Our Last Port of Call before We Disembark--Astoria, Oregon
Sherpa and I began our journey in Miami 150 days ago, traveled around the world, and are finally in Oregon. And today, Sherpa has officially visited all 50 United States; Oregon is Number 50!
As we approached our last port of call on our 150-day Regent World Cruise, we watched rain pelt the Columbia River. Low clouds obscured the far banks of Washington state, but the crew on the Oregon state side were ready and waiting for the Seven Seas Mariner. We docked with barely a bounce. We had arrived at Astoria, Oregon.
As the captain maneuvered the ship next to the long dock, the engines were at full throttle, and a dozen California gulls dove into the churning water for a fine breakfast. We’ve often seen these gulls as we’ve sailed along the coasts of Canada, Washington, and now Oregon.
The Seven Seas Mariner was docked next to a forest of submerged pilings, a testament to Astoria’s waterfront history when a dozen docks were filled with fishing boats, and canneries were just yards away. We took the shuttle into town, though beware—Astoria’s shuttle drivers are unaware of the ship’s shuttle bus schedule. Inquire about return times if you have plans later in the day.
The shuttle dropped us off on the main street, where volunteer greeters offered assistance with directions and recommendations. The ladies were exceptionally friendly and smiling despite the rainy and slightly chilly weather. Their rugged rain gear might have helped. They even brought chocolate chip cookies to deal with any cases of “I’m hungry!”
I smiled when I saw the sign for the Oregon Lottery. Back in 2010, while traveling through the Pacific Northwest with my youngest to celebrate her recent college graduation, we drove for half a day from the southern boundary of Olympic National Park to Astoria, then turned around and went back to Olympic. Why? We were in search of our 50th state visit. (Now, Sherpa got his 50th state in the same town, just 16 years later!)
As part of our family tradition, while crossing the US with our kids and camping in our tent camper, we “collected” states. To count a state as “visited,” we had to meet certain criteria: you had to eat something regional, you had to do an activity related to the state, and you had to take a hike. I’m not sure where we hiked, but I do remember that A. and I had wildberry ice cream for our regional fare, and we bought an Oregon lottery ticket as our state’s activity!
Astoria has a long history with fishing and fish-packing companies. In the 1880s, Astoria was known as the "fishing capital of the world" due to its large salmon catches. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town served as a hub for salmon canning, with numerous canneries operating along the Columbia River. Today, the only salmon cans you’re likely to see are on the streets of the town center—and they’re disguised trash cans.
Astoria’s main streets are filled with charming bookstores, chic boutiques, pop-ups, and quirky home furnishing shops. Add dozens of small souvenir stores and the shoppers among us would have a fine time strolling through town.
Unfortunately—or fortunately—we had limited time so we kept walking until we reached our destination.
Destination beer, that is! Our destination brewery was the Astoria Brewing Co. overlooking the harbor and the Columbia River.
The brewery was quirky, just like the rest of the town, and spacious. Since we arrived minutes after opening, we had our choice of seats.
Sherpa looked over the extensive menu and chose an Astoria IPA. We added chips and salsa for a pre-lunch snack. Astoria IPA is brewed by Astoria Brewing Co. in Astoria, Oregon. ABV is 6.8%. Sherpa’s Take: “Medium gold in color. Lightly carbonated and moderately hopped, slightly bitter. Mouthfeel is smooth and light-bodied. Aftertaste—the hops become more pronounced and flavor’s complexity increases with a touch of sweetness.” 7.5/10. We both liked the ambiance of the brewery and would have happily hung out for a few hours if we’d had no afternoon plans.
Early this morning, after assessing the rainy weather and the low probability of seeing anything on a seven-hour tour to Mt. Saint Helens, we canceled our all-day excursion, and instead spent the morning exploring the town. We then returned to the ship for a quick bite to eat—to supplement the chips and salsa we enjoyed at the brewery—and changed into rain-tolerant clothes for an afternoon excursion to the Columbia River Maritime Museum and the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
Next up: a museum and a historical park.
Hooray for 50 states visited for Sherpa (Plus, several countries if you count your cruise!)! That is an excellent portrait of Sherpa with his beer to commemorate the occasion!