Astoria Oregon. Ten things to do in this charming west coast town.
Astoria was our first time Oregon. We stopped here for a day on our 22 day Panama Canal Cruise. We found the town very charming and had fun roaming for the day. Whether stopping on a cruise ship or as a destination for vacation, below are our recommended ten activities to do in Astoria.
Take the Trolley.
Astoria has a very cute old trolley that runs along the waterfront. For a dollar you can hop on the trolley at a stop near the ship. It makes several stops on the way into town. This is a great option if the weather is not great on arrival day or if you have any mobility issues.
Walk to town along the waterfront.
If you are up for a walk there is a very nice walkway leading from where the ship docs into downtown Astoria. You will pass over small bridges and under large bridges. The town sits at the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. Most of the walk is along the waterfront which is really enjoyable.
Visit Sleeper Coffee.
For a perfect coffee with a view visit Sleeper Coffee. Here we ordered a couple of coffees and biscuits. Our biscuits had a Miriam Berry spread. We had never heard of Miriam Berries but found the spread very tasty. We grabbed a couple of stools along a bar overlooking the water. It was a perfect and peaceful view.
Shop in downtown Astoria.
Do some shopping in downtown Astoria. The downtown felt like a quaint small town. There are several stores to explore. We spent time looking for a gift for our daughter and even visited the downtown drug store. There are lots of homemade crafts to look at.
Enjoy Ice Cream and Fries at Frite and Scoop.
Make a stop at Frite and Scoup along the waterfront. I opted for the ice cream and Sean went for the Fries. I highly recommend the Hokey Pokey flavor ice cream. This was a sweet cream custard with honeycomb toffee. Sean’s fries were hot and fresh and came with some homemade dipping sauce.
Get some beer at a local Brewery.
A little research before we got to Astoira told us we should visit a brewery. We decided to grab a beer at Fort George Brewery. This was up on a hill overlooking town. They had so many options of beers to choose from. The place was very busy for a Friday afternoon. There is a line for ordering food and drinks and another for just ordering drinks. We chose to take our beers to the outdoor seating area and enjoy the weather.
Fill up on sweets from Schwietert’s cone and candy.
We seem to find chocolate and other sugary delights everywhere we go. Next up fill up on sweets from Schwietert’s cone and candy. They have a display in the center of the store. Here you can order ice cream, choose from an assortment of chocolates and as I did get some fudge. Along the perimeter of the store is a wide range of all sorts of candies. I had my eye on the salt water taffy!
Visit the Oregon Film Museum.
The last thing we did before heading back to the ship was visit the Oregon Film Museum in the old county jail. There have been several movies filmed in Astoria. The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Free Willy and Short circuit just to name a few. The museum is very small but packed with things to look at. The jail house itself was featured in The Goonies. It was fun to walk through and reminisce. You can even shoot your own movie scene in one of the rooms. If you want souvenirs be sure to visit the gift shop on your way out.
Visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
There were a couple of things we did not get to but we would have liked to do. One of those things is visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum. We did walk along the outside and took some photos. The Museum is located right on the Coloumbia River. It is something we will set aside time for the next time we are in Astoria!
Grab a meal from Bowpicker’s fish and chips.
A popular thing to do in Astoria is get in line at Bowpicker’s fish and chips. This is a stand alone food truck just a block off of downtown. When we walked by there was a line formed. We had just filled up on ice cream and fries so we had to pass this time around. This is another activity that we look forward to doing the next time we are in Astoria!
We thoroughly enjoyed our day in Astoria, Oregon from a cruise ship. I can say we were both pleasantly surprised with what the town had to offer. It was very walkable and had plenty of treats for us to fill up on during our stop. We do love coffee and chocolate!
Want to see our Astoria adventure? Check out our YouTube video.