This was a destination I had been looking forward to visiting for years after seeing pictures and…read morehearing stories of other peoples' experiences at Cannon Beach ! First, the drive here along Route 26, from Portland, was just stunning as you drive through the forested areas. On this occasion a blanket of fog enveloped the valley and the pictures just don't do it justice as to how it looked in person. I went during the "off-season" right at the end of October and for me this was a great time to visit, as there were not too many people on the actual beach and it also made parking much easier. You can park in areas off the street, however, be careful as much of it you are not allowed to park on. If you park at "Haystack Rock" Public Parking it's just a short walk to the Cannon Beach Access. On this particular day a big storm was moving in and it really created a great atmosphere to photograph in with the moody skies and the ocean getting a bit more turbulent as the waves crashed into the seastacks. Would have loved to catch a sunset here, however, will have to do that on another visit and maybe a different time of the year to compare experiences. The trip didn't disappoint and highly recommend stopping here and exploring other parts of the Oregon Coast!

The "Goonies Rock" is no where near Astoria like the movie makes it out to be. No matter what, it…read moreis absolutely worth the drive. Parking is non-existent because you have to walk down a pathway between two houses to get to there, I mean of course there are probably areas North or South of the actual rock but I am not aware of them myself. We were lucky and able to find a spot directly across the pathway that just happened to have someone pulling out. Walking down that pathway, I took a video and love how it shows the beauty of the area just opening up. It was more than I could have wished for after growing up loving the movie Goonies and was delighted that we got there when we did. Tide was out, so the dreamy tide pools that you see associated with the northwest coastlines were accessible and all the wonderful wildlife that live within them. Also, we were able to watch the sunset, which was cloud covered but who cares. While walking around, it first started with just rolling up my pants, so then having a misstep and one of my shoes getting soaked so then I was like, oh well, off with the shoes and walk around freely to be able to go rock to rock or wade around to get to the numerous tidepools. All worth the super cold feet later on in the car. There is just something about seeing everything in the wild vs in various zoos or aquariums. It was by far my favorite part of our trip to Portland and something I'd love to revisit again, regardless of the distance and drive back.

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.

Some new folks bought The Goonies house a few years ago & embrace the pop-culture significance of…read moretheir property, so it's time to up them back to 5-Stars. Yay! My original review stands now with the home under its latest ownership, so please refer to my very first review of this place for more info.

This is based on a 2-night stay at a the F-Loop. *Access to…read morenature: 5 stars. The lake is amazing. Multiple access points to the beach, including the ability to drive onto the beach. Absolutely stunning views. *Privacy in campgrounds: 1 star You will enjoy no separation from neighboring campsites. Enjoy dinner with all other surrounding sites staring at you! Plus, if tent camping, you can hear the neighbors whisper. *Cleanliness of campsite: 5 stars Not a piece of trash in the campsite. Was well cleaned. *Location of restrooms/showers: 4 stars Took less than 2 minutes to walk to the restrooms/showers located in the center of the loop. *Cleanliness of restrooms: 3 stars Not good, not bad. Floors haven't been swept in a long time. Everywhere is sticky. *Cleanliness of showers: 1 star F-loop showers were NASTY. Fishing lure in the drain, hair on the walls, gum stuck to the floor, diapers left inside. WEAR SHOES WHILE YOU SHOWER. E-Loop showers next door were much, much more reasonable. *Noise: 1 star Quiet hours are from 10pm-7am. However, it is not enforced. Every single other camper quieted down around 10pm. Except for one exceptionally loud group who continued to be loud and obnoxious until midnight. We were harassed by this group but didn't have a problem with anyone else. CALL THE PARK ASAP if you are having issues like this early in the day because they don't patrol.(503)861‑3170 x 21. *They sell wood and ice at a reasonable price with a drop box for cash payment. *Is less than a 15 minute drive to Fred Meyer. *There is a giant playground and they were offering Junior Ranger "classes" for kids. *Bike, Kayak, and Paddle-board rentals were available.

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.

As a Roadside Attraction it's a bit lacking and is definitely in need of repairs. The fiberglass is…read morecracking and breaking away, letters missing from the handle and the paint is faded, dull and lackluster. It's definitely relevant for the area as razor clams are a staple here and what better way to represent them than a giant skillet next to a spitting clam! The original skillet was made of cast iron and used at the Razor Clam Festival in 1941. After the festival it went on to tour the coast for other events and Long Beach established the fiberglass one. It's 14 feet tall and a great photo op but Long Beach needs to fix it up a bit!

Although it apparently has a storied history if the newspaper clippings and such on display at the…read moreFree Museum across the street are accurate, there's not much to see here. It's a big, non-functional frying pan mounted just off the sidewalk. Cool if you're walking by but not otherwise.

This was a great opportunity to climb the spiral staircase like a keeper…read more did IN 1889. Three family's at one time manned the lighthouse to keep the single Kerosene lamp always shining. 3 shifts. One person in the platform just below has the duty for one shift. A 15 minute speaking tour at the top, 3.00 each. Questions allowed. Only closed shoes to climb. No open toe shoes or without a heel strap. No exceptions. Stumble danger. Many people were turned away. no ADA. There is a gift store , small parking lot.

A Beautiful Underrated Viewpoint!…read more We came during the last week of September and the weather was perfect to explore this little area. We came here around 11am on a weekday, and there was plenty of parking. We explored Bell's View Trail that was a quick hike (super easy to do with a paved-pathway). Then hiked a long the NorthHead Lighthouse that was also a nice walk-through. You're able to go inside the Light House (pay) and learn about the history of it. We didn't do that during our time, but the views are a lot nicer on a clear day for it. We also found a tiny gift shop along the way. Be sure to check the weather ahead of time if you plan to come here!

Open until 10pm daily…read more Beautiful views anytime but especially for sunsets. Love this place

The Column is such a treat. The stairs to the top (164 steps) take you to an observation deck that…read morehas amazing views of Astoria. It is $5 to park and well worth it! Buy a wooden glider for $1 at the gift shop (or find some on the field below!) If you are scared of heights you will likely be a little nervous at the top (like me), but I stay near my trusted column and enjoy mys of immensely. We love being friends of the column!

Gorgeous costal views! The light house is much bigger in person. Its manned by coastguard personnel…read moreonly. There are several picnic benches you can stop and rest at to take in the view! Packing in a picnic would be awesome! It was especially interesting to see all the boats out at sea! Its a very special spot.

Cape Disappointment is the oldest operating lighthouse on the West Coast of America and the…read moresouthern most lighthouse on the coast of Washington state. It is located within the Cape Disappointment State Park so you'll need a Washington State Discovery Pass to visit. As of this review, the cost to purchase a one day pass is $10 or $30 for an annual pass. The pass can be registered to two separate vehicles, but can only be used on one vehicle at a time. It can be purchased at the park entrance booth, or if the machine is working, from the self serve kiosk at the parking lot nearest the trailhead. The machine was not working the day I visited. Parking can be a challenge at the trailhead as there are only a small number of spaces and they can fill up quickly. The rolling trail to the lighthouse is 0.6 miles, roundtrip with about 150' of elevation gain. It's rated as an easy hike but there are some moderately steep (but paved) sections on the final approach to the lighthouse. The rest of the trail is dirt and can be muddy at times. If you're wondering how such a picturesque location received its name, it was due to Captain John Meares' experience there on July 6, 1788 while trying to seek shelter from the turbulent waters where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. Meares wrote, "Disappointment continued to accompany us...we can safely exert that no river San Rogue exists." It was out of that frustration that Meares christened the cape, "Cape Disappointment." The views, scenery and history are all great reasons to visit this place...you won't be disappointed by Cape Disappointment!

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.

Everything looks very nice. Worth the adventure. A place for great ideas and the variety is…read moreoutstanding.

Just a PSA for people like me who are visiting Aberdeen and think the ship will be where it is…read moremarked on the map. The address is just for the home port of the Lady Washington and it travels around many months out of the year on the West Coast. Don't be like me and drive around the port for 10 minutes looking for a ship that isn't there! You can check https://historicalseaport.org/to see it's current sailing schedule. Would love to see in person one day.

The Lady Washington is a 20th century replica of the original 18th century ship. Chances are that…read moreyou've seen this ship in one of her film appearances: - The Interceptor in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - The Enterprise in Star Trek Generations - Captain Hook's ship on Once Upon a Time While the Star Trek Holodeck Arch is long gone, it was still a thrill to board this tall ship and imagine what nautical travel must have been like in the 18th century when the Lady became the first American ship to make landfall on the West coast of North America & the first American ship to travel to Honolulu and Japan. If you ever get a chance to tour or sail aboard this tall ship do it! "Computer, remove the plank!"

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.