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.

This is based on a 2-night stay at a the F-Loop. *Access to…read morenature: 5 stars. The lake is amazing. Multiple access points to the beach, including the ability to drive onto the beach. Absolutely stunning views. *Privacy in campgrounds: 1 star You will enjoy no separation from neighboring campsites. Enjoy dinner with all other surrounding sites staring at you! Plus, if tent camping, you can hear the neighbors whisper. *Cleanliness of campsite: 5 stars Not a piece of trash in the campsite. Was well cleaned. *Location of restrooms/showers: 4 stars Took less than 2 minutes to walk to the restrooms/showers located in the center of the loop. *Cleanliness of restrooms: 3 stars Not good, not bad. Floors haven't been swept in a long time. Everywhere is sticky. *Cleanliness of showers: 1 star F-loop showers were NASTY. Fishing lure in the drain, hair on the walls, gum stuck to the floor, diapers left inside. WEAR SHOES WHILE YOU SHOWER. E-Loop showers next door were much, much more reasonable. *Noise: 1 star Quiet hours are from 10pm-7am. However, it is not enforced. Every single other camper quieted down around 10pm. Except for one exceptionally loud group who continued to be loud and obnoxious until midnight. We were harassed by this group but didn't have a problem with anyone else. CALL THE PARK ASAP if you are having issues like this early in the day because they don't patrol.(503)861‑3170 x 21. *They sell wood and ice at a reasonable price with a drop box for cash payment. *Is less than a 15 minute drive to Fred Meyer. *There is a giant playground and they were offering Junior Ranger "classes" for kids. *Bike, Kayak, and Paddle-board rentals were available.

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.

I found this information on the internet. There isn't any real information on site…read more Long Beach, Washington's "World's Largest Frying Pan" is a quirky roadside attraction measuring 14.6 feet long and 9.5 feet wide. Built in 1941 for the first annual Razor Clam Festival, it originally cooked a single giant fritter made with 200 pounds of clams for 20,000 attendees. This site is a replica but even so. "Wow." As a cook, I have served people on an "Industrial" level. I mean serving thousands of people weekly. Not joking at all. I've used some big equipment. Never anything like this Pan. I could easily feed hundreds of people a day using only this pan. It makes me think of the heat source you'd need just to maintain a proper heat level and the heat the cooks standing next to it felt. Awesome. This spot has another replica nearby and is also a nice spot to sit for a moment. Of all the little statues and art around Long Beach, WA. this is one of my favorites.

As a Roadside Attraction it's a bit lacking and is definitely in need of repairs. The fiberglass is…read morecracking and breaking away, letters missing from the handle and the paint is faded, dull and lackluster. It's definitely relevant for the area as razor clams are a staple here and what better way to represent them than a giant skillet next to a spitting clam! The original skillet was made of cast iron and used at the Razor Clam Festival in 1941. After the festival it went on to tour the coast for other events and Long Beach established the fiberglass one. It's 14 feet tall and a great photo op but Long Beach needs to fix it up a bit!

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!

Open until 10pm daily…read more Beautiful views anytime but especially for sunsets. Love this place

The Column is such a treat. The stairs to the top (164 steps) take you to an observation deck that…read morehas amazing views of Astoria. It is $5 to park and well worth it! Buy a wooden glider for $1 at the gift shop (or find some on the field below!) If you are scared of heights you will likely be a little nervous at the top (like me), but I stay near my trusted column and enjoy mys of immensely. We love being friends of the column!

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.

Everything looks very nice. Worth the adventure. A place for great ideas and the variety is…read moreoutstanding.

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.