This is a nice little museum. I've dropped by a couple of times over the decades. Not recently…read moresince the place has been closed forever due to the plandemic. Staffed by very knowledgeable volunteers, admission (I forget what the requested donation was) is very reasonable. Mostly agricultural artifacts displaying equipment that was used locally, the showcase is an old shay locomotive that was used by Crown Zellerbach to haul timber and sometimes passengers. Small museum so you can see pretty much everything in an hour or so. Nice staff folks. Hope the place opens up before too much longer. Cathlamet is on my list of small towns that I visit several times a year and have been doing so for decades. I especially like the little harbor, taking pictures of unique wooden-hull vessels that sometimes tie up there and chatting with the old salts.

While checking out McMenamin's next door, we decided to stop into the Port of Kalama Interpretive…read moreCenter, which is located within the Port of Kalama Administrative Offices. We weren't sure what to expect at first, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise. The center does a great job of telling the story of how transportation shaped the settlement and growth of Kalama. From the early days of river travel and shipping on the Columbia, to the railroads that connected the region to the rest of the country, you really get a sense of how vital this area was in the development of commerce and community in southwest Washington. One of the main highlights inside is the full-size 1917 Northern Pacific Steam Locomotive on display. Seeing it up close was incredible--the sheer size and detail make you appreciate just how massive and powerful these machines were during their operating years. Standing beside it, you can almost imagine the noise, steam, and energy it must have carried through town over a century ago. The exhibits are well put together, with historic photographs, artifacts, and informative displays that bring the past to life in an easy-to-follow way. It's the kind of place that both history buffs and casual visitors can enjoy. The center itself is also clean, spacious, and well maintained, which made for a comfortable visit. Overall, this was a really cool and unexpected experience. If you're already in Kalama--whether you're dining at McMenamin's, exploring the waterfront, or just passing through--it's absolutely worth taking the time to stop in. We would definitely recommend checking it out when you're in the area.

small collection but awesome large steam engine & solid narrative of the development of the town &…read moreport. very cool.

I've seen several performances at the Columbia Theater and I'm so happy Longview has maintained…read morethis jewel of a venue! Thank you to all of the volunteers, sponsors and contributors who have contributed your time and money to ensure the theater remains open for future generations. Located in downtown Longview, the theater is positioned in a northwest-facing plaza with plenty of neighboring restaurants and cafes, as well as a dedicated parking lot in the rear. Visitors will also find plenty of street parking in the blocks surrounding the theater. The theater boasts a spacious lobby, with concessions and restrooms down a hallway to the left. This configuration prevents congestion in the lobby, however it can get crowded in the hallway. The theater has great acoustics, comfortable seating, and mostly unubstructed sightines throughout the auditorium. There are ADA seats in the rear, and a gently sloping grade that allows for easy passage throughout the building.

Great old theater! We love all the old painted decorations;…read moreit is still in its' glory of youth! We drove over to see a movie preview, such a fun night! Good thing we arrived early to park and get in line! They had sold over 500 tickets when we purchased ours two days before! We found plenty of on street and small parking lots to use in the area. The line of movie goers wound along the front entrance street and down the quieter blocks beside the huge old building. As we waited two shinning "limos" pulled up to bring on the stars! There was even a red carpet! The place was spotless and in wonderful shape, you felt like you were stepping back in time. This was the movies world review, and we were lucky to be seated near some of the cast! We had a fun night and enjoyed seeing a movie that had been filmed in the local areas! We are planning to come back for other events in the future!

We visited Feb 5, 2023. This is an excellent small museum with one of the best Docents I have ever…read moreencountered. He was extremely knowledgeable especially with the more obscure items, like the flying car exhibit. The museum was centered around events and the history of the surrounding area with flood details and the history of the Cowlitz Tribe particularly interesting. A narrative regarding a cabin and the history of the cabin and its owners was very effective. Highly recommend it, especially if the Docent we encountered was there. The museum is free with a donation area.

I took my class here in February. The presentation was great and for a little museum it is packed…read morewith interesting history. My students loved it! They even accommodated us with a room for lunch. Best of all it was free!

The actors and theater setting were amazing! It was a great experience overall. The actors and…read morechainsaw guy were constantly outside scaring people while we waited in line which was pretty funny. If there's one thing I can change, it would be the timing. We were getting let in too close to the group in front of us so we ended up as one big group which kinda ruined it by the 3rd house. We missed out on a lot of cool jump scares

Highly recommend! The new smells were a great addition. Professional staff. Do it scared!read more

A Christmas Story was fabulous especially with the narrator. He was fantastic. We also thought…read morethe father did an amazing job. Kudos to the actors. We did think it was a little difficult at time to hear the children or the wife but overall we enjoyed. Again, fabulous narrator!

Stageworks Northwest puts out excellent theater with talented casts and crews. Impressed that there…read moreis amazing theater in Longview. Most people think you have to go to either Portland or Seattle for good live theater. But sandwiched between those cities is Longview And there they have the Columbia Theater for the Performing Arts. And one block down is Stageworks Northwest. Stageworks Northwest calls the old Longview Theater their home and the place is being restored. The plays and musicals there are creative with a good variety. Set design is excellent and acting, singing and dancing is delightful as well. All for a price that doesn't break the bank. I just saw a Rodgers and Hammerstein review which was 2 hours of great music. Before that, I watched a drama about 2 war photographers trying to adjust to life back home. And before that I was at a science fiction musical that used old rock and roll tunes mixed with space. All of them so well done. Stageworks Northwest is a cool place and I highly recommend it.

We had a 50th anniversary party at the Elks. I cannot say enough about how amazing everything was…read more The event manger Jessica helped us with reserving the space and planning the menu. If you are hosting an event in this area, this is the place. Venue-the space was large, has a good size dance floor and a stage. We brought in a band and the stage was more than large enough. We also used the projector to play a slide show. The venue provided chairs, tables and we opted to also use the linens. They also allowed us access to their back patio area which was fully fenced. We set out lawn games and the kids had so much fun. Food-we did the prime rib(they had a person carving slices for us) and blackberry chicken along with the strawberry salad, garlic mash, green beans and Mac and cheese. They included the plates and silverware. Everything was delicious and all our guests raved about the food. We also were able to bring in some of our own food(appetizers and pizza for the kids). Huge thank you to the Elks for hosting us!

We really like staying at the Elks RV parks. This particular Elks is in a great location and has…read morewater and electric hookups with a dump on site. One of the problems with this Elks is you can only stay 7 days during the summer even if the park is empty. The lodge is definitely losing out on additional revenue. The other thing that can often be a big problem is that there are several locals who move in and stay. They do not feel their dogs are subject to any leash restrictions. Thus, we've seen many times doors opened and little dogs on the loose. The dogs business is done and nothing is picked up. It is rare in any RV park that this is allowed and it is terribly annoying especially if you have a dog and keep yours on leash. The roaming dogs can be a big problem and we feel rules should be posted even for the good old boys to follow.

Hidden gem in Longview. The pdx Japanese garden costs to go into and then they have strict rules…read morelike no photography. This park is free and Theres no ridiculous rules to deal with. Such a gorgeous park. Highly recommended for those looking for an eastern look.

I was really disappointed in our visit to the Japanese Gardens at lake Sacagawea Park. We travel…read morewith our dog and one of the things I usually look for when exploring a new town is a nice local park where we can bring her along. I'd seen information online suggesting that this location was dog friendly, so I thought this would be an easy stop for us and routed us slightly out of our way to come here. Unfortunately that was not our experience. When we arrived, we discovered that dogs are not allowed in the Japanese Garden area and there were also signs throughout the park indicating that dogs are prohibited in many areas. It seems like they allow leashed dogs in parts of the park, but there are several restricted areas. So if you're traveling with a dog, I would recommend skipping this area entirely. It's not worth trying to decipher where it is and is not okay for you to be. Since we were already here we took turns checking out the gardens themselves and honestly they were pretty underwhelming. I don't know if we caught them at the wrong time of year, but there doesn't seem to be anything here that makes it worth the effort of a trip specifically to come in and see them. The park itself looked nice and people seemed to enjoy walking around the lake, but the gardens just weren't that impressive in my opinion. In hindsight, I really wish we had skipped this stop but if you don't have a dog or don't travel with one, you may enjoy this location.