Short Visit to Astoria

I will be arriving in Astoria via cruise ship on Monday, September 18th and would like recommendations on the highlights to see/do with only a few hours to spend. We are a group of 40/50 year old women. Also, is there a mode of public transportation from the pier to any recommendations made. Thanks!

Short Visit to Astoria

There is a riverfront trolley that runs along the Columbia River. Aside from being great fun to ride, it will also stop at the Columbia River Maritime Museum which I highly recommend. The Cannery Cafe is also on the trolley stop, this would be a nice choice for a meal. I have a review with photos of the restaurants under the Astoria Restaurant forum, along with several others.

You could also stop at 12th Street and walk to downtown from there. Lots of cool shops and antique stores. If you like Italian food, Fulio%26#39;s is a great choice, there is also the Silver Salmon Grille and T. Paul%26#39;s Urban Cafe.

If you want to hail a cab, you could take the ride up to Coxcomb Hill to the Astor Column. Beautiful views of the Columbia River and surrounding area, even if you don%26#39;t climp up to the top of the Column.

www.oldoregon.com is a nice website to help you with your travel plans while visiting Astoria. We acquired our home there about sixteen years ago before the tourist boom, it was quite a ';sleeper'; and has been through many, many changes over the years.

Enjoy and welcome to the Tripadvisor forums. Happy Travel Planning! :)

Short Visit to Astoria

Thanks SyrahGirl for your prompt response and great suggestions. We are really looking forward to enjoying your city!

You%26#39;re welcome! If you enjoy wine tasting, check out the Cellar on 10th St. It is located in the Underground Building along with a quaint little tea shop called the Windsor House of Tea. There is also Shallon Winery where you can sample several fine fruit wines, free of charge. We love the Cran du Lait and the Orange-Chocolate wine. www.shallon.com Cheers! :)

Here%26#39;s a good website for you, KeyRisk: http://tinyurl.com/ksxxn. Astoria hasn%26#39;t yet experienced the boom syrahgirl%26#39;s referring to, hence it really doesn%26#39;t have much of the tourism services and infrastructure that would normally accompany it. But, as you%26#39;ll note on the website, there are a couple options for getting around, and it appears there might also be a local company offering shore excursions apart from those contracted for by the cruise line.

If the historical sights don%26#39;t interest you and the weather%26#39;s good, I%26#39;d make Astoria Column your first priority. Beyond that, I think you%26#39;d enjoy the rugged Oregon and/or Washington coastal scenery. But Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach and/or Cape Disappointment State Park across the border in Washington might be out of reach timewise.

As a final thought, if you have a chance, stop by Josephson%26#39;s for some of the best smoked seafood you%26#39;ll ever taste.

If you want the best fish and chips(In my opinion) try the Bowpicker. It is kind of a hole in the boat! It is a block %26#39;up%26#39; from 101 from the %26#39;Custard King%26#39; and the Marintime Museum(I cant remember exactly what street it is- i think 16th). The Bowpicker is located in a boat and there are picnic tables around-not the most senic area- but ahh the fish!!! The wife cooks the fish at the stand and the husband catches it the day before. The fish useally depends on what is caught but useally they have salmon, halibut or tuna. yum yum!!!!!

HI chinookgirl, we tried the tuna fish and chips from the Bowpicker this summer. I did not care for them at all, but would like to try it agian sometime when they are offering the salmon or the halibut.

The Ship Inn is our favorite for fish and chips for over twenty years now! :)

I guess it just depends on what you like... I%26#39;ve been there quite a few times and each time I thought it was good. But I like hole in the wall(boat) places.

The Maritime Museum is on Marine drive between 17th and 18th streets. I remember seeing the restaurant boat across the street from the museum. I was sick when we took my parents to the museum so we didn%26#39;t stop there for food. We love fish and chips so we%26#39;ll have to go back on our own to try it out. I know the trolley stops at the museum so it wouldn%26#39;t be hard to get there. The trolley seems to be the way to see the waterfront though. We were there on a Saturday in August and there was never any room on it when it stopped at the museum.

We enjoyed the museum but it may be something that would take too long -- it doesn%26#39;t look that big on the outside but they have a lot of displays in there. We were there for about 3 hours and didn%26#39;t stop to study everything. My parents got tired before we got through the whole museum! The adult rate was $8 and it%26#39;s open from 9:30 - 5. Their website is www.crmm.org if you want to check it out.

We haven%26#39;t been anywhere else in Astoria though we want to go to the Column.

Three hours is a really long time, even with the short film that is offered in the River Theater. The main part of the museum is very large, allowing you to view many things at once. When we were setting up our exhibit there, we brought first time visitors and we were in and out in a little over an hour. There is also the Lightship Columbia docked outside the museum, you can walk onboard and it is included with your admission price. The anchor in front of the museum is a great place for a photo op.

There is also the Wet Dog Cafe that is in front of the trolley run there for a pub-type atmosphere with pretty good food. Burgers, sandwiches, pasta, etc. with views of the Columbia River. :)

Gosh, I can%26#39;t thank everyone enough for all the suggestions and tips. If even half of residents of Astoria are as kind, gracious and as helpful as all of you have been, it will be a memorable day! Again, thanks so very much!