

For future reference or searches - add to the list of things to see/do Fort Clatsop just outside of town. Very good history of the Lewis & Clark Expedition and boggles the mind to think of living in the small cabins through month after month after month of rain the winter they were there. If driving the coast stop and see the salt works at Seaside that they set up for making salt to preserve meat for the trip back east.

Does the trolley have a pick up location located near the cruise pier?

Astoria's port website for cruisers with shuttle info:

http://www.portofastoria.com/Pier_Side_Activities.aspx

Astoria's trolley:

http://www.old300.org/

:)

Route 11 stop there while ships are in port. http://portofastoria.com/Pier_Side_Activities.aspx

 

For future reference or searches - add to the list of things to see/do Fort Clatsop just outside of town. Very good history of the Lewis & Clark Expedition and boggles the mind to think of living in the small cabins through month after month after month of rain the winter they were there. If driving the coast stop and see the salt works at Seaside that they set up for making salt to preserve meat for the trip back east.

Thank you for your response. I am very interested in going to Fort Clatsop. How far is it from the cruise pier? I am wondering if we could get a taxi to take us there if it's not too far. We are a group of six adults.

5-1/4 miles out of town just off Business 101. Or about a mile straight south of the Astoria Airport. I checked the bus schedules and route 15 stops at the Fred Meyer store in Warrenton - about 2.5 miles from the historical Park.

Bus Info

Thanks so much!