Kids in Astoria
Sep/03/06 01:39 PM | Adventures
Astoria, Oregon is worth a trip with kids. We were
just there for a wedding, and were traveling in a
band. A three year old, two year old, and a 6 month
old all escorted by their adults. The downtown is
very walk-able, most of the time we left The
Kid’s stroller at the Hotel Elliot and went
out on foot.
We strolled down on the river, which has a paved river walk that hugs the Columbia. It’s a working river, so expect ocean-going vessels, sports boats, fishing boats, a stern wheeler, the works. There’s also an old fashioned trolley that runs along the Columbia, along the river walk. There’s no real schedule, and the round trip is about 45 minutes, so plan accordingly.
We also found some good shopping for kids, including Lunar Boy, The Purple Cow toy store and plentiful tchotchke gift shops along the main drags. The natural food store on 12th has children’s shopping carts, and all the basic organic foods to keep a steady snack supply.
Our coffee shop for the trip was a great spot on the 200th block of 11th. Stumptown coffee, great baked goods reflecting the Scandinavian heritage of the city, and a nice selection of breakfast items including waffles that were enjoyed by the kids. The place is light, spacious and airy, kids are welcome, the garage door rolls up to open to the street, and I have no idea what the name is. That should tell you how desperately the coffee was needed each morning.
Most of our meals were enjoyed with wedding guests, but we did stop at our favorite fish and chips place, the Bowpicker, on 17th avenue. Kids love it – it’s a boat dry-docked on the side of a hill, with a picnic table under a shade tree. The only items on the menu are fish, and chips. Although the potatoes are frozen out of a box, the fish is amazing. There’s a trolley stop a few blocks down and in plain view, so you can race down if need be, and a nice view of the river.
Nearby is the Custard King, an old-timely looking ice cream shop. It looked great, and always had a crowd, but we never had a chance to stop. We also missed all the obvious children’s locales, although there are plenty. Downtown Astoria hosts a maritime museum, a children’s museum, and a fire fighters museum, for which I’ve seen good reviews.
If you go, I recommend the Hotel Elliot. It’s central, and has clean rooms and great beds. They have roll away beds and pak n plays for kids, and good bath tubs. Best of all, there’s a roof top deck with safe plexiglass enclosure, and comfy wooden deck chairs painted in bright colors. The Kid and I went out early one morning, while the sun was coming up, to snuggle and talk and enjoy the 360 degree view
We strolled down on the river, which has a paved river walk that hugs the Columbia. It’s a working river, so expect ocean-going vessels, sports boats, fishing boats, a stern wheeler, the works. There’s also an old fashioned trolley that runs along the Columbia, along the river walk. There’s no real schedule, and the round trip is about 45 minutes, so plan accordingly.
We also found some good shopping for kids, including Lunar Boy, The Purple Cow toy store and plentiful tchotchke gift shops along the main drags. The natural food store on 12th has children’s shopping carts, and all the basic organic foods to keep a steady snack supply.
Our coffee shop for the trip was a great spot on the 200th block of 11th. Stumptown coffee, great baked goods reflecting the Scandinavian heritage of the city, and a nice selection of breakfast items including waffles that were enjoyed by the kids. The place is light, spacious and airy, kids are welcome, the garage door rolls up to open to the street, and I have no idea what the name is. That should tell you how desperately the coffee was needed each morning.
Most of our meals were enjoyed with wedding guests, but we did stop at our favorite fish and chips place, the Bowpicker, on 17th avenue. Kids love it – it’s a boat dry-docked on the side of a hill, with a picnic table under a shade tree. The only items on the menu are fish, and chips. Although the potatoes are frozen out of a box, the fish is amazing. There’s a trolley stop a few blocks down and in plain view, so you can race down if need be, and a nice view of the river.
Nearby is the Custard King, an old-timely looking ice cream shop. It looked great, and always had a crowd, but we never had a chance to stop. We also missed all the obvious children’s locales, although there are plenty. Downtown Astoria hosts a maritime museum, a children’s museum, and a fire fighters museum, for which I’ve seen good reviews.
If you go, I recommend the Hotel Elliot. It’s central, and has clean rooms and great beds. They have roll away beds and pak n plays for kids, and good bath tubs. Best of all, there’s a roof top deck with safe plexiglass enclosure, and comfy wooden deck chairs painted in bright colors. The Kid and I went out early one morning, while the sun was coming up, to snuggle and talk and enjoy the 360 degree view