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Astoria Oregon
Astoria Oregon, 3 days, July More
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Astoria, well honestly, we didn't spend too much time here. I know most
people would be upset at us but there is always next time. And more than
likely we will visit again but only in July, which is the best month to
travel through Oregon and Washington. Typically it is the month with the
least amount of rainfall and highest average temperature of about 66 degrees
Fahrenheit. And honestly, us Floridians can't take much cold. Yes, 66
degrees is cold. Although we spent our time along the Pacific Coast, Astoria
is more than the beach. The historic and beautifully scenic Columbia River
travels from far inland and exits into the Pacific Ocean in Astoria, Oregon.
Above: Astoria-Megler Bridge spans the mouth of the Columbia
River. It is a continuous truss bridge between Astoria, Oregon and Point
Ellice which is near Megler, Washington. At 4.1 miles long it is the longest
continuous truss bridge in North America.
Astoria is an important seaport in the Pacific Northwest as well as an
area known for its grunge music. You shouldn't have a problem finding
live music most nights of the week. And so while taking in the scenery
and destinations dress cozy, casual and comfortable. The most common spots
to visit while in the city of Astoria is the Columbia River Maritime Museum,
the Astoria Column, and the Victorian-style Flavel House where the movie
"The Goonies" was filmed. Also take a quick walk around downtown.
There are lots of coffee shops in this area and good pastries at Danish
bakeries due to the Scandinavian influences.
Above: The Peter Iredale can be seen up close and personal on
the beaches of Fort Stevens State Park, about 15 minutes from downtown
Astoria. After 105 plus years in the harsh elements of the Pacific Northwest
it's remains still exists.
I am not that much of a history buff but I really wanted to visit Fort
Stevens for one reason only. The Peter Iredale. Fort Stevens State Park
is about 10 miles west of Astoria on the Pacific Ocean. The fort was the
primary military defense at the mouth of the Columbia River. It first
served during the Civil War and closed at the end of World War II, a total
of 84 years. Today, Fort Stevens is a 3,700 acre park offering recreational
opportunities, nature and an exploration of history. Speaking of history,
the Peter Iredale was a steel barge vessel with four masts. In the early
morning hours in October of 1906 it ran ashore while en route to the Columbia
River. Amazingly, there are still remnants of the ship on shore.
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Below: Picnic dinner at Ecola State Park just north of Cannon
Beach. I was nervous driving the narrow and winding road to get to this
vantage point but it is worth it. The trails here are part of the Lewis
and Clark National Historic Trail. During low tide you can explore the
tide pools.
Traveling south down the coast about 25 miles from Astoria is the very
cute and flourishing town of Cannon Beach. This is a popular tourist destination
that's surrounded by natural and rugged beauty of the ocean, rivers and
forests. The weather was beautiful, finally blue skies, and the tourists
and flowers were in full swing. Although it was crowded we got lucky and
was able to park in the lot at the visitor's center. We gathered up some
pamphlets and got some information before heading out. My only complaint
was the price of food in an overly crowded, shabby, screen door-slamming
joint. We paid $7 for 2 oz. of bland crab meat in a plastic cup. So to
make my stomach less miserable I just drank a carbonated beverage. Taking
our time it took us about four hours touring the streets, visiting every
art gallery, souvenir shop and the local candy store. Afterwards we drove
to Ecola State Park where we walked some trails overlooking the ocean.
We fixed dinner for ourselves on the hill top overlooking Haystack Rock
and Cannon Beach. We had a beautiful scenic day in and around Astoria
Oregon.
This page is part of a 20 day, 2,866 mile, Vanabode trip.
See van camping Nevada Washington Oregon Canada for an overview of this particular trip.
Visit travel destinations for our master list of 100's of cool places visited that we have reviews on.
Vanabode travel and live anywhere in America on $20 a day including food, lodging and transportation.
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