When planning our trip to Oregon, we knew we wanted to allow a few days in the city of Portland, allot two days for the wedding on Mt. Hood, and then, because we don’t make it to the west coast very often, we wanted to see the Pacific! Seeing Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach was high on the list, but I couldn’t quite find the right hotel in the area, so I expanded my search. Thankfully my research directed me to the Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria, Oregon! Built on a pier that formerly housed a fish packing facility, the hotel seemed right up our alley, and a perfect gateway to experience an entirely different part of Oregon we might not otherwise visit.

After an afternoon spent on Cannon beach, less than an hour south of Astoria, we checked into our hotel room that overlooked the mouth of the Columbia River, with a perfect view of the Astoria-Megler Bridge. We promptly hopped on the hotel’s colorful cruiser bikes and began riding along the coastal greenway path, in the direction of the most famous house in Astoria – The Goonies House. We took a few pictures of Mikey’s house and reminisced about being children of the 80s, and then continued our bicycle tour of Astoria, which included an unexpected serenade by fifty or so seals on a local dock.

That evening we walked over to the restaurant across the pier from our hotel, the BRIDGEwater Bistro, and enjoyed a delicious meal (strawberry gorgonzola salad for me and a seafood pasta dish for Michael) as we looked out at the Columbia River. After we finished up, we walked back across the pier to our delightful hotel – the very place that inspired us to come to Astoria, Oregon a place we now consider to be an absolute hidden gem! Our experience in Astoria will always bring a smile to our face, and we happily recommend that anyone stay at the Cannery Pier Hotel on their next visit to the Oregon coast!