Astoria is gritty, and likes it that way. But that rustic exterior is just a cover for the many enchanting dichotomies you’ll find waiting around the next corner. Here, fisherman are poets, loggers drink espresso, and Main Street welcomes both nouveau gallery and five n’ dime.
For Astoria, it’s about character, and it’s also about characters: the people who call this place home with a passion that borders on evangelical. The skipper who challenges the same mighty river his great grandfather once fished. The artist who migrated here in search of a new palette. The hotelier who resurrected a once-bustling pier.
Astoria is that little town that could, a city of 10,000 people on the Columbia River, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean. Founded 200 years ago at the beginning of Oregon’s North Coast, Astoria has been through boom and bust times more than once, weathering the collapse of both the Columbia River fishery and Oregon timber industry. It has risen once again as a cultural haven, often referred to as “little San Francisco.” Astoria is an old place that is newly hip. Here, Victorian mansions and maritime relics live in harmony with chef-driven restaurants and tattoo parlors.
Once you come here and learn these stories, you’ll want to share them with others, and hope they’ll tell others, too. And, it’s a place to which you’ll want to return, to see what other stories you might have missed.
Featured Spots
North Coast
Bikes & Beyond
Bikes & Beyond was opened by Richard Fencsak and his partner, Joan Herman in 1988. Richard ran the store until his untimely passing in 2008. The shop has been a Trek dealer from that first year, and have more recently...
1052 Commercial StreetAstoria, OR
503-325-2961
Email us (info[at]bikesandbeyond[dot]com)
North Coast
Lance Fisher Fishing
The great thing for fishermen here in the Pacific Northwest is that you have year around runs of Salmon, Steelhead, and Sturgeon. Some months are certainly better than others, but to enjoy such an abundance of different types of fishing...
422 Gateway Ave.Astoria, OR
503-822-6188
Email us (info[at]lancefisherfishing[dot]com)
North Coast
High 5 Fishing
Astoria, OR
(503) 791-5957
Email us (bigrich[at]diamondheating[dot]net)
North Coast
Lewis & Clark at the Crossing
Lewis & Clark public golf course located in Astoria, Oregon, is this regulation length (2,738 yrds., 1 par 5, 502 yds.), 9 hole course. Designed for challenge and fun for all skill levels and all ages. Placed in a country...
92294 Youngs River RoadAstoria, OR
503-338-3386
Email us (lcgrvpark[at]gmail[dot]com)
North Coast
West Coast Artisans
Discover unique gifts and a variety of art at this gallery in Astoria.
160 10th StreetAstoria, OR
(503) 739-3953
North Coast
East Mooring Basin Boat Ramp
Located at the mouth of the Columbia River, the East Mooring Basin Boat Ramp is popular and convenient launching point for anglers.
Astoria RiverwalkAstoria, OR
North Coast
Triple C Outfitters
Professionally guided Salmon, Sturgeon & Steelhead fishing based on the Columbia river.
74734 Good RdAstoria, OR
(503) 791-2314
Email us (RHFishKiller[at]gmail[dot]com)
North Coast
RBV Adventures LLC
Astoria, OR
(503) 502-7983
Email us (Riverman6340[at]yahoo[dot]com)
North Coast
Astoria–Megler Bridge
Connecting Oregon to Washington across the mouth of the Columbia River, the Astoria–Megler Bridge is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America. Pedestrians are allowed on the bridge just one day per year, during the Great Columbia Crossing. The 4.1-mile-long Astoria...
Astoria–Megler BridgeAstoria, OR
North Coast
Liberty Theatre
The Liberty Theatre in downtown Astoria, Oregon, is one of the best examples of the 1920s vaudeville-motion picture palace in the Pacific Northwest.
1203 Commercial StreetAstoria, OR
503-325-5922
Email us (director[at]liberty-theater[dot]org)
North Coast
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Explore the world of marine transportation from the days of dugout canoes, through the age of sail, to the present. Watch a dramatic 12-minute film introducing the history and perils of the the Columbia River. Sail a model boat on...
1792 Marine Dr.Astoria, OR
(503)325-2323
North Coast
Clatsop State Forest
Clatsop State Forest is a working forest brimming with rich history and recreational opportunities. It is managed by the Astoria District of the Oregon Department of Forestry.
Astoria, ORMore Info
Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce
Astoria, OR Mail: PO Box 176
Astoria, OR
503-325-6311
Email us (visitors[at]oldoregon[dot]com)