The Perfect Weekend in Astoria and Warrenton, Oregon
If you’re looking for the perfect spring weekend getaway, Astoria and Warrenton in Oregon are ideal! Jack and I came here for the first time on a road trip from Boise, Idaho, and we fell in love with this quirky little fishing town. Astoria is where the mouth of the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean and has been coined “Little San Francisco” because it has a similar feel and plenty of old Victorian homes scattering the hills. The history here also surprised me as this is the oldest city in Oregon, founded in 1811, and is where Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery wintered once they found the Pacific Ocean. I was thrilled to see how many fun things there are to do on the weekend in Astoria!
We found a fabulous restaurant and brewery scene, great bars and distilleries, fun shops, incredible hiking, and plenty of museums for a rainy spring day. We could have spent a week here and not been bored! So, if you’re planning a trip here and want the spend the perfect spring weekend in Astoria, complete with an itinerary, continue reading! And for more inspiration, check out travelastoria.com or Travel Astoria and Warrenton on Instagram! While we’re at it, let’s be friends on Instagram and Tiktok!
Weather in Astoria
If you’re visiting Astoria in the spring, I recommend packing layers. We came in early March, and it was very pleasant, with periodic rain showers. However, depending on when you arrive, you should probably plan on at least a little rain. If you have a full day of rain, not to worry! There are plenty of things to do below if you experience some showers. Each season in Astoria and Warrenton brings different weather patterns, so you’ll want to pack layers no matter the season. In summer, you’ll find Astoria’s hottest months, but not too hot— mainly in the high 60s and 70s. Fall is moderately chilly, with a gentle breeze and beautiful foliage. Winter is usually pretty wet, cold, and overcast in the winters. You’ll want to pack your layers and raingear.
How to Get to Astoria and Warrenton Oregon
Astoria and Warrenton are directly across the river from each other, so many people group them into one. They are both about an 8-hour drive from Boise, and you can stop at some fantastic destinations along the way. We loved our stops in Pendleton, Oregon, and the Columbia River Gorge (Hood River, Rowena Crest, and Multnomah Falls). If you’re coming from Portland, Oregon, you’ll drive about 2 hours to Astoria, and coming from Seattle is about a 3.5-hour drive.
Where to Stay in Astoria and Warrenton
There are some great options for places to stay in Astoria! Depending on what you’re looking for, I’ve got a few options here:
Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa
The Cannery Pier Hotel is where we stayed, and it was luxe! We loved that every room has a beautiful view of the Columbia River, and you can see the Astoria-Megler bridge right from the balcony. They also have a fantastic spa with a jacuzzi tub, sauna, and unique bathtubs in the rooms that look out over the river! I loved the bar and fireplace in the rooms and thought it was so neat that they gave us a document showcasing the different ships coming through the river and going directly by the hotel. They even had a pair of binoculars, a great touch. The Cannery Pier Hotel is also dog-friendly! See Current Prices
Bowline Hotel
The Bowline Hotel is an upscale boutique hotel located near the Astoria Riverwalk and right on the Columbia River. It’s a former cannery transformed into a hip hotel with beautiful rooms, a fun bar, barrel saunas overlooking the river, and free bikes to take around town. Bowline Hotel is also just seconds from downtown Astoria. See Current Prices
Selina Commodore Astoria Hotel
The Selina is an affordable hotel in an old 1920s building in downtown Astoria. If you want to be in the middle of all the action, this hotel is for you. They have 18 suites and cabins, and pets are allowed in some rooms. See Current Prices
A Weekend in Astoria and Warrenton
Spring Weekend in Astoria and Warrenton: Day 1
Depending on when you get to Astoria for the weekend, feel free to move this itinerary around so it suits your weekend vibe!
Astoria Riverwalk Trail
Start your trip by walking along the Astoria Riverwalk Trail near downtown Astoria. It’s a 6+ mile trail that winds through downtown, the boardwalk, and out along the Columbia River. This will give you a good sense of the area and let you get a lay of the land. We loved watching the sea lions along the Riverwalk. We saw a lot near Pier 11 and some near the Bowline Hotel. March was a great time to see the seals and sea lions reasonably active, but you can also see them throughout the year at different times! If you’d rather not walk the Riverwalk Trail, you can take the Astoria Riverfront Trolley! Starting on March 25th, you can hop aboard this historic streetcar. It costs $1 per board, and the full roundtrip is about an hour. It’ll take you from Basin Street all the way to 39th Street.
Lunch & Brewery Hopping
We really enjoyed grabbing Vietnamese food at Nekst Event for lunch! This lunch spot is a yummy stop along the Astoria Riverwalk and would be a great spot to stop before your walk or trolley ride. After getting some exercise, I recommend brewery hopping if you love beer like me! Astoria has so many great breweries that I highly recommend, and we had a great time checking them all out. Try checking out Obelisk Brewing, Fort George Brewing, Astoria Brewing, Reach Break Brewing, and Buoy Brewing. Many also serve food if you’d rather get lunch at one of these spots! See my Instagram post with more info on each of these and what I thought! If you aren’t into breweries, try liquor at Pilot House Distilling or the popular Vineside wine bar.
Dinner
End your night by grabbing food at the Astoria Food Hub, where Buoy Brewing is located. We loved the oyster shooters, cheddar cheese curds, and the Buoy clam chowder!
Spring Weekend in Astoria and Warrenton: Day 2
Breakfast and Pier 39
Wake up and grab coffee and breakfast at Coffee Girl at Pier 39. This pier is 147 years old and was once home to the Hanthorn Cannery before it became the well-known Bumble Bee Cannery. It’s still one of the West’s oldest canneries, and inside, you’ll find a free, self-guided museum where you can learn more about what it was like to work there, see old fishing boats, nets, machinery, and a signed wall of old cannery workers and what positions they held. Pier 39 has other cool spots you can check out, including Rogue Ales, Vineside wine bar, Menagerie shop, and the Mess Hall Market.
“Little San Francisco,” Goonies and the Astoria Column
Next, you can check out one of the reasons Astoria was coined “Little San Francisco”— the beautiful old houses on the hills! There are many old Victorian mansions with views out over the Columbia River, and they are worth checking out. Take a morning walk or drive through the houses on the hills and stop at the famous Goonie’s house if you’re a fan! Just be respectful, as this is in a quiet neighborhood, and you don’t want to disrupt the neighbors. Then you can go all the way up to the Astoria Column for sweeping views of the entire Astoria and Warrenton areas!
Lunch & Museum Hopping
End your morning with lunch and sandwiches from Peter Pan Market & Deli, and then spend your afternoon checking out some museums. The Astoria and Warrenton museums are well done, and you can’t beat the history here! Be sure to save these spots for a rainy morning or afternoon.
The Flavel House
I loved visiting the Flavel House Museum! If you are interested in architecture and old homes that have been preserved, this is a great option. It was built in 1879 and was owned by an old ship Captain, George Conrad Flavel, and his wife from 1879 to 1901. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and you get to tour what the house would have looked like when they lived here. The cost is $5 to enter.
The Oregon Film Museum
If you’re a Goonie’s fan, the Oregon Film Museum is a must-visit! The cost is $6 to enter, and it’s located in the old Clatsop County Jail, also on the National Register of Historic Places. The building was actually in a scene of The Goonies! The museum highlights films made in Oregon, like Free Willy, the Twilight series, Kindergarten Cop, and National Lampoon’s Animal House. The coolest part of the museum is that you can act out what it would be like to be on a movie set. We thought it was a fun and quick museum! 
Columbia River Maritime Museum
If you’re looking for a more extensive museum that will probably take you a few hours, check out the iconic Columbia River Maritime Museum. This fascinating museum features history from the Columbia River clear back to the days of dugout canoes to present-day ships. There’s a big focus on shipwrecks and the stories of the Columbia River Bar—one of the most dangerous passages in the world. It was super interesting! The cost of entry is $16/per adult. 
Dinner and a Night Cap
If you happen to be staying at the Cannery Pier Hotel (I highly recommend you do), this might be an excellent time to hit up their jacuzzi spa or sauna. If not, end your night with a fabulous dinner with a view at the Bridgewater Bistro and perhaps a nightcap at the fun tiki bar, Dead Man’s Isle!
Spring Weekend in Astoria and Warrenton: Day 3
Breakfast
Today would be the perfect day to get up, grab breakfast at your hotel or get coffee and breakfast at Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro or Blue Scorcher Cafe.
Fort Stevens State Park
After getting some sustenance, head over to Fort Stevens State Park. This park is a beautiful 4,300-acre expanse with beaches, hiking and biking trails, a fortress, a military site, and the well-known 1906 Peter Iredale shipwreck. Jack loved visiting the historic military site used to guard the mouth of the Columbia River—we even saw a herd of elk over here! I loved visiting the Peter Iredale shipwreck wrecked on the beach in 1906. At low tide, you can walk right up to the remains of this steel ship.
Fort Clatsop and Cape Disappointment
Next, venture over to Fort Clatsop to see where Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery wintered from 1805 to March 1806 after making it to the Pacific. It was fun to see what the encampment would have looked like and get to walk through the beautiful rainforest. This fort has been reconstructed from Clark’s sketch and isn’t the original. However, it’s still so cool to see! Be sure to check out the museum and movie they show as well. The cost is $10/per person. Another excellent day adventure would be going to Cape Disappointment State Park in Washington, just over the Astoria-Megler Bridge bridge. Many people have also told me to stop along Long Beach in Washington!
Hopefully, this itinerary helps you plan the perfect Spring weekend in Astoria and Warrenton, Oregon. Do you have any other great tips or things you love doing in Astoria? Please let me know in the comments! This post is sponsored by Travel Astoria and Warrenton. As always, all opinions are my own. For more inspiration, visit travelastoria.com or their Instagram @travelastoriawarrenton!
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