Astoria
Astoria, originally called Fort Astoria, was founded as a fur trading post in the early 19th century. For a century, Astoria was the primary port for ships sailing up and down the river. And it's no easy task to navigate the Columbia River, the entrance is one of the most dangerous in the world, many ships have sunk or just vanished off the coastline.
Columbia River Maritime Museum - The museum has full-size replica of a Coast Guard rescue boat riding the big waves, plus models of Native American dugouts, Columbia River steamboats, sailing ships and schooners, towboats (pull barges up and down the river) and tugboats. Kids can learn to tie knots and take the helm in a simulated wheelhouse - stop and start the ship's engines, full speed ahead. Check out maps of boats sunk at the mouth of the Columbia River and shipwreck flotsam and jetsam, including Shark Rock, carved with the date of the shipwreck, Sept. 10, 1846.
If the weather is overcast, the museum has big glass windows where kids can watch the cargo ships on the river in comfort.
Outside, explore the Lightship Columbia, climb into bunks, look out through the portholes, visit the crew's quarters. This compact little ship might not look important, but in the early 20th century, this ship was a floating lighthouse, guiding ships across the "graveyard of the Pacific," and into the Columbia River.Astoria Riverwalk - From the museum, take a walk along the Astoria Riverwalk, it goes for two miles in either direction. At 6th Street there's a viewing platform, with great views of the river and Astoria Bridge. Kids can watch the big ships in the river, listen to the waves breaking on the pilings, and imagine their own sea voyages.
Riverfront Trolley - Take a ride along the riverfront in an old fashioned red trolley. (There's a stop just outside the Maritime Museum). Noon to 7pm, seven days a week in summer, 1 - 4pm on weekends in the winter. For a flat fare you can ride all day long.
Wreck of the Peter Iredale (Fort Stevens State Park) - In October 1906, the Peter Iredale sailing ship was shipwrecked on Clatsop Spit. The crew was saved, but the ship was stuck on the bottom, and the steel-hull remains to this day.
The beach is a great place to roll down the sand dunes, fly kites, picnic and build sand castles in good weather.
