Since
we jumped ship from our cancelled Celebrity Millennium and hopped onboard the Norwegian
Sun, we get the special treat of visiting Astoria, Oregon. Astoria, often noted as being one of the
prettiest cities in the U.S., is located in the northwest corner of the state of
Oregon. Situated where the Columbia
River merges into the Pacific Ocean, Astoria affords dramatic scenery where you
can snap great photos of beautiful vistas. Astoria welcomes cruise ship passengers with open arms! There are lots of pier side activities including welcoming bands, pier side "never on a Sunday" festive open air market, bon voyage by the high school band, and much more.
Astoria
was named for John Jacob Astor, whose fur company founded Fort Astoria in 1811. It was also home to more than a dozen seafood
canneries, as Astoria was a West Coast hub for the fishing industry. I discovered in my online research that
Astoria is recognized as the place where the tuna fish sandwich originated!
When speaking of tuna, Bumble Bee comes to mind. Did you know that Albacore tuna was discovered off the Oregon coast near Astoria? From Bumble Bee’s website I found a bit of the company’s history:
1899 – A group of 7 canners in
Astoria, Oregon formed Columbia River Packers Association, CRPA. Together, they
set out to fish and process salmon.
1900 – CRPA purchased several
sailing ships and began building a cannery on Alaska’s Bristol Bay.
1910 – The Bumble Bee Brand
was born as one of many CRPA marketed labels. Albacore tuna was discovered in
seasonal abundance off the Oregon coast.
1920 – CRPA began expanding
its cannery in Astoria to capitalize on Albacore
An
article in the NY Times reports that “the town, you might say, is to canned
tuna what Detroit is to the automobile.”
What
to do for a day in Astoria? As always
when visiting from a cruise ship, I know that a day will not be enough but that
I can always return in the future to spend more time. It sounds to me like Astoria will be one of
those places!
I've booked a ship's excursion for a wine & seafood tasting. We will taste Oregon's wines at the Cellar on the 10th and will also immerse ourselves in the seafood of the Pacific Northwest while enjoying a cooking class... could be hands-on too! This will only take 3 hours of our day... so what to do with the remainder?
The trolley ride is one of Astoria's most popular tourist attractions. The conductors are certified and trained local volunteers. "Old 300" is a
restored 1913 trolley car that runs from the Red Lion hotel to the foot
of 39th Street 7 days a week, 12 Noon to 7:00 pm, Memorial Day to Labor
Day. It runs the rest of the year on a reduced schedule, which is
posted in the trolley shelters.
The fee is $1 per ride, or $2 per person, which will allow you to get on and off all day long if you desire. There are about eleven stops during the narrated ride which lasts about an hour from end to end. I found this information on the website for Cruise Ship Days: On the days that cruise ships are in Astoria, the trolley and cruise host volunteers make every effort to provide rides on the trolley for as many passengers as possible. Therefore, a transportation sticker is sold for $7 that includes all day use of the shuttle to downtown Astoria, a transfer shuttle in the afternoons to the Astoria Column and the trolley. The trolley volunteers simply do not have time to collect individual fares if they are going to provide this valuable riverfront tour for as many visitors as possible. Passengers with stickers will have priority on the trolley.
Lewis and Clark’s Corp of Discovery spent the winter of 1805–1806 at Fort Clatsop, which they built and then named for the local Clatsop Indians. You can see a replica of the fort at the FortClatsop National Memorial, administered by the National Park Service. It is located four and one half miles southwest of Astoria, Oregon. The current fort is a replica built in 1955 from drawings from William Clark’s journal. The area offers hiking trails, picnic locations, and canoe and kayak launches.
Today, Astoria is an up and coming artist haven and has been featured in a number of movies. Movies that have been filmed in Astoria are: Kindergarten Cop, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III, The Goonies, Short Circuit, Come See the Paradise, and Free Willy I and II. One is Stephen Spielberg’s cult favorite, TheGoonies; you can even visit the Goonie's House in Astoria (click for YouTube video).
Some must-see venues include:
Visit here and you will learn about the history and importance of the Columbia River, the fishing industry, the Coast Guard, and much more.
The Astoria Column was an incredible chance to see a 360 degree view of the
Columbia River where it enters the Pacific and the surrounding areas. The
column itself is spectacular. Built in 1926, it's 125 feet tall and you can climb all the way
to the top of the column (164 steps) and step out onto the walkway. T
Interested in a two, three, or four hour eco tour?
Columbia River Eco Tours takes visitors to locations along the river, including
those explored by Lewis and Clark. The tour visits the Columbia Estuary
and Lewis & Clark National Wildlife Refuge, offering wonderful photographic
opportunities of bald eagles, blue herons, osprey and Canada geese. The tour
explores everything from salmon nurseries to ocean-going ships up close.
Click here for a YouTube video and enjoy!
Well, if you know me, you know I'm a foodie! I've found some interesting and fun options for dining in Astoria!
Silver Salmon Grille
How about some smoked salmon crepes or halibut fish & chips along with a glass of the house wine (made exclusively for the Grille by maryhill Winery further up the Columbia) while sitting at the beautiful antique bar with a history of its own. From the Silver Salmon website: The amazing 130 year old antique bar in the lounge is constructed of Scottish Cherrywood. It was shipped around Cape Horn in the 1880's. It was first used in Anna Bays Social Club, a house of ill repute here in Astoria in the latter part of the 19th century. It was then abandoned in the 1920's at the Port of Astoria. In the late 1940's it was found and refurbished over a three year period and installed in the early 1950's in its present location.
The website also tells me that the front label on the Silver Salmon house wine was done by local artist Bill Dodge and depicts many of the historic landmarks of Astoria. I see a bottle or two in my future! You see, I am a wine label collector!
This 1896 waterfront building, situated
at the base of the impressive Astoria-Megler Bridge, was once the offices and
repair shop for an adjacent salmon cannery. Now it shines as one of Astoria's most beautiful restaurants. You can stop here for small plates or tapas, lunch, or dinner.
Before we head back to the cruise ship, I think a visit to Bowpicker Fish & Chips is a must-do for me. I am a fish & chips connaisseur and Bowpicker's beer battered fish & chips sound ultra yummy! It's located across from the Columbia River Maritime Museum in the converted gillnet boat! Yes indeed! From what I've read once you get on deck, you will have two choices: a half order with three pieces or a full order with five pieces of the tasty beer battered albacore. They are served on a bed of thick steak fries that are much more than a side dish.
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