Day 3 - Astoria, OR - Sunday

Today the Columbia Queen docks near downtown Astoria, Oregon. Browse, shop or take a leisurely ride on the Waterfront Trolley, surrounded by Victorian architecture and rich maritime history. (Or, stay on board and schedule a massage.) Much of the town’s history is retold in murals weaving around the Astoria Column, a striking 125-foot monument atop Coxcomb Hill. If stories of the sea set your imagination sailing, visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum, a brief walk from your riverboat.

One of the most important sites representing Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery is the fully restored Fort Clatsop stockade, where you can imagine the hardship they endured in the cramped conditions of this log structure.

In Cannon Beach, stroll through this charming seaside hamlet’s galleries, shops and miles of
unspoiled Pacific Ocean shoreline. A mecca for artists and photographers, it is also
home to Haystack Rock, one of the world’s largest free-standing monoliths.

Tonight, savor an elegant 5-course dinner, followed by themed entertainment.

Daily tour background descriptions:

Columbia River Maritime Museum
The Columbia River Maritime Museum was founded in 1962 when Rolf Klep, a native of Astoria, returned to his birthplace after retirement as a successful graphic artist on the East Coast. Here, you will experience one of America’s finest collections and exhibits reflecting images and artifacts related to shipwrecks, lighthouses, fishing, navigation and naval history. You can explore the conning tower of a submarine, the reconstructed bridge of an U.S. navy destroyer, and tour a floating lighthouse, the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark.

The 30,000 artifacts in the museum's permanent collections include ship models and paintings, marine carving, navigational instruments, fog horns, barometers, ship and boat logs, photos, and prints. The museum's main feature is a 37,000 square foot building housing the Great Hall and seven thematic galleries. Exhibits within these galleries feature fur trade and exploration, navigation and marine safety, fisheries, canneries and whaling, sailing vessels, steam and motor vessels, and naval history.

The Great Hall contains many large vessels, including a 36-£100t 1943 U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboat used at Cape Disappointment, a 29-foot Bristol Bay Gillnet boat, a Nelson log bronc used on local mill ponds, and a 28-foot square stem bowpicker gillnet boat built in 1950 for a local packer.

Astoria Column
Few towers in America, much less Oregon or the Pacific Northwest, possess a symbol as vivid and widely recognized as the Astoria Column. Dedicated in 1926, it is a monument to the voyages and expeditions of discovery arriving in the Pacific Northwest. American's greatest historian, Samuel Eliot Morrison, referred to Astoria as "the Plymouth Rock of the West."

The Astoria column was built by Italian artist Attilio Pusterla as a gift to the city from the Great Northern Railroad and Vincent Astor, heir to the trading company that founded Astoria in 1811.

Located on the highest point in Astoria, known as Coxcomb Hill, from here one can see a beautiful panoramic view of river, forest and ocean. It is one of the most spectacular sites in North America! For a breathtaking view, climb the 164 steps inside the 125-foot column.

Fort Clatsop National Memorial
The Lewis and Clark expedition remained at Fort Clatsop from December 7, 1805, until March 23, 1806, after they completed their history-making journey from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. The fort, named after the local Clatsop Indian tribe, would be their home for three months while they prepared for their return trip back to St. Louis the following spring.

During your visit, tour the exhibit room and see the audio-visual program at the visitors’ center. Then stop at the reconstruction of the fort, completed in 1955. Fort Clatsop was a log stockade, 50 feet square, located in a thick growth of pine. Two cabins (three rooms on the west side and four on the east) were separated by a parade ground. Also, take in the daily activities as part of the park's living history program. Members of the park staff dress in period costume and demonstrate some of the frontier skills used at Fort Clatsop in the winter of 1805-06.

Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach is located along the beautiful Oregon coast. This attractive seaport has unique shops, art galleries, quaint restaurants and a peaceful ambiance. Its sandy beach is a great area to stroll along, allowing the tide to caress your feet.

Ecola State Park is just north of Cannon Beach City limits. In addition to being a prime whale-watching site, it offers remarkable views of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, the Coast Range and Cannon Beach.