We just happened upon the Flavel House as we drove into Astoria. You buy your ticket at the…read morecarriage house which has a little gift shop, a carriage room to look at, and a little room to watch a brief video of the Flavel history. I was quite surprised. The house is beautifully kept. Everything was in such pristine condition. I was a little bummed that they take your ticket cause it would be such a cute little memento. I should've asked if I could have kept it but oh well.

This house was absolutely breathtaking. It has to be one of the best cared for house museums I've…read moreever visited. I was shocked to hear from the docent that it was in bad shape many decades ago before it opened as a museum. Grand, high ceilings and immaculate furnishings. The docent noted to me that it doesn't have "old house smell" -- she was right! This is a great place to learn some Astoria history from a prominent Astoria family!

It was very entertaining. I had gotten tickets for the wrong date and they still accommodated us.read more

Super fun and funny tour. Chad and "fingers" made the tour interesting and very entertaining. How…read morehas a documentary or film not been made of the Clowns of Astoria!?

We visited Portland for a concert that was unfortunately canceled and sought alternative…read moreactivities; while this tour sounded intriguing, it was ultimately underwhelming. Although the tour guide was informative, there was no paranormal activity, and the setting was simply a basement rather than actual tunnels.

I've wanted to go here since I saw it on Ghost Adventures way back in 2012. On a recent trip to…read morePortland we finally got a chance. Natasha was our guide and she was amazing. She was so historically knowledgeable and presented the tour in such a wonderful, dramatic way. This was exactly what we were looking for. Not overly scary, but just spooky enough. The tour was dark and completely underground, basically a maze beneath Portland. Great time was had by all.

t was a beautiful evening tour. Capt Bruce points out historical points along the way and shares…read moreintersting stories. It's nice to see Astoria from the river and then travel through tucked away areas you can't get to by car.

We went on a 3 hour tour with Captain Bruce on Saturday morning and thoroughly enjoyed it. He was…read morefunny and super knowledgeable without feeling overdone tour guide-like. So much great information about the river and shipping!!! We saw a harbor seal, sea lions, a bald eagle, a crane and lots of seagulls and other birds. It was a little chilly so we were glad for our coats, hats and gloves. Watching from below wouldn't have been nearly as fun as being up on the deck. I have two suggestions for improvement and would have given 5 stars: 1. The boat needs some tidying up. Even if someone lives here sometimes, put things away, dust, vacuum, etc. so the first impression upon boarding isn't one of entering a messy dorm room. 2. Offer bottled water or some sort of light snack and beverage. It's a 3 hour trip. Sure we brought our own but it would be a nice touch. I imagine some of the local companies would give you a deal to offer their products and help spread the word about their delicious beer, chocolate, baked goods, etc. Well worth the cost and a great way to really see Astoria and understand this river town.

I went to Vancouver with some friends to celebrate a birthday. We took the Spirit Tales of…read moreVancouver Barracks while we were there and it was great. Jeff is very knowledgeable about the history of the Barracks and the ghost stories. Jeff's books are another great way to continue the stories for those who love paranormal experiences. His research is to be admired. As someone who appreciates the history as well as the ghost stories I appreciate the depth of Jeff's research. We enjoyed the Barracks tour so much we took the Ft. Vancouver military cemetery tour the next day. A beautifully kept space with some very interesting residents.

The tour with Jeff was fun. He's very knowledgeable about the history of the Vancouver Barracks and…read morethe area, in general. We plan to take a cemetery tour with him in the future.

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.

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.

Pittock Mansion viewpoint is absolutely stunning and a place that makes you just stop and stare for…read morea second (or ten). Perched above Portland, it gives you that sweeping city + mountain view that feels almost unreal on a clear day. Fun fact: the mansion was built in 1914 for Henry and Georgiana Pittock, and it played a big role in Portland's early publishing history. Another fun one... it was nearly destroyed in the 1962 Columbus Day Storm but was fully restored, which feels very fitting for something this iconic. Gorgeous, peaceful, and 100 percent worth the stop.

This place is a MUST SEE when visiting Portland! I was shocked by how special and beautiful the…read moremansion and grounds were. If you are interested in interior decor/architecture/history the self guided tour of the mansion is a must! The spaces were beautiful and I learned so much about Portland. The organization who runs the house has done an amazing job maintaining and displaying this magical home. The grounds are also incredible (and free, although parking is paid), and worth seeing just for the view. The gardens are maintained by UofO gardening students and they have done a great job. All together I think we spent about $60 to see the tour and the gardens and it was well worth it. The staff was knowledgeable and loved talking about the homes and the residents! I also appreciate the tour being self guided so we could go at our pace.

Rocky does some amazing tours. Just went on the Christmas spirits tour and it was great! I grew up…read morein Oregon City, and I have been on several tours and each time I learn something new.

Well sh*t, it took ten years, but I finally took a tour and it was excellent…read more Rocky, the owner and tour guide, is phenomenal. He clearly has a passion for the subject and his hometown (Oregon City) and it shows in his research, design, and execution of the tours. I thoroughly enjoyed my tour and would recommend it to anyone. Thank you Rocky!

Do you love learning about history, art, bordello madames, mayhem, mysteries and much more? The…read moreDowntown Aberdeen Association has created a series of FREE walking tours for your enjoyment! Founded by Samuel Benn in 1884 and incorporated in 1890, Aberdeen is a town rich in history, lore and much more. It was once known as the great green yonder, the Hellhole of the Pacific and even the port of missing men. Find out why on the walking tours. Meet-up at the Nirvana Coffee Co at 1pm (1st & 3rd Saturdays May thru Sep) and tour guide, Phil "Fill" Slep, will take you along on an engaging, entertaining and educational journey thru various aspects of what once made and now makes Aberdeen one of the most unique and historical places on the coast of Washington. I've been on several of the walks and Phil always does a great job of keeping everyone entertained and educated. It's a great way to stretch your legs and expand your mind while having fun at the same time! Tip: Grab a delicious drink at the Nirvana Coffee Co before departing to keep you refreshed!

A welcome sight as we traveled NW on Hwy 30, heading toward Astoria and the Oregon Coast. We needed…read morea break from driving in the rain, and just a general break from driving. lol It was quiet and empty at 3pm on a Thursday, but we were cheerfully welcomed in and took a window booth to watch the rain. Hubs immediately spotted the "Milkshakes" sign and requested that as a "starter." Though certainly considered a tad bit older than a child, he also honed in on the Grilled Cheese sandwich with fries and asked if that could be an "adult" offering. 'Sure! It's one of my favorites!' was the smiling reply. Despite the cold rain, I was in the mood for some cool greens, so I ordered the Northwest Chicken salad w/ grilled chicken, pecans, "craisins", red cabbage and feta. It also came with a side of garlic toast, the same style used for his cheddar cheese sandwich. Well, THAT was all very delicious! Their baked goods looked tempting, but the rain had eased and we still had a couple hours ahead on the road. So I snapped a few pics of the adorable decor then bid farewell. If we find ourselves along Highway 30, 14 miles east of Astoria, in the quiet little enclave of Knappa, we will surely stop in again. Cheers! "CC"

We usually eat lunch in Astoria, but since we have driven past the Logger restaurant so many times,…read morewe decided to give it a try. What a quaint restaurant with its rustic decor and knotty pine walls. There were lots of pictures on the walls pertaining to the logging industry and a few antiques mixed in also. The menu had a wide variety of choices too. My husband ordered the Reuben sandwich with onion rings and I ordered a Patty melt with coleslaw. Our waitress, Marissa, was attentive and friendly. We expected the sandwiches to be huge and these were enormous! We could have split one easily. I immediately set half of mine aside to take home. My husband ate all of his, and shared some onion rings with me. I loved the creamy coleslaw, and it was also a nice sized portion. The Patty melt was served on the same thick swirled rye bread as the Reuben. There were lots of freshly cooked caramelized onions on my sandwich and the beef patty was thick and cooked perfectly. We had no room for dessert, but those homemade pies were very tempting. They also serve milkshakes in about a dozen different flavors. No one would ever leave this restaurant hungry! Plenty of food for man-sized appetites! Not only that, but we noticed that there was parking space out back set aside for loggers to park their big rigs when they dine there. There was plenty of room to turn around, and we made note of that in case we stop during when we are towing our camping trailer. Great food and exceptional service always makes for a very pleasant dining experience!