Planning to spend a night in Astoria later this week. I'd like to check out Buoy and Ft George... Any other can't miss beer places? Any food recs, particularly seafood? Any cool hotels - I am not an air b n b fan.
Breakside has a taproom that's about the same distance from Buoy as Buoy is from Fort George. All 3 are within a 5-minute walk of each other. There are three pubs at Fort George (upstairs, downstairs, and the Lovell Taproom), and they tend to have slightly different taplists. Make sure you check them all. Bridge & Tunnel is an excellent taproom and bottle shop that's across the street from Buoy. The Bowpicker serves albacore fish and chips from an old gillnet boat across the street from the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Good stuff. The Naked Lemon is a nifty bakery on Commercial Street. Last time I was there I had a crab and cheddar scone that was pretty fantastic. Mrs. vurt and I usually stay at the Motel 6, so we're probably not the best source for cool hotel recommendations. We've also stayed at the Hotel Elliot, which is comfy but spendy.
I'm not sure, but I think "cool" and "hotels" are mutually exclusive terms in Astoria. That being said, the Best Western is completely serviceable, albeit a bit spendy for a best western. If you want something a bit funkier and cheaper, I would recommend the Crest Hotel. The location is great and pricing is gentle. It's also clean, which I think is important. The last time we went, I didn't hear too many objections from my wife. Her standards are much higher than mine, so that's saying something. In terms of restaurants, I'm a fan of the Silver Salmon. It's decidedly old school, but the food is decent and they even have a passable wine list. If you want someplace with a good beer selection, then obviously Ft. George is the place to go. Have fun.
Bridge & Tunnel bottle shop is a block down the street from Fort George. Great bottle shop with a solid tap list. Definitely worth a stop. Obelisk is (I think) the newest brewery in Astoria and has been putting out some solid beers. The taproom is pretty cool too. It's about a 10 minute walk from Fort George. Also, if it's a nice day, climb up the Astoria Column. Great views from the top, but be aware, it's 164 stairs to the top. If you decide to do it, buy a balsa wood airplane from the gift shop before you go up and throw it from the top. The Goonies house also has a new owner who is cool with people stopping by for pics, unlike the previous owner who did their best to prohibit it. edit: I missed that @vurt covered Bridge & Tunnel in his post. But I'll second that emotion.
The Atomic Motel was pretty cool and funky back in the day. Not sure now. For the true Astoria feeling you have to rent a fixed gear bike and cross the bridge to WA and back. Joking
My wife and I have been visiting Astoria almost every year since we began dating almost fifteen years ago. We like to stay at the Nordblad Hotel. The prices are cheaper than most other places and Fort George is literally across the street. The taproom at Fort George is the best of the three locations at that brewery, especially if you sit at the bar. Some of my most memorable brewery experiences have been had there. Make sure to try albacore fish and chips somewhere. I've never seen that anywhere but in Astoria. Bowpicker gets stellar reviews, but I like Fort George's take better. Lastly, one of my all time favorite meals anywhere was at Bucket Bites, a meat pie food truck in Astoria. The meat pie was stunning, and the apple pie dessert was even better. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
I highly recommend walking to Obelisk. Probably my favorite brewery in Oregon right now. Sleeper coffee is fantastic if you’re into coffee.
My visit to Bridge and Tunnel yesterday confirmed my view of it as an exceptional beer bar. I had an otherworldly flight of Russian River kellerbier, de Garde wild ale, a Crux farmhouse ale and a barleywine whose provenance I don't remember. It would be rare to see one of these beers in one of my local taphouses, and to have all of them at once was a delightful experience. I had looked in on the new Buoy taphouse across the street and decided not to stay. They no longer serve food, and the energy did not seem as good as the previous Marine Drive location, which in turn was a step down from the original waterfront spot. They still brew good beer, though. We flew balsa wood planes off the Astoria Column - an experience not to be missed. We were just passing through yesterday. Based on past experience I endorse the Silver Salmon restaurant recommendation. My wife and I usually stay in a river facing room at Hampton Inn. This is decidedly not a cool place, but the balcony views are gorgeous, and it's a short walk to breakfast at Coffee Girl on Pier 39, which is very cool. There is much to do and see in Astoria and surrounds, and also lots of outdoors to explore.
Had a nice stay in Astoria, Bridge and Tunnel is indeed a hidden gem of a beer bar. Went to Ft George and the new (I gather) Buoy taphouse, which was ok but I really like their old school, bitter IPA. The next day we stopped in at Obelisk and had a nice chat with the friendly brewer/owner there, who makes very good beer in a pretty wide variety of styles. I didn't realize quite how quirky Astoria is, so it was fun just walking around. Great maritime museum too.
