Astoria for kids

We had originally planned to purchase a excursion that takes you to cannon beach through RCI. But it sold out. I understand there is a car rental you can purchase. Maybe it is enterprise. And that the drive is an hour each way. I was wondering if we decided to not rent a car and do something around the pier, is there anything that would interest 6 year old twins. I am nervous that something may happen and we miss the ship. If we were to take our chances and rent a car, how long is the walk to the rental facility from the pier. Is there a enterprise pick up anywhere?

Thanks

Enterprises entire business model is based around 'we come get you' so they should come to the pier. Distance from pier depends which pier you're stopping at. The main one is convenient for historic downtown, the wee trolley that takes you along waterfront to old cannery/maritime museum etc. If there are 2 ships, the other I think is much further away and not really walkable anywhere if you're wrangling kids - the port's cruise schedule can be found here, it should confirm if you're there by yourselves and which pier.

Things the kids will like? Have they seen Goonies? If so, the Oregon Film Museum is a slam-dunk - it's in the building that was the jail in the movie and most of their exhibits are Goonie-related. Various other movies too - Kindergarten Cop and Free Willy seem the likeliest to be relevant to young kids.

Do they like boats? The maritime museum isn't just full of boring historical stuff, but has some specifically-kid-oriented exhibits and the whole section about the Columbia Bar pilots is pretty cool with videos of some ridonkulous ship-boarding-in-horrible-conditions antics and examples of the assorted equipment they've used throughout the years. Good fish & chips in the Bowpicker across the carpark too.

If they actually do like historical stuff, the local historic society runs 3 museums in old buildings. I'd guess the firefighting one is most likely to be interesting to 6-year-olds - but the Flavel House was another filming location for Goonies too.

The Astoria Column gives great views and kids of all ages seem to enjoy tossing the little balsa airplanes they sell in the giftshop from the top of the column! It's a bit of schlep up the hill if you're on foot, but a total no-brainer if you do rent a car.

Pier 39 has a Rogue public house for the legal drinkers (housemade root beer for youngsters) and is usually a good Sea Lion spot - there's another resto too whose name I forget that has a glass floor you can watch them through as there are usually quite a few around except in the dead of winter. The pier is pretty cool to just look at - a long walk over an old wooden pier to the end where the cannery building is (there's actually a small boutique hotel here now).

If you do rent a car, I say forget Cannon Beach which is a twee little coastal spot (it's pretty enough, but unless the weather is suitable and your kids would enjoy building sand castles there's going to be two very stroppy youngsters annoying you 'cos there's nothing to do other than shop or eat), and instead head south to Fort Clatsop - a rebuilt replica of Lewis & Clark's winter home once they reached the left coast. probably you're visiting off-peak so not so many costumed interpreters around, but the outfits for kids to dress up as expedition members will be available regardless.

Don't forget the firehouse museum.

Take the trolley to the end and watch it turn around ;)

The Maritime Museum is very good. Usually there are Coast Guard ships at their dock open for tours. Across the way from here is the BowPicker. A small boat in a trailer in an empty lot serving excellent fish and chips.

Walk the streets. It's a very compact town to walk.

Google Astoria. Lots of info there.

Oh my goodness, Wow. What great information !!!! Thank you.

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