27 BEST Things To Do in Astoria, Oregon

Astoria might just be our favorite town on the Oregon coast. Shh, don’t tell the others!

It’s the oldest city in Oregon, perched on steep hills where the Columbia River meets the Pacific. Think colorful Victorian houses, giant cargo ships gliding past, sea lions barking on the docks, and some of the best breweries on the coast.

Add old forts, a famous shipwreck, forest hikes, and a whole lot of Goonies history, and you’ve got a town that’s easy to fill a weekend with. Here are the best things to do in Astoria, plus the best stops nearby.

Map of Things to Do in Astoria

Most of these are right in town along the river, and the rest are within about 45 minutes. Use the map to plan your days.

1. Ride the Historic Trolley

For a real feel for Astoria’s history, hop on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. “Old 300” was built in 1913, and volunteers still run it along the waterfront on the original rail line, from the East End Mooring Basin to the west end of town.

A full loop takes about an hour, and a conductor narrates the whole way. It runs seasonally, roughly spring break through fall, so check the schedule before you go. It’s a cheap and easy way to see the waterfront without moving your car.

2. Walk or Bike the Astoria Riverwalk

Prefer to stretch your legs? The Astoria Riverwalk is a flat, paved path that runs about 5 miles along the Columbia, right beside the trolley tracks. Walk as little or as much as you want.

3. Walk Up (or Down) the Pigeon Steps

Astoria is hilly, which means views everywhere. One of the best is from the top of the Pigeon Steps, a long, stepped ramp (more bumps than stairs, so don’t be scared off) with a view over the whole town and waterfront.

The steps are at 11th Street and Irving (or Jerome, depending on which way you’re going). From the bottom, keep walking down 11th Street past cute houses and shops all the way to the river.

4. Grab a Beer With a View at Astoria Brewing Company

Astoria Brewing is the oldest craft brewery in town, pouring beer right on the Columbia since 1997. The food is solid, the river views are great, and there’s always something fun on tap.

At the very least, pop in for a pint and the marionberry cobbler. We’ve had it like five times. It’s that good.

5. Sip Something Different at Obelisk Beer Co.

Craft beer lover? Obelisk Beer Co. is set in an old midcentury beer distribution warehouse on the west side of downtown, and it’s a super cozy space. They’re known for oak-aged and experimental beers, plus a rotating lineup of classics.

There’s no kitchen, but you’re welcome to bring food in.

6. Walk the Airport Dike Trail and Bayfront

Distance: 4 miles
Type of Trail: Out & Back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation Gain: 29 ft

The Airport Dike Trail is a flat, easy walk through a lush estuary that’s prime bird habitat, with views of Astoria and Youngs Bay. Park on the small access road at the end of the Lewis and Clark Bridge.

The second half runs right alongside the airport runway, so you might catch a plane landing. At the end, you can carefully cross Highway 101 and keep going on the Bayfront Dike Trail.

7. Hang Out at Pier 39

Pier 39 is one of the best spots on the waterfront. This big, historic building was once a cannery, and today it’s home to shops, a little cannery museum, and tons of old memorabilia.

Walk the boardwalk around the pier, check out the old boats tied up nearby, and soak in the river views.

8. Get Your Coffee Fix at Coffee Girl

Ready for a pick-me-up? Coffee Girl is tucked inside Pier 39, with window seats looking right out over the river. It’s named for the woman who served coffee to the cannery workers on this pier for decades.

Grab a latte and a pastry, then check out the old photos on the walls. Coffee with a side of history? Yes, please.

9. Spot Sea Lions at the East End Mooring Basin

This one’s underrated. You can’t walk out onto the docks here, which is why most people skip it. But here’s the secret: park in the small lot and walk the boardwalk for great harbor views.

Come for the views, stay for the sea lions! They love lounging (and barking) on the docks right in front of the path.

10. Tour the Flavel House Museum

Astoria is packed with gorgeous old houses, and you can actually go inside one of the best. The Flavel House Museum is an 1880s Victorian mansion built for Captain George Flavel, one of the town’s most influential residents.

Tour the house and grounds, or just admire it from the street. It also had a cameo in The Goonies.

11. Hike the Cathedral Tree Trail to the Astoria Column

Distance: 1.6 miles
Type of Trail: Out & Back
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 393 ft

This forest trail climbs through the woods to the Cathedral Tree, a giant Sitka spruce with a big opening at its base that looks like a cathedral doorway. It’s about half a mile from the trailhead, with some short hills and stairs.

Keep going up to the top of Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column. It’s free to climb the 164 steps to the top, and the gift shop sells little wooden gliders to launch off the platform. Driving up instead? There’s a small parking fee at the top.

12. Take a Break at Shively Park

Need a break from the busy waterfront? Historic Shively Park sits up the hill from downtown, with trails, a paved loop around the park, picnic shelters, and a playground for the kiddos.

13. Visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum

Astoria sits at the mouth of the Columbia, where the river meets the Pacific at the infamous Columbia River Bar. So it makes sense that the Columbia River Maritime Museum is one of the best things to do in town.

It’s full of boats, artifacts, and stories, from hand-carved canoes to Coast Guard rescues on the bar. Easily a couple of hours, especially on a rainy day.

14. Grab a Pint at Fort George or a Pastry at Blue Scorcher

Craving a pastry? A coffee? A beer? Fort George Brewery and Blue Scorcher Bakery & Cafe share the same big historic building, so you’re covered either way.

Blue Scorcher is a worker-owned bakery making everything from scratch. Fort George does great beer and pizza, and we always pop in for a pint when we’re in town.

15. Find Fort Astoria

Tucked behind Fort George Brewery is a little relic of the past. Fort Astoria was a fur trading post set up in 1811, and it’s the reason the town exists. Today, there’s a small log blockhouse replica on the site.

It’s not worth a big detour, but if you’re at the brewery anyway, check out the plaque and the mural that shows what the area used to look like.

16. Catch a Cheap Movie at the Columbian Theater

Is there anything better than a cheap movie in a cool old theater? Welcome to the Columbian Theater in downtown Astoria.

Grab a slice of pizza and a beer, head up to the balcony couches, and enjoy the show. It’s a great rainy-night move.

17. Wander the Goonies Filming Spots

The Goonies was filmed all over Astoria, and you can still find a bunch of the spots around town, like the Flavel House, the old county jail, and Lower Columbia Bowl.

18. Visit the Oregon Film Museum

The old Clatsop County Jail, which you’ll recognize from the opening scene of The Goonies, is now the Oregon Film Museum.

It’s not just about the Goonies, either. Tons of movies have been filmed in Oregon, and this fun little museum covers them all.

19. Play Retro Games at Gizmo’s Arcade

Gizmo’s is a retro arcade packed with pinball machines and old-school games, and trust me, it’s not just for kids. We totally lost track of time in here!

Work up an appetite? They also serve hot dogs, pizza, nachos, and root beer floats.

20. Look for Local Wildlife

Astoria is famous for its sea lions, which pile onto docks along the river. But the wildlife doesn’t stop there.

Roosevelt elk roam the forests at nearby Fort Stevens and Ecola State Park, and whales pass by off the coast. For bald eagles, head to the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary east of town, where you can watch them hunt over the water from a roadside viewing platform.

21. Go Bowling at Lower Columbia Bowl

Bowling is the perfect rainy-day plan, and Astoria has a fun retro bowling alley. Lower Columbia Bowl has popped up on the big screen a few times, including in The Goonies.

Even if you don’t care about the movie trivia, it’s a fun way to spend an afternoon.

Where to Stay in Astoria

Stay downtown and you can walk to the Riverwalk, the breweries, and most of the spots above. Astoria has everything from historic hotels to waterfront inns, and here’s our full list of the best hotels in Astoria.

Camping: Fort Stevens State Park has one of the biggest campgrounds in the state park system, with tent sites, full hookups, and yurts, about 20 minutes from downtown.

22. Spend a Day at Fort Stevens State Park

Fort Stevens State Park is about 20 minutes from Astoria, and there’s a ton to do in its 4,300 acres. Swim and fish in the lakes, bike miles of trails, and walk the wide beach.

Then explore the old military batteries and visit the Peter Iredale shipwreck, which has been sitting on the beach since 1906. A state park day-use permit is required.

👉 Read the full guide: Fort Stevens State Park

23. See Youngs River Falls

Want an easy waterfall? Youngs River Falls drops about 50 feet into a pretty pool, just 20 minutes or so outside Astoria. A short trail heads down to the base.

In summer, the pool below the falls is a fun place to cool off. Fun fact: it shows up in Free Willy 2.

24. Head to Cannon Beach

One look at Cannon Beach and you’ll see why it’s one of Oregon’s favorite beach towns. It’s about 40 minutes south of Astoria.

Haystack Rock towers 235 feet over the sand. At low tide, the pools at its base are full of sea stars and anemones, and tufted puffins nest on the rock in spring and summer.

👉 Read the full guide: Things to Do in Cannon Beach

25. Explore Ecola State Park

Ecola State Park has some of the best views on the whole coast, and it’s easy to miss on your way to Cannon Beach. The drive in winds through Sitka spruce forest to viewpoints looking south past Haystack Rock.

Have a picnic, walk down to Indian Beach, or take the Tillamook Head Trail. Out at sea, look for “Terrible Tilly,” the old Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. Landslides close trails here now and then, so check the park page first. A state park day-use permit is required.

👉 Read the full guide: Ecola State Park

26. Take a Day Trip to Seaside

Seaside is just down the road, and it’s packed with fun. Walk the Prom, a 1.5-mile paved path along the beach, all the way to the Lewis and Clark statue at the turnaround.

Want to get on the water? Paddle the Necanicum River, which runs right through town. The surf here is good too, especially at the Point.

👉 Read the full guide: Things to Do in Seaside

27. Drive Over the Bridge to Washington

Hop in the car and cross the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the mouth of the Columbia. On the Washington side, stop at Fort Columbia Historical State Park to wander the old coastal defenses.

Then head to Cape Disappointment State Park, with two lighthouses and great forest trails, and keep going up the Long Beach Peninsula and its 28 miles of sand.

Tips for Visiting Astoria

• Park once and walk: Downtown, the Riverwalk, and the trolley make it easy to leave the car for the day.
• Bring a rain jacket: Astoria gets a lot of rain, especially from fall to spring. The museums, breweries, and arcade make great rainy-day backups.
• Go early for the Column: The parking lot fills up on summer afternoons.
• Check seasonal hours: The trolley and some attractions keep shorter hours in the off-season.
• Be a good Goonies fan: Filming spots are in real neighborhoods, so stay on the sidewalk and keep it quiet.

FAQs About Things to Do in Astoria

Final Thoughts

Astoria has a little bit of everything: history, beer, river views, forest hikes, and a quirky, artsy vibe you won’t find anywhere else on the coast.

Give yourself at least a couple of days, and don’t miss the Column at sunset. Driving the whole coast? Start here and follow our Oregon coast road trip south.

We hope this helps you plan your trip to Astoria!

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