Lived in Astoria 5 years now, the library has met my expectations. Staff has always been pleasant,…read morehelpful and resourceful, even during the difficult 'temporary' building while the remodel was underway. The remodel is gorgeous; artwork tasteful and local. I feel some of the space is wasted, but perhaps they're just waiting for new ideas. Lots of events scheduled, mainly for kids. Private rooms of various sizes available for use for meetings, study groups. Ample computer workstations, which I use on occasion. If you're like me, I cant afford to keep a working printer at home due to ridiculous ink cartridge prices, so on the rare occasion I need to print I put it on a stick and head to the library. Unlike WA libraries, where printing is free, they charge a modest amount, $.20 for B/W and $.50 for color. I was disappointed that the current printer cannot do double-sided. they have a self service pay station which is buggy. I entered a job for 8 color prints, I logged in to the station, pulled up my job, put money in the thingy, and immediately the printer started spewing out someones resume (not my stuff). The librarian was able to help me. The color prints are not very good for $.50 a pop. Anyway, I'm excited for the library, I'm going to try to start using LIBBY for digital books via Astoria Public Library.

Loud people. I'm talking about the employees. I thought it was appropriate to lower your voice in…read morelibraries. It wasn't just one employee. Lower your voices.

Sure wish they would stop yapping at the front desk all the time. I get greeting folks who come in,…read morebut letting them stand there for 10+ minutes to shoot the shit is more than a little disruptive. I come here to get out of the house away from any distractions so that I can get writing done. Pretty bad that I have to wear earplugs and headphones at a LIBRARY. Otherwise it's a nice location and environment. Just keep in mind that it isn't any quieter than a typical office job environment.

Very modern looking library, especially compared to the others in the area. Five stars for an…read moreawesome children's area. I love how it's separated into its own area and has so much more than books. A puppet theater area, large stuffed animals, puzzles, toys, computers, etc. Large selection of Spanish books. They have a weekly story time on Wednesday mornings geared towards the preschool crowd. Large parking lot with plenty of parking. Located near all the Seaside attractions (Boardwalk, shops, restaurants, outlet center, etc.).

Amazing quality library in our own backyard! The librarian is knowledgeable and helpful. They…read moresupport the community and are in touch with its needs.

This is a very quaint little library that does an awesome job. ALL of their staff & volunteers are…read moreabove and beyond. Their dedication is what makes this little place such a gem on the coast. Wonderful children's programs, great reading advice, a constant book sale, free magazines, Internet, and peace and tranquility make this one of my favourite libraries. It is always so refreshing to see some of the local children not only use the library for their studies, but also volunteer by cleaning, organizing, etc. These special children restore my faith in today's youth. Smart, polite, and goal oriented reflections of solid parenting and values.

A must-see when visiting Astoria and nearby areas! We recently visited on a Thursday afternoon at…read morethe end of July. Boy, the Oregon Coast is so busy during the summer months. We don't frequent the beach during summer months for this reason. We prefer spring and fall seasons. This was a special occasion, so we made an exception. We were celebrating a birthday and booked a room at the McMenamins Gearhart Hotel. We stopped here on the way for the beautiful views from above. There was a short line to get into the park when we arrived. There's a $10 fee to park. They have restrooms, a gift shop, and plenty of areas to picnic. The grounds were clean. It was so busy during this visit, we decided to skip the 164 step spiral staircase climb to the top of the column. Instead, we walked around, took in the view, and admired the artwork depicted on the outside of the column. It was a gorgeous day to enjoy the outdoors. I would highly recommend stopping for a visit when in the area!

163 internal stairs and 12 external for a total of 175 steps. The views are fantastic, staff was…read morefriendly and the park was nice. We even saw an urban deer! Cost is $10 for an annual parking pass, and the pass is also a good to admit one person to the heritage museum. There isn't an individual admission. Accessibility wise... lacking severely. I get it it's 100 year old observation tower... they aren't going to hoist you with a crane, but someone who needs a wheelchair can't even get to the bottom of the column to admire the beautiful art on the outside. They also have some nice chairs spread around the park at parking level for those that want to take in the view from the ground, and picnic tables.... again we couldn't find any that were accessible. Leave grandma and anyone who isnt super steady on your feet in the car. Inside, is dangerous! No one to direct traffic, and unlike every other lighthouse or observation tower they don't have any stair etiquette or guidance posted. (Stay to the right, let down traffic pass first etc) there also isn't any inside hand rails. In the tower could also use a hose down and a bit of maintenance. Also, what is up with encouraging people to throw wooden gliders off the top of the tower? Oregon is a strange place.

If this is the same as the Visitor Center at 2nd & N. Spruce streets, then it earns 5 stars for…read moreservice, friendliness, and helpfulness. I didn't catch their names, however both folks who were working Thursday, October 12th were kind and even printed the state parks pass we bought online so we could visit Ecola Beach SP. We couldn't ask for better ambassadors for the town.

There are always friendly and knowledgeable staff who have great recommendations. Even on a busy…read moreweekend they take the time to answer all of your questions. Jim in particular went the extra mile and helped us with an unusual challenge. Thanks to the great staff at the visitors center!!

One of the better preserved old forts on the west coast. You can explore the fort's various…read morebatteries and buildings (not all are open to the public), as well as walk along scenic trails. Be wary of disc golfers though! Nice visitor center with a lot of historical information.

Fort Stevens is the campground for people adverse to "roughing it". There are seemingly more RV…read moresites than "traditional" tent camping ones, complete with electrical and plumbing hookups. Not to mention rentable yurts and cabins, (hot!) showers, (relatively) clean restroom facilities, and even a firewood delivery service, right to your campsite! Fort Stevens is also massive: miles of hikeable/bikeable trails, sandy beaches, a lake with a boat ramp, a shipwreck, a disc golf course, a military history museum (and gift shop), and several abandoned military installations and batteries to hike and explore. There's more to see and do here than can be experienced in a single camping trip, and after more than a half dozen visits to the park, I'm still discovering new secrets! Also, keep an eye on the various post boards around the park, in which special events, such as storybook readings, put on by the Friends of Fort Stevens, occur on many a summer night. As I mentioned earlier, this is camping only in the loosest sense of the word, in that you're sleeping outside (well, if you're not in an RV, yurt or cabin). The campsites are relatively small, and close together, but that is also part of the charm, particularly for children: they're all but guaranteed to make some new friends during your stay here, as there will be rugrats running around, skating, riding bikes, exploring, and likely yelling and screaming all around you, for as long as the daylight persists. Intimacy and privacy does not exist here. There are better places to camp in the Pacific Northwest, particularly for those who desire privacy, serenity, an escape from noise and the presence of others, and a place to commune with and be surrounded by nature (and nature only). Those places exist, but Fort Stevens is not one of them. Despite all that, I have a sentimental attachment to this place, thanks to childhood memories of camping here in my youth. Now, I'm hoping to impart similar memories on my children. Fort Stevens may not be *for* everyone, but it *has something* for everyone. If you can't see that, go get lost in the woods elsewhere.

Cannon Beach is one of the coastal areas that's a favorite amongst Portlanders. And I can see…read morewhy--it's a great town. I'd never been there until last month, but have long wanted to go; when I was growing up we really only visited the central coast. Cannon is a more... I guess upscale beach locale is the best way to put it. Some of the towns along the coast can feel run down, cheap, or inundated with souvenir shops or silly attractions. In Cannon Beach, the attraction is the beach and Haystack Rock, really. The shopping is more upscale and often higher quality (not to mention more expensive!) thank you'll find in some of the other coastal cities. There's some pretty good shopping here, including toy stores, clothing stores, art galleries, sweet shops. They have a theatre company here, which I thought was really cool and wished we'd be around to go to one of the shows. It's near Seaside, my favorite coast town. And the library is right along the main drag. I'll be really happy to visit again. One thing I love about the Oregon Coast is how biodiverse it is. This area is right along the coast range, so when we were almost at Cannon Beach--like a mile or two from downtown--we saw a fairly large herd of about 13 elk grazing along the roadside. Then a mile away you'll be at Haystack Rock ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the starfish and anemones. I look forward to a visit to Cannon Beach where I can wander more leisurely (the babe was asleep in the car with grandma whilst I visited a few shops), and also walk out to Haystack with my little one to check out the tide pools.

Cannon Beach is tied with Seaside as the most dog unfriendly city on the West Coast. We couldn't…read morefind any restaurants that had outdoor seating. There was no outdoor space to enjoy a beer or meal with our dog. The hotel did not allow us to leave the dog alone, so we were stuck with no options. We have never experienced such a dog unfriendly city before.

I really love Seaside…read more It's probably my favorite town on the Oregon coast. The first time I ever visited was in my early teens and I came here with the Masonic youth org of which I was a member. I think we ended up going here a couple times during my years in that group but I never came with my family until just this past summer. Since we're from Eugene, Florence to Lincoln City was usually where we headed to the beach. I've always thought of Seaside as the closest thing you'll find to a California beach in Oregon. The weather is not bad for Oregon's coastal cities but they also have lifeguards on duty, which is atypical. The shopping/tourist area is really conveniently located, being right on the beach near all the hotels and compact enough that you can feel at ease if your teens wander around on their own. There's lots of shops (souvenirs, clothing, ice cream, and more), as well as the Seaside Carousel Mall whose centerpiece is of course the carousel. (Which is awesome by the way!) There's bumper cars and other arcade delights. There are several stops on the Oregon Ice Cream Trail too! We came here for the Fourth of July weekend and had a fantastic time. I love parades; we had fun watching theirs, and it wasn't so crowded that you couldn't see anything or that people were standing five deep. It was easy to get a viewing spot. The historical society held a Fourth of July Social and it was so much fun. They had a cake walk, face painting, fishing booth, bingo, cotton candy, hot dogs and dessert that one of the local orgs were selling. It was like being in the movie Pollyanna! This was held directly after the conclusion of the parade just a couple blocks away, and also a short walk from where we were staying. The town hosts lots of events too. The Miss Oregon pageant is probably the most high profile, held annually here. They also have art walks, as well as a jazz festival. And amongst their Independence Day celebrations is a fantastic fireworks show on the beach--truly the best fireworks show I've attended anywhere. But of course the reason you go to Seaside is the beach. There's a parking lot a block or two from the beach and street parking as well, but one thing I will say for Seaside is that it doesn't have as much beach-area parking as other coastal towns. The Promenade goes along the beachfront, and the Seaside Aquarium is a stop along the Prom. The beach is beautiful and large, and even has a little swingset in one area. The water is COLD, even in the height of summer, but you get used to it pretty quickly. My little one had never been to the beach before but, like her fave Moana, the sea seems to call to her. Seaside has an amenity that I don't think is terribly common, which is that they offer beach wheelchairs. My mom uses a wheelchair when away from home, and we were able to borrow a beach wheelchair so she could go out with us. It wasn't the easiest thing to push on the sand, but it did the trick. That was fun since she was able to watch as my babe took her first steps in the ocean. There were three wheelchairs, which you borrow free of charge through Sunset Empire Park District (Seaside's recreation district) and can use for up to four hours total (that's including key exchange, so make sure your building that into your time at the beach). The wheelchairs are locked up near the public parking lot, which is about a block from the beach and a four or five blocks from the park district building I think. Be aware that these are not motorized wheelchairs, and it would probably be impossible for the person in the wheelchair to make it through the sand on their own so someone will need to push. There may also be a place where you can rent beach wheelchairs for a fee, maybe for a longer period of time. And if you find the little blue "roads" made especially for the beach wheelchairs that may make it easier to maneuver in the sand. Though the spring and summer is my favorite time to visit, there's undoubtedly things happening year round. Seaside would be in my top three places to visit on the Oregon Coast. From Portland, it's a fairly quick drive at about an hour and a half or so (it used to be a getaway Portlanders in its early days). Just be aware that you'll be driving through the Coast Range, mostly on a two lane road, and we saw quite a few elk along the way during both day and night so you'll need to be alert.

Seaside is tied with Cannon Beach as most dog unfriendly city on the West Coast. There are…read morevirtually no covered outdoor spaces to enjoy a beer or meal with your pup. We braved the rain at 1 brewery and had enough. The hotel did not let us leave the dog alone so were out of options.