This is the first post in a series of Staycation Day Trips we will be featuring over the next several months. All day trip destinations will be in Oregon or Washington, less than a 3 hour drive from the greater Portland area. The activities will be fun, frugal, and family-friendly.
My husband and I love taking day trips from our home base in Gresham, Oregon, exploring this crazy, beautiful backyard called the Pacific NW. I can’t get enough of it. If money is tight and vacations have been cut, consider playing tourist in your own state.
Day trips are a great way to do this. They hold all the fun without all of the commitment, planning, and expense of overnight stays. Plus, you get to sleep in your own bed at the end of the day.
A few weeks ago, The Oregonian ran an article titled, North Coast, Family Style. Whether you have a family or not, this is a great resource for fun, frugal activities to do on the north coast, an easy drive from the Portland area. I cut it out and highlighted all of the places we have already checked out. We are planning to work our way through the rest of their list.
Astoria didn’t make the cut for the very good reason that it isn’t on the coast (although I think it technically considers itself part of the north coast). For this same reason, it often gets overlooked when we are thinking of easy, interesting day trips west of Portland. But it is packed with great things to see and do. Here are a few ideas, based on a day trip my family of four took last October.
My husband and I make travel plans around bakeries. I am not even joking. It is a habit we got into during a trip to Europe, and we have never looked back. When you kick off your day with hot coffee and fresh pastries, things are bound to go well.
We left Portland as soon as we scooped our sleepy babes from their beds. We parked our car outside the Maritime Museum and walked a short distance up the hill. First stop: The Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe. They have a laid back vibe, big tables, kids play area, and delicious breads and pastries. We ate breakfast at a sun drenched table, finished our coffees while our daughter made friends at the play kitchen, and grabbed a loaf of bread to go.
Then, we headed back to the Columbia River Maritime Museum. I had heard a lot about this place but had never been inside. The tickets are a bit spendy, but the museum is nicely done, and we enjoyed our time. And that is saying a lot, considering we are not big museum people and we have two young children. Anyway, I thought it was money well spent. I am still in awe of bar pilots.
Admission also covers a self-guided tour through the Lightship Columbia.
Lunch. Remember that loaf of bakery bread? Another Europe-on-the-cheap carryover for a simple picnic. We add sliced meat and cheese, fruit pieces and cookies from home. It is a frugal and filling lunch that is easy to pack and clean up. We ate this one on a bench outside the museum, watching the river traffic.
Next stop: The Astoria Riverfront Trolley. For a buck, you can ride roundtrip (about an hour). Along the way, you enjoy a beautiful view of the river accompanied by a funny, folksy commentary from the trolley volunteers.
The track runs along the river, giving you great views at an easy pace. You could hop out at different stops to walk along the Astoria Riverwalk or stop at one of the riverfront restaurants. There are 9 stops along the line, but according to their website, you can flag down the trolley with a one dollar bill. Try that in downtown Portland.
When we rode past this great little park underneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge, I saw a woman sitting on a bench in the sunshine, reading a book and eating her lunch. I want to be that woman someday.
Speaking of the Bridge, they have this cool event on October 2nd called the Great Columbia Crossing, a 10k run/walk. This event fills up quickly and is definitely on my short list of things-to-do-someday.
Here are a few other nearby attractions worth checking out:
Leave a comment! What did I miss? Any activities or restaurants would you recommend in the Astoria area?
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Wow…your pics look much nicer than mine (you actually have sun in yours!). We just got home from, what was supposed to be, a weekend camping trip at Ft. Stevens. Lemme tell ya, camping with 3 kids in the pouring down rain…not so fun! Hoping that camping there next month will be with better weather!
I live in Damascus, and I too love love love Astoria! We had so much fun at the Columbia Maritime Museum (yes, have seen the river bar pilots movie…….oooooooooohhhhh, seasick!) We have family in Seaside, and I can spend a weekend at the beach for a family of 5 for $100.00 by budgeting the fun (including dinner out at our favorite restaurant). And the Astoria pool, a mini version of the Clackamas Aquatic Park, is a deal for the whole family at only $10.50 (last time we went). The trolley is a favorite, Fort Stevens and we MUST NOT FORGET THE SHIPWRECK of the Peter Iredale at Fort Stevens Park. What great family photos we have of the kids climbing on the 1906 relic!
One summer we explored Long Beach, just north of Astoria, and that was a delightful experience! Ilwaco and the lighthouses and Cape Disappointment are all there, but so is Oysterville, where my beloved finally got me to try home grown smoked oysters—and they were good! (I don’t normally like oysters, they taste like mud to me) We drove around the whole little peninsula, stayed there overnight cheaply, and explored a church over 100 years old (darling!) and one of my favorite guilty pleasures…….prowling around a pioneer cemetary looking for the oldest grave or the most interesting epitaph. We found one at the northernmost tip, where pioneers were buried right alongside revered and respected native americans and honored them with monuments highlighting their lives. My husband’s best friend thot I was weird for wanting to prowl there, but once we were done, he wanted to go find another pioneer cemetary to explore! I haven’t read any travel books about Long Beach, I bet there’s more to see, I just know we enjoyed impromptu “What can we find here” travel that weekend.
The Astoria Sunday Market is amazing! If you go on Sunday, that is one stop you must take. They have really good food, fresh produce, nursery’s that sell plants and trees at wholesale prices. NEAT!
I just love your posts that show everyone how much you enjoy your life without it being all about money. We get to live in a beautiful part of the world and we get to enjoy so many great things — like a wonderful picnic on a sunny day. thanks for the reminder to have a good attitude 😉
Someone mentioned the lighthouses in Ilwaco…if you plan to go up the lighthouse you need actual shoes as they will not let you up in sandals and you child has to be 8+, we found that horribly disappointing one year! Its been 15 years or better since I’ve been to the column so I dont recall if they have similar rules, but I wouldn’t try bringing any child whose not use to walking because there are a ton of stairs and it would be horribly difficult and unsafe to try carrying someone! You can get dizzy walking through there! Just a heads up! 😉
I also recommend coffenberry lake and fort stevens, they were such great places to visit when we were kids!
We also love Astoria. Just driving around looking at the homes is fun to do.
If you do choose to stay, the Hotel Elliot is amazing. It is not necessarily cheap or frugal, but you can watch for specials. I love that they have a sitting area on the roof that over looks the water. They also have gas fire pits up there. Great place to drink wine and watch the sunset. But look at all the cheap things Emily listed you can do after you pay for that nice hotel. 🙂
We lived in Astoria for 10 years and love it there. Glad to see it highlighted here 🙂
There is also a great playground at Tapiola Park (next to the high school), as well as a great skatepark right next door.
This year is Astoria’s bicentennial, so there will be quite a few events surrounding that through the summer. You can find more at http://www.astoria200.org
Astoria is great! I didn’t know that about the trolley, will definitely have to check it out next time. I love the loose leaf tea shop in the downtown area. Less than a half hour away is beautiful Cape Dissapointment. I LOVE that place. The view from both trails that head to the lighthouse (there are two lighthouses in the vicinity, this is the one further from Lewis and Clark, I forget the name) is AMAZING. The lighthouse itself does tours and is always staffed by the most wonderful volunteers. I love it so much, I made sure to book a camping trip there later this summer.
I love, love, love Astoria and have done the Great Columbia Crossing across the Astoria-Megler Bridge for several years now (mainly because I challenged myself and my fear of heights). You meet at the school and they bus you over to the Washington side and then you walk back to the Oregon side. I highly recommend it. Following the walk we had delicious clam chowder and beer. I also have found yummy treats at a great Astoria Bakery called Home Bakery. Delicious!
I recommend going up in the Astoria Column (great views!), visiting the Flavel House and the Hertitage Museum and the Maritime Museums. Also Pier 11 have lunch because that is where they filmed part of Kindergarten Cop, and they have great food!
I love you for posting this!! NEED MORE! Our family loves fun, inexpensive day trips!! What an awesome post!!
Don’t forget the wonderful galleries and the First Saturdays Artwalk in Astoria. Though this might be more interesting to children 12 and older. Lightbox Photographic is one of my family’s favorites (probably because we have fine art photographer in our family). They have hosted gallery showings of world renowned photographers. The owners Chelsea and Michael Granger are great and very easy to talk to and ask questions.
I live in Astoria and want to let you guys know about the annual Regatta week. It is always a huge event but this year is also celebrating Astoria’s 200th birthday with boat races, parade, car show, skate board and softball tournaments,boat parade, fireworks, festival square, Reba McEntire…
forgot to give you the website and dates
August 10th to 14th (okay not a week)
http://www.astoriaregatta.org/
I suggest Drina Daisy restaurant. Bosnian comfort food and really nice folks. Bosnian food is not something you’ll easily find in Portland. Located downtown at915 Commercial Street.
http://www.drinadaisy.com/ (watch out for the music on their webpage)
I love the Astoria area also-have been many times, but always like to hear others suggestions about where to go-so love the idea of this travel series!! Thanks Jessica for local eating places and I too love to go to bakeries-so have noted that recommenda- tion also Emily.
The Astoria Column-see link above: Another neat thing about that to note-is the paintings that go in a circle all the way around it up to the top-shows the local history chronologically. I thought that was fascinating.
Also Natalie mentioned the Battery Russel (by Ft Stevens and Peter Iredale)-I highly recommend this. It is largely still intact-so is fascinating to wander around. My son-who loves anything military enjoys it also. I think any age would. They have an optional tour of an underground part, I haven’t done yet-but sounds good too. Also one time we we lucky to go there when they were staging a reenactment-in period costume and many artifacts from the war (WW II if I remember right).
Isn’t the park also where they have the civil war reenactment yearly? That is on my to do list someday. They have them at a few other places in oregon too.
Yes, Champoeg State Park just had an reenactment for the 150 year anniversary of the Civil War.
Darn I missed another one! That would have been really nice being the 150th anniversary year too. Did you see it?
The reenactment is on labor day weekend every year. Really neat!
If you’re planning a trip to Astoria and it DOES rain on your outdoor-fun-ideas (it’s been known to happen!)… you can always bring your kids to the Port of Play at Gray School. The large gym offers bikes & ride-on toys, a bounce house, tumbling mats, and a whole lot more =) Here’s a link to their website for all of the information:
http://www.astoriaparks.com/portofplay.html
Thanks for the tip. I also read about, but forgot to mention, the Uppertown Firefighters Museum. It sounds like a fun collection along with a childrens play area.
Anyone been here?
We love Astoria. Kids can earn a different junior ranger badge at every location that is part of Lewis and Clark National Park.
We stayed at the Holiday Inn that is right under the bridge. Ask for a room on an upper floor with a view of the bridge traffic. We had a great time sitting with our binoculars watching ships navigate the channel.
I’ve heard there is a public pool that is cool as well, but we didn’t try it, and there is a tower you can walk up and thrown airplanes from the top.
We did the Rogue Brewery for lunch. Not a bargain, but the kids’ meals do come served in free frisbees!
Thank you for highlighting Astoria. It is a gem that my family visits often.
One thing I would include on your list of things to do is drive around the hills and take in some amazing architecture. If you have older children, say about 10 and up, we love to go to Shanghaied in Astoria. Google it! It’s an institution!
Since we live in St. Helens, we always take little trips to Astoria and I just can’t say enough about their farmer’s market that happens on Sunday. This is a -fabulous- experience, where they close down quite a few of the downtown streets and it’s just vendor, after vendor, after vendor. They have local produce, local crafts, and delicious yummy eats. Parking is a -pain- to find, but it is always worth it.
I also think you can’t take a trip to Astoria without stopping to see the Peter Iredale right there at Fort Stevens. Some day, time and the elements will finally wear away this unusual treasure, and it’s neat to get pictures of it from years ago and compare it to what you see today. We always take my daughter there for her July birthday.
Coffenbury Lake is a nice place for a picnic, though do remember to bring your bug spray.
I am from Astoria, but don’t live there anymore, so I love that you posted this!
Don’t forget that you can take a self guided tour to all of the movie locations that were filmed there also. Kindergaten Cop at Astor School, The Goonies at the old jail and “the goonies” house near Astor School. Also The Ring, Free Willy, Short Circuit, etc.
A lot of the locals like The Pig-n-Pancake.
And I suggest T Paul’s Urban Cafe for salads, pasta, quesadillas and a great atmosphere! For a good burger and a licorice milkshake go to a walk up place called Custard King.
For the best fish and chips go to the Bowpicker right across from the Maritime Museum.
People also love driving out to the jetty or Sunset beach or Peter Iredale where the old ship remains are on the beach.
A not so frugal place to shop, but totally unique and awesome: Vintage Hardware! Handbuilt, handmade house items, my favorite store!
One more free idea would be to go to the East Mooring Basin to see all of the sea lions stretched out on the boat docks! Kids love this too!
Astoria is such a wonderful and beautiful place to go!
I was going to suggest the same thing. The last tme I was in Astoria I loved finding lots of my favorite scenes from Goonies and Kindergarden Cop!
I am from the area too, but now live in PDX. On top of your suggestions I would add.
•Ft. George Brewery(right next to the blue scorcher) has AMAZING beer and you can get a growler or jar of it to take home. All ages.
•The Flavel House
•Battery Russel (by Ft Stevens and Peter Iredale)
Astoria is a lovely place to explore! One place I enjoyed is The Flavel House museum. http://www.oldoregon.com/visitor-info/entry/flavel-house-museum/
Also somewhere I picked up a walking tour (I think at the Flavel House) of some lovely old houses. For our family no trip to Astoria is complete without going up to the Astoria Column.
And a fun cafe we enjoyed is The Wet Dog Cafe, http://www.wetdogcafe.com/
Thank you SO much! We are going to astoria this weekend on a family camping trip and were trying to find fun and inexpensive activities. Perfect timing! 🙂
My boys and I did a day trip to Astoria last year too. Loved it and thought the museum was awesome. I was homeschooling at the time so we were working on the Lewis and Clark trail and that is why we planned a trip to Fort Clatsop. My boys were so excited they even dressed up in period costumes for the trip to the Fort. Another thing to check out in Astoria is the Goonie house. The movie the Goonies was filmed there in the 80’s.
Rebecca,
We just went to Fort Clatsop and Fort Stevens last week. I agree, my boys had a blast. We also had to make a stop at the Goonie’s house! 🙂
Your photos come out so lovely, can I ask you what kind of camera you use? I’m just about ready to purchase a new one and would love to have a suggestion. I need to be able to take awesome pictures because my first grandbaby is coming in 2 months! 🙂
Thanks! I took these with my “old” Canon Powershot. I now use a Canon Rebel. I love it, but it is pretty large/expensive with more shooting options than most people (myself included) use.
There are so many great point & shoot digital cameras on the market right now. Pay attention to the megapixel #. The higher the number, the higher the quality/clarity of your pics. Hope that helps!
Thanks so much for all the great info, Emily!!