On the waterfront, ask for a window table at the Pier 11 Feed Store Restaurant and Lounge. Portland Brewing Co. As we savored our beer, two harbor seals cavorted in the river under our window. It's less than 10 miles from Astoria off 101. At Ecola Point, high above the Pacific, we saw why we wanted to make the trip in the first place. Framed by low mountains and lines of breakers, the beach stretches to the horizon, punctuated by rocky outcrops called sea stacks.
Signs tell which are safe to climb.
For the hearty, there are miles of hiking trails. We drove a short distance to Indian Beach to watch surfers. They wore wet suits, reminding us that the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, where the water temperature is in the low 50s year round, is too cold for most swimmers. You needn't swim, however, to enjoy the beaches. Steady winds most of the year make for great kite flying.