The Flavel House hadn't been on our list of things to see in Astoria, but our daughter saw it when…read morewe did the movie museum, and really wanted to go. We did, and no regrets. I would say a highlight of our stay in Astoria. This historic mansion is beautifully well kept, with some original furnishings, and some were donated (they keep binders of what was donated and you can read the histories of those pieces). Definitely recommend hitting this museum if coming to Astoria. Has a small part in the Goonies movie, if that's your jam. There is some group package discount for the mansion, the movie museum, and I believe the Heritage Museum.

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!

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!?

The tour was very informative and they kept the tour interactive..lots of great informationread more

My boyfriend and I had talked about doing this tour since we first met. We finally made it happen…read morethis weekend. Be sure to book online so you get your spot. You can also tip when you book or you can choose to tip at the end. The tour itself was just okay. The guide was informative and had a lot of interesting information. The tour itself of a basement with low ceilings and crappy floors. Neither my boyfriend and I felt or saw any ghosts. Which of course is not predictable. Haha At the end of the tour, you have some choices of alcoholic and non-alcoholic option. My boyfriend and I don't drink beer, but they did have wine options.

Excellent tour! Really informative, fun storytelling, and a little creepy…read more We met our tour guide upstairs for the beginning of the tour and after the tour we were told we could redeem a free drink at the bar. We got there a little early and saw that there was also paper waivers you could sign if you hadn't gotten to the electronic one. We left promptly on time, so get there early! The tour went really smoothly, just remember: *Be respectful to your tour guide *Don't weirdly interrupt with side jokes *Don't talk to the people within your group while the guide is talking *For the love of all that is holy, stop fidgeting when the tour guide is talking. *It is insanely annoying and ultimately so rude. There are low spaces, very dark/low visibility areas, uneven floors, steep and narrow stairs and low hanging pipes. If you can't maneuver regular stairs, this tour isn't for you. Our guide's name was Skippy- I believe, they were great! The group I was with had done this tour 5 times already and they said this tour guide was the best one yet. At the end of the tour there is a tip jar that you can tip your guide or they provide their Venmo as well. IDs are checked at the beginning of the tour only for the people who plan to partake in the beer tasting that is at the tail end of the tour (not in the restuarant). After the tour I got the non-alcoholic option and ordered a mango flavored Italian soda with cream, which was incredible!!

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.

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.

Fabulous and beautiful historic house above Portland - restored and with period furniture. Those…read moreinterested in the details of living at that time will find much to see. One caution fir visitors. Our car in the Pittock parking lot was broken into. Nothing to take but expensive to repair the window. There are plenty of warning signs about leaving no valuables. This is a paid parking lot. Wish they would arrange for some security at a popular tourist destination.

Overall this was a great experience! First time I have ever been & I picked the perfect day. 75°…read moreoutside! The tour is done by yourself which is nice. You can go at your own pace! Items that are there are some of the original items that were donated to the mansion they have a Blue P next to the item. Other items there are antiques that have been placed to fit the theme. Lots of photos of the family and context to the photos! This was great. Outside was clean and there were ton of labels for all the plants. Flowers and plants full bloom! We did the WildWood Trail to the Witches Castle! It's a nice hike. Wear appropriate shoes and clothes! 2.3-5 miles round trip. It's a big enough path for multiple people but some areas narrow. The climb down is good but man back up lol you will feel the burn. They have restrooms onsite indoor and then they have a bathroom in the mansion basement. Toilets flush loud don't be alarmed. At the bottom of the trail when you cross the street, there was a porta potty. Map as well. Parking is expensive: weekend Saturday it was roughly $24 for all day! There are benches and picnic tables towards the view! Staff are very nice! Gift shop as well with snacks, plants, jewelry, postcards, and all sorts of items.

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!

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!

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"