Haystack Rock is spectacular and something you'd see on National Geographic. I couldn't believe…read morehow easily accessible it was from Canon Beach. There are tons of access points to the beach, but the easiest is to park in the parking lot and walk across the street, past the public bathrooms and homes, and you're immediately in front of Haystack Rock. The rock is impressive, jutting out of sea of crashing waves, dotted with greenery. The best part was watching all the pufffins flying round and round. At low tide, you can get pretty close up to bird watch or take photos. The puffins come to nest here in spring, and we saw a tons of them at the end of May. The history is just as interesting. The rock was created by ancient lava flow. People used to climb the rock back in the day and get stranded when high tide came in, requiring many rescues. To prevent this, they dynamited the bottom, creating the monolith shape we see today. The rock is now a protected marine garden and wildlife refuge. It was even featured in The Goonies movie. The beach stretches for miles, so you can also continue on for a nice walk. They were also dog friendly. We saw several remnants of fire pits, so guessing they are ok.

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.

Goonies never say…read more..... Some movies are classics. I will forever love watching the Goonies. It has always been one of my favorites. The fact it was made in my home state of Oregon just makes it a little bit more awesome. Being in Astoria on vacation made this house a bucket list item. We didn't need to look through the windows at what the new owners had done. Or take items. There is a donation box. Please help pay for the constant vandalism. There was a time a previous owner had stopped access for obvious reasons. Let's try and respect the current owner and not keep the true fans from enjoying a bit of Oregon movie history. Just being in front of this actual lived in house from the Goonies movie is amazing. I really enjoyed thinking about all the movie scenes and how cool it would have been to be on set for filming. So much history. I know we've seen it already but I can't wait to see it up close again.

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.

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 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!

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.

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.

We are landscaping our new homes backyard in Lacey at Ovation at Oaktree with a Japanese theme. We…read morewanted to select slow growing trees (dwarf) and bushes/shrubs. They helped us select more than 40 items and they are keeping and caring for them until we plant in September. Great service and great prices.

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.

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.