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.

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.

This is a really cool park to explore. It has a nice view of the water and lots of benches and…read moregrass to sit on. We got some lunch across the street and enjoyed it here. This park tells the history of the area and and has a bunch of trolls throughout the park to find. Each one has their own story. There is also a section with flags from all the Nordic countries. It was a really nice place to spend the afternoon. They also had a brand new, very clean bathroom that looked like it had just been put in, so that was nice too. The whole park felt clean and safe and I learned a lot.

August 1, 2025 - Astoria…read more This small park pays tribute to the contributions of Scandinavian immigrants from the late 1800s and early 1900s through fun and engaging displays. The steps leading up the path are inscribed with the names of the countries the immigrants came from. And the trolls--so cute and photogenic! The decorative arch adorned with national flags, the steamer trunks, and the photos of actual immigrants (the profession stones) make this a must-see while in Astoria." Note: The website for Astoria Nordic Park has stories to go along with each of the trolls. If you have kids (or even if you don't), it might be fun to check it out before you visit the park. From the website: "The six trolls in the Nordic Park are assumed to be immigrants. Viktor brought his grandfather's pipe to remind him of his grandfather. Margit needed new friends in a new country so she found Fat Cat. Olle (pronounced Oh-luh) could only bring one toy but sometimes visitors to the park bring him new ones. Sven brought his accordion and remembers the old tunes so people in Astoria can dance them too. Annette (pronounced Annettah) is outgoing and likes to sing with the sea lions. Come at night and maybe you'll hear her. Leif (pronounced lafe) is very shy because he grew up in a cave so he hides under a leaf." Check out the website for their full stories! (And audio playlists!)

A spacious, wooded park holding a community hall, trails, a grass area, a small play structure, and…read morepicnic shelters. Astoria Parks dept will reserve space for picnics in the shelters at the top or even weddings. Since we live a short distance away we have a lovely trail that runs up to the park. If you're coming from the shelter or pavement look for a well used trail running downhill. If you go about .2mi down this you'll find the power line grassy knoll with lovely views of the river and the high school football field. Walking around you'll realize this park was something substantial, with concrete stairways having crumbled and taken over by large trees. A fascinating history can be found here: https://www.discoverourcoast.com/coast-weekend/coastal-life/the-faded-glory-of-shively-park-once-home-to-an-impressive-12-acre-centennial-park/article_a103216c-c757-57b1-bce8-bda85aa7bee4.html Anyway, this is generally a quiet little park, joggers and dog walkers frequent it. The top knoll looks like a lovely place to stage an inexpensive wedding. Maybe i'll see you there :)

Pretty neat spot. The forest is so beautiful. At first I wasn't going to go on the trail because I…read moreget nervous about hiking alone but I met a woman who was going the same way so that made me feel more comfortable about doing it alone and then I went a few mins later. It was a beautiful trail. It felt like I was in a magical forest. Short hike with a beautiful view of the river. So glad I did it.

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 is an incredible stop. The view is breathtaking…read more One warning: the building is pitch black. The images I took were with three people's flashlights on. I walked in first ( in flip flops) and was submerged nearly to my ankle in shrek sludge! That water is deeper than it looks.

It was unfortunately raining pretty hard when we visited, so we were only able to briefly explore…read morethe batteries. Anyways, Fort Columbia State Park is considered one of the most intact historic coastal defense sites in the U.S, and it's built like a tank. Many of the structures are still intact. I'll have to come back as we visited during the off season, and so The Interpretive Center was closed as was were the other buildings. There are also two vacation houses for rent on park property, so if you're a history buff, definitely check it out and stay a night!

Loved this pretty little beach. Easy access, I drove on in my 4W drive Tacoma. Be aware of…read moretides. If you dont know what tides are maybe you shouldnt drive onto the beach. I love flying kites down here. Not alot of car traffic. This is a good razor clam beach as well when clamming is open.

here's a place you (and your dogs) can run or walk for days! and you can drive right on to the…read morebeach, should you so desire. i parked at the trailhead and went on the short trail which alights on the beach a little bit north but then walked down the beach and cut back to the trailhead on the road which is a 5min walk from the beach. the beach itself is amazing and there's plenty of room for people and dogs and cars. i was there fairly early in the morning but it's a great place to just walk and walk and walk. a very quick drive from warrenton or astoria. bring food and wine--have a picnic!

Super easy boat launch. Clean restrooms. Great parking for both vehicles and boats. Great well kept…read morepark! We will be back!