So Long, Astoria

May 15, 2014
3 min read

Astoria, Oregon

We had been in Oregon over 4 years when we explored north far enough to get to Astoria. Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to the trip. It was a trip focused more on schooling. We home school our two teens and educational trips are one of the perks... and sometimes one of the bummers. I thought this trip was going to be a bummer. I think even the kids were expecting a lot more Lewis & Clark and history on this outing. As we rolled into town we were greeted with sunshine which makes any Pacific northwest seaside town postcard pretty, especially Astoria.

We crossed the bridge and turned off on one of the waterfront boulevards. Within minutes of cruising around I had already spotted two locations from Kindergarten Cop and the barista where we got coffee said the house where Johnny 5 came alive in Short Circuit was just around the corner. Some excitement entered the Baller Church van as we made our way to the Astoria Tower... let's get the schooling out of the way first.

We learned that Astoria was named after John Jacob Astor. He saw the potential of the lower basin and opened a trading post that became Astoria. Its 125' tower built as a monument to the railroad reaching the Northwest in 1926. Scenes showing lower basin history are in 25' sections with the area's oldest history at the bottom and most current events toward the top. School buses lined the parking lot and the park the tower sits within is lined with history lessons. Descriptions of what you are looking at are everywhere, and what you can see from up there is everything. The kids learned the routes, reasons and relations of Lewis & Clark. We stood where they saw the Columbia meet the Pacific in all its majesty upon arriving there in late 1805. From the tower you can see the town's 1914 trolley system shuffling tourists through the port in fully restored trolley cars from days gone by. The Pacific graveyard is in full view and the basin still must use bar pilots just to get the captains through the basin without incident. We filled our head with history of ports and pirates and politics that shaped the area. I'm kind of a history buff with a university education and I must admit I learned things about Lewis & Clark I never knew... Now, on to the fun stuff.

We started our escapade through Astoria the same place The Goonies started theirs... at the County Jail now turned Oregon Film Museum. We learned scenes in Stand By Me were filmed minutes from our home and we had driven through the Oregon town that played the role of Castle Rock in the classic movie. We had no idea Animal House was filmed in Cottage Grove or that a beach we would pass along the 101 HWY on the way home played the role of Bell's Beach, Australia in the final scene of Point Break. It was awesome. We grabbed some seafood in the old part of town near the base of the bridge then crossed the enormous span into Washington. There's another Lewis & Clark camp on the Washington side but even if you're not into the history stuff a trip across the Astoria-Megler Bridge is worth the time spent. That's two powerful bodies of water meeting under its span and the views are spectacular.

The day went by way too quick, I didn't want to leave, there was still so much to see. We debated finding a campground and staying but we elected to return another time. We pointed south on the 101 and headed home. Oh wait, I didn't forget... The Goonies' house, we did go, Lisa and Tristin did a couple of lines from the flick but it was a bit of a letdown. There are "Keep Back" and "Please Donate" signs yards from each other. I respect the keep back sign and I'm sure Goonies fans are something they've had their fill of... then don't buy a classic movie location and put a donation box in the yard. The owner was out front and never even looked our way... he was washing his yellow Porsche.

So long, Astoria... we found our map to buried treasure... and we will be back again.

*Side note: We edited the video a year later.