Stopped by when it wasn't icy and dangerous to work your way down. The falls were rushing nicely,…read morewith a fabulous long-reaching cool spray. Short, easy trail down...although it could be a tad steep for some. Otherwise there's a decent amount of parking, and it's such a short walk to see the falls, definitely worth checking out.

We were looking for a quick little getaway of a hike and this certainly fit the bill. Clickity…read moreclack on the interwebs, a plug into the GPS, and we were off. It's not too far off of the main road at all, and the hike down to the water is short and sweet, and only steep in one tiny section. This looks like it gets plenty of traffic in warmer months and there are lots of pools where you could take a dip. I wouldn't be surprised if the teen crowd parties here (read: I saw a few beer cans) but on my later spring visit it was cool and only one other group--a family-- was there at the falls. The falls are gorgeous, misty, and pretty straightforward in mass. We turned it into an impromptu photo shoot which was about my favorite part of the trip, and they made a nice backdrop. There's not much else here, and not much nearby. So bring your picnics, park, and come down to the pools or water and spend an hour watching the hypnotic tumbling.

Never Say Die…read more Astoria And The Goonies. Is this heaven? No? K. Lots of maritime history here. This town has a lot of historical places. The Astoria Bridge is a site all to it's own. Towering over the city like a monolith. The Elks Lodge is it's own historical museum. The building itself dates back to the early 1900's. Never mind all the history that was made inside the building. Places to see? Uhh. Goonie House! The current owner is cool and doesn't mind all the attention. Please be mindful that you are in a residential neighborhood and this is someone's home. Please also look for the donation box. It helps pay for vandalism and theft. The porch lights are the most common thing stolen. The Goonies Museum. Don't forget to look for the jeep in the parking lot full of "Easter Eggs." While there, look at the surrounding houses. My favorite is the 3 story Victorian House on the corner, beautiful. The Maritime Museum is an adventure. Hearing about all the shipwrecks is ominous. The ocean is to be respected and even then, she can be merciless. The Maritime Museum is a great time for all ages. The riverfront area is great just for people watching. There is the Old Train Station and plenty of green space for relaxing or use the jogging path, many people were out walking, jogging and riding bikes on the path. The views are amazing with the cargo ships anchored off shore. Maybe check out "The Tower" and don't forget to buy some planes to throw off "The Tower." Never mind the view's from "The Tower." Astoria looks like a big sleepy little town. It's not! It can be kinda slow at times but Astoria is a sea port. Cruise Ships dock in the Port of Astoria and the city of Astoria can get a rush of tourists up to 10,000 people at a time. Could you imagine working a slow night at the bar then, "BAM," standing room only. Cray, cray. We love Astoria, we love exploring the city and wish we could visit more often.

I'm usually in seaside and Astoria a couple times a year. But what is making me sad is the tent…read moreCity and the homelessness that is getting out of control. You see the tourists get off the boats and it's the first thing they're greeted with is the worst growing tent city in Astoria that I have seen in years. Why isn't anybody talking about this? It's going to hurt business more and more and then will they be shocked? And housing prices are dropping. But not the fuel prices which are significantly higher than the national average with the average income just being slightly above national average. You got to love the Oregon gas tax.

This is probably the best Italian restaurant I've ever been to. Before I came to Astoria I saw a…read morevideo by Robert Davi(one of the Fratelli's from the Goonies movie)who said if I ever came to Astoria, I need to eat here. So I did. We were seated in a sort of private back room, which was amazing. We didn't have reservations, but just got lucky because it was early. We ordered some appetizers and drinks. The classic antipasto and Piadina(I think) bread. Both were delicious. When deciding on the main courses, I ordered the cioppino. Extraordinary. Two of my friends ordered the crab pesto dish, which was just as amazing. Tiramisu for dessert finished the meal off strong. All I can say is the service and food was exceptional. I couldn't find a single thing wrong with this establishment. If I'm ever in Astoria again. I will definitely come back multiple more times to see if I can find anything wrong. Five stars all the way!

This place has a nice ambiance and service is attentive and pleasant. We were doing an early…read moreValentine's dinner and had high hopes. The martinis were delicious and came quickly. Our first plate was warmed olives with balsamic drizzle and quite nice. We paired them with the house tomato basil soup. A hefty one. The entrees were chicken piccata with a dry breast and virtually no piccata sauce no capers no lemon zip butter. The other entree was clams with pasta. Watery and tasteless. The side of pasta with white sauce was frighteningly gloppy. The martini was great

Outstanding annual event that opens the beautiful Astoria/ Megler Bridge to runners and walkers on…read morethe second Sunday in October for three hours of competitive or leisurely running / walking. This is my favorite event that I hope to return to again and again. The weather has always been kind to us on this walk--brief rain that moves to the south of us. Eagles soar overhead in the big, dynamic sky. Seems like the whole town of Astoria shows up to support this event. It's got great energy and everyone seems to be in good spirits. Participation is limited to a few thousand people--two thousand in pandemic times. Check out the website and sign up in July.

Perhaps it's just me being sentimental because I'm currently reading a fantastic book series about…read moresailors, but visiting the grave of this unknown soul moved me with its simplicity and sincerity. Whomever this lost spirit once was, "known only to God" as the epitath states, I hope that he himself, as well as his family, friends and relatives, have all found peace in the wake of his passing. Rest in peace, sailor.

August 22, 2025 - Winlock, WA…read more We were close by, so of course I'm going to stop and see the "World's Largest Egg". Why is the World's Largest Egg in Winlock? From Roadside America's website: "Winlock was America's second largest egg producing town until the 1950s, and local egg pride remains strong. The first big egg was fashioned from canvas by town boosters in 1923, part of a celebration around the opening of the Pacific Highway. The current egg is twelve feet long and weighs 1,200 pounds. It sits on a pedestal on a ten-foot steel pole. On the pedestal is written, "World's Largest EGG." There is a rooster nearby to add a little variety to your photo. I'm all about roadside attractions; never miss one if I'm nearby.

Cute little park. Gravel parking is located on the other side of the road. The location for parking…read moreis where the rooster on my pictures is. The little "Vern Sander Mermorial Park" is fenced and has a garbage can out front by the road. The park has a few cement benches that need repairs. The park was dedicated to Vern Sander, who was one of the poultrymen who put Winlock on the map as Egg Capital of the World. In 1991, he funded the World's Largest Egg. A gas station is located on the other side of the road. The town has several amazing additional roosters. I saw a museum, bank and some restaurants. This was a day trip for me, and it was nice to see a unique and odd roadside attraction. I plan on going back to see more things in Winlock. The area was clean. Things to know: Parking to the Egg location doesn't have a noticeable crosswalk. Thankfully, it was not too busy. There are no restrooms at the location. This will get you out of the car and check out the small town restaurants. Overall, it was good to see and check it off the roadside attraction list.

Bright and clean!…read more It's hard to find pet friendly motels that aren't run down and borderline filthy. I was pleasantly surprised. Comfortable beds, flat screen TV, outdoor pool, and clean rooms. Only a couple cons: No microwave or mini fridge. Terrible water pressure. Best economy motel I've ever stayed at!

Cutest Italian Bistro in Seaside! Not only is the town darling, this little restaurant adds to its…read morebeauty! The service was the best, we came late and less than an hour to closing. They still sat us, did not make us feel like a burden for the staff probably having to stay later. We never want to be that family! But they sat us, they cared for us, brought my son a happy birthday tiramisu! Food was a delicious, we gushed about it all week and came back home to SLC, UT sharing how great it was to all our friends!

Like walking back in time to a restaurant in Italy, inside with pictures from the past…read more We ordered a bottle of wine, wicker Fiasco. Grew up with these as a kid and wanted to take home the bottle to make a candle. The bread was fantastic. Ordered Risotto with lamb shank (I don't like risotto but this was delicious) ,Seafood pasta outstanding, Triamisu (was not my favorite) and crème brûlée which husband enjoyed. Our server, ARISTA, was Excellent and she made our evening memorable, Thank you!

I saw a tiktok about this place and it just so happened to be on route when I was driving back to…read morePortland. Parking was scary because there is only one spot and it felt like we were going to fall off the edge of the woods, so beware! lol It was very easy to find on both Apple Maps and in general due to the colorful appearance of the trolls. I thought it was really cool and random which is exactly what I wanted to experience. Overall, totally recommend if you happen to be in these neck of the woods. Not sure if it is worth going out of your way to visit, but it totally cures some boredom if you want something to do right outside of the city.

It's different - nothing to go out your way for but if you wanting to explore then go a head. It's…read morestill there. If you use the coordinates from here please note you'll need to go a little pass the called out spot because at first I don't I missed it. Only two vehicles can successfully park on the side. Happy traveling!!!

On the Eastside Esplanade by the river is this lovely, large ship. This reminds me of one of the…read moreships from a child's story book in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series by C. S. Lewis. Very unique. This is just north of the Morrison bridge on the walking/ running/ bike path on the East Bank of the Willamette. It is one of the highlights of the walk, in my opinion.