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.

Goonies never say…read more..... Some movies are classics. I will forever love watching the Goonies. It has always been one of my favorites. The fact it was made in my home state of Oregon just makes it a little bit more awesome. Being in Astoria on vacation made this house a bucket list item. We didn't need to look through the windows at what the new owners had done. Or take items. There is a donation box. Please help pay for the constant vandalism. There was a time a previous owner had stopped access for obvious reasons. Let's try and respect the current owner and not keep the true fans from enjoying a bit of Oregon movie history. Just being in front of this actual lived in house from the Goonies movie is amazing. I really enjoyed thinking about all the movie scenes and how cool it would have been to be on set for filming. So much history. I know we've seen it already but I can't wait to see it up close again.

I've probably seen The Goonies movie about 50 times in my life. While in Astoria, we decided to…read morecome by to check out the house. It was pretty easy to research and map out how to get here. It's in a neighborhood on a private driveway. Be sure to not park in their driveway or the neighbor's spot. You can park in the neighborhood somewhere and walk up. There's a sign at the bottom of the driveway too, the owners know people will come by to take photos etc, so they aren't bothered by it. Just be respectful and you'll be fine. For any inconvenience, they put out a donation bin if you want to drop a few dollars for coming by. Cool to see the house that I admired as a little kid. Glad to have come by to snap a few photos and see it in person. We walked the neighborhood too, we were out of there in like 20 mins. Childhood memory fulfilled.

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.

I bet most of the folks in Astoria have never stopped in this small park. Beautiful garden with…read morestatues, flowers and trees. I guess the reason it caught my eye was the Russian Earthquake the week before when we had the Tsunami warning. Nice place to stop if walking around town.

A small garden with a big heart in the middle of Astoria. An easy break from exploring the filming…read moresites from the movie The Goonies! Not a park.

This was fun, but not quite what I expected. I am glad we did it. I enjoyed the unexpected…read more Here is what I wish I had know before: 1. It's light on movie memorabilia, what they do have is neat... but all goonie. With over 300 movies shot in OR i expected some memorabilia from other flicks. 2. It's less of a see cool things museum and more of an experience. There wasn't any que, or line system for the green screens and a few families with kids were dominating them, so we didn't get to try them.... but to be honest I don't know if I would have without a staff member in the room guiding/explaing/directing traffic. It was really overwhelming and sensory overload. ALOT crammed into one small space. If you struggle with noise or stimulation this isn't for you. However, the kids that were doing them were having the time of their lives. This is super family friendly and a great interactive kid experience that is reasonably priced. 3. I sometimes use a mobility aid and need a wheelchair. That wouldn't be possible here. Overall the staff was super friendly, and it was a great first stop in Astoria.

So much fun!!! An absolute must, you also get to film scenes getting to choose from different…read moremovies that were filmed in Oregon. It was super interactive, staff was really friendly, and overall a great time.

I enjoyed our visit back in June 2018…read more I was looking at some photos from that trip and just realized I never wrote a review. We didn't wander around near the ship for long but I have good memories of the beach walk and love that it's likely to look different each visit (and in each photo you see) due to the sand and tides.

After lunch we took a drive to see the shipwreck. It was a BEAUTIFUL sunny afternoon and was high…read moretide. Been here years ago and it was as just as stunning as it was then. Will return at low tide.

Battery Russell was one of the most fascinating stops we made while exploring the Oregon Coast. If…read moreyou enjoy history, old military sites, or simply exploring places that feel a little mysterious, this is definitely worth visiting. The massive concrete structures are incredibly interesting to walk through. You can explore the old rooms, passageways, stairs, and gun emplacements while imagining what this place must have been like when soldiers were stationed here protecting the mouth of the Columbia River. What made the experience especially memorable for us was learning about Battery Russell's connection to World War II. In June 1942, a Japanese submarine surfaced offshore and fired shells toward Fort Stevens. Knowing that history while standing among these old military structures gave our visit an entirely different perspective. I also appreciated being able to explore at our own pace. There are plenty of opportunities for photos, and the weathered concrete and surrounding forest make the area incredibly atmospheric. Battery Russell is a great addition to a visit to Fort Stevens State Park, especially if you're already road-tripping along the northern Oregon Coast. I highly recommend taking some time to stop, walk around, read about the history, and explore. It's an unusual and memorable piece of Oregon history that I'm really glad we didn't skip!

Clean park with great hiking trails. Fairly clean restrooms. Drove down to the beach and took the…read moredogs to see the Peter irondale. This camping trip they had a free concert on the lawn by the battery. I love that the golf carts drive by to bring you firewood for a standard $7 fee. Terrible reception and cellular in the park. Overall great trip with lots of sunshine.

Lael's Moon Garden is one of the most special nurseries in the Pacific Northwest. The gardens are…read morebeautifully designed and peaceful to walk through, and the plant selection is incredible. They carry an impressive collection of rare and unusual plants, including one of the best selections of Japanese maples I've seen anywhere. What makes this place stand out is that it's not just a nursery--it feels like a botanical garden you can explore. The staff are knowledgeable and clearly care about plants, soil health, and helping people find the right plants for their space. Every visit I discover something new. If you love gardens, rare plants, or Japanese maples, Lael's Moon Garden is absolutely worth the trip.

We are landscaping our new homes backyard in Lacey at Ovation at Oaktree with a Japanese theme. We…read morewanted to select slow growing trees (dwarf) and bushes/shrubs. They helped us select more than 40 items and they are keeping and caring for them until we plant in September. Great service and great prices.

I really love this gorgeous iconic bridge. Normally driving over Bridges is not my favorite but the…read morepart of this bridge (when you are leaving Oregon and headed into Washington) is lovely. From the calming color of the steel, to the image of strength, to the incredible views of the water, I am absolutely captivated. I don't care as much for the second part where you are more closer and more parallel to the water, but it definitely gets the job done. I know it's record-breakingly long, but the first section makes me forget that. Plus it gives me flashbacks from some of my favorite 80's movies! This bridge is iconic, nostalgic, tried and true. What more could you want.

A nice sturdy bridge to take you from Oregon to Washington and vice versa. I've taken it both ways…read more You get great views from the bridge, from up high and close to the water, and the vehicles move efficiently.

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.