the Oregon
coast.

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center

Park here, but save the museum for the last stop. Great little museum, quick to see, about the area, its history and the Lewis & Clark expedition. The balcony has amazing views.

Cape Disappointment Lighthouse

Walk out from the L&C center — about 15 min, with a fairly good climb for part of it. Oldest lighthouse on the West Coast, looking out over the Columbia bar, the “Graveyard of the Pacific” (literally).

Deadman's Cove

Off the lighthouse trail. Worth the scramble down and the climb back out.

North Head Lighthouse

Worth the quick drive and walk even if you just did the other lighthouse. Easier walk, no real climb. Or if you're staying in the area — this is the place to come for a sunset!

Cranberry Museum

More gift shop than museum, but you can walk around a working cranberry bog.

Long Beach

Long Beach has a nice boardwalk just off the beach and some good shops; Marsh's is the interesting one, with lots of weird stuff to look at.

Pearl Inn Bed & Breakfast

A great place to stay for a night in the area.

Astoria Column

Good climb up a spiral staircase for views of the area. Probably lower on my list of things to do.

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Genuinely amazing museum — shipwrecks, the Coast Guard, and the story of the Columbia River bar, a.k.a. the “Graveyard of the Pacific.”

Riverwalk & Frite & Scoop

Optionally walk along the Astoria Riverwalk. Nice stop for ice cream at Frite & Scoop.

Pier 39 & Hanthorn Cannery Museum

An interesting old cannery on the pier — shops and a small hotel now. Depending on how busy it is, you can drive right out onto the pier via a slightly sketchy bridge. The cannery museum is quick and free. Sea lions sometimes hang out here, but we didn't see any last time.

Wreck of the Peter Iredale

An old shipwreck from the early 1900s, half-buried in the sand. Last time we were there you could drive on the beach near here, which is kind of fun!

Battery Russell

Really cool WWII fortification — multi-level and fully open (free) to explore. Dark rooms, a bit creepy, great for hide-and-seek when the kids were little. Apparently it's the only military base in the continental U.S. that got fired on by a foreign enemy in WWII (a Japanese sub).

Cannon Beach & Haystack Rock

The Goonies car-race beach. Walk the sand — this is where we had our sneaker-wave experience — and check out Haystack Rock. There are tide pools, but better ones at the next stop. Nice area to walk around and check out the shops. Very busy around here so parking can be tricky, though the end of August shouldn't be as bad.

Where to Eat

Pelican Brewing for fish and chips, or the Wayfarer for a nicer dinner.

♥ Thanks to M & K for the recommendation!

Indian Beach, Ecola State Park

Walk down to the beach and head for the rocky/boulder areas to the south — great tide pools if you time it right with the tide. Way better than Cannon Beach for this. This is also the “La Push” beach from Twilight. And the drive out there is really fun.

Short Sand Beach, Oswald West

Nice walk through the old-growth forest to a cove where a stream runs into the ocean. Tide pools at low tide.

♥ Thanks to M & K for this one too!

Tillamook Creamery

This is a bit out of the way compared to the other sites. Self-guided “tour” (more of a viewing platform with placards to read than a museum). Free cheese samples. The cafe has amazing grilled cheese sandwiches and all the good Tillamook ice cream, of course!