The Astoria Column

Beautiful 360 degree view of the area and Port Townsend from this vantage point. You can climb the "Column" for even a more unobstructed view, its 164 steps to the top, fairly narrow, but rest landings every 32 steps up the column. Nice diversion from downtown. There's a $5 admission charge, but I think its well worth it. There's a gift shop for souvenirs and refreshments. Go and enjoy.

The Astoria Column is a hollow structure containing a circular staircase of 164 steps, including landings where you can rest. The steps lead to an open air platform at the top where you will find a 360° view of Warrenton, Seaside, Astoria Megler bridge, Saddle Mountain and more. For a little bit of fun purchase a balsa wood airplane at the gift shop before you start your climb. You can launch your plane from the top of the column to watch it soar to the lush green landscape below.

I had a fantastic time visiting the Astoria Column! For just five bucks, you get plenty of parking and a chance to climb the 164 steps to the top. The view up there is absolutely stunning—you get this amazing panorama of lush green forests, the water, and the charming little town of Astoria below. The weather was perfect when I went, which made it even better. There’s also a cute little souvenir shop nearby where I picked up a hat as keepsakes. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I’d definitely recommend it!”

This is a must see activity in Astoria. We just missed the gift shop but still had a wonderful experience. The view even after dark is spectacular. Recommend daylight for extended view. The night time view was amazing.

The Astoria Column is a really amazing spot. The view is gorgeous, the stairs to the top a fun challenge. It was cold and windy on the day we were there, but the view was well worth the chill. The entry fee is also really reasonable.

Very nice! I went about a month ago and the views were very nice. The stairs really freaked me out, they seemed a bit rickety, but the view at the top was worth it. You can see the whole city ! The column was very pretty in itself, wonderful graphics on the exterior that reminded me a bit of the Coit Tower in San Francisco.

Super cool place, very historical. Love the addition of the airplane toss from the top of the tower. It is not for the faint of heart but so worth it. Take some time to look in the cute little gift shop there are lots of different souvenirs.

It doesn't seem like a long way up until your on the spiral staircase. A very cool place to see. Great view

It's awesome, if you're okay with cramped spaces and twisting stairs. The views are remarkable--every time I'm here, there's an eagle or two soaring nearby or in the distance. I like to walk to the column, using the trails behind the community college. It's a great walk and worthy work out. But just drive and park if an uphill hike isn't for you. Even if you don't climb the column stairs to the top, the park offers beautiful views of Astoria and the Columbia.

August 1, 2025 - Astoria, OR On our last visit to Astoria, we had hoped to climb to the top of the Astoria Column for its panoramic views of the city and the Columbia River. But it was so crowded that day, we decided to skip it. This time, we arrived in the early morning and had the Astoria Column--and its breathtaking panoramic views--completely to ourselves. There are 164 steps in the spiral staircase, and it was totally worth every one of them. Go early morning for the best experience.

We LOVED driving up to and visiting the column. It was only $5. Stop by the gift shop. Clean restrooms too!

Besides all the fun Goonies histories associated with visiting the coastal town of Astoria, Oregon, another worthwhile landmark to check out is this Astoria Column. Astoria Column is a lookout tower that showcases panoramic 360 degree views from high above. The most recognizable vantage point from atop the 126 foot column is getting to see downtown Astoria and the Astoria-Megler Bridge that connects Washington and Oregon. The bridge passes over the Columbia River. It's $5 entrance fee when you arrive. And then also for sale are little wooden glider planes for $1 which you can then fling off the top of the tower. It's a playful addition to the visit and I'd suggest splurging $1, lol, to feel like a kid again. There is a gift shop beside the column. They open at 9am. I purchased a magnet and a few postcards. When you're here at Astoria Column, besides climbing the 164 steps to the summit of it all (which isn't difficult and is totally enclosed until arriving at the top), back down at the bottom has plastic lounge chairs for everyone to use to sit down and take in the peaceful surroundings. I visited back in late August and the weather was perfect. It was a brisk 60 degrees and ideal for absorbing the fresh air surroundings of Oregon's oldest port city . You can do hiking. There's Cathedral Tree Trail. It's one mile each way and features a 300 year old sitka spruce tree to observe. Extra details... - Astoria Column is open from 5am - 10pm daily. - When the sun sets, the column gets lit up at night. - There was actually a posted sign that I had to take a picture of... It described what your $5 entrance fee from visiting Astoria Column gets funded for. I found it very transparent of them, lol... - $2 goes towards large scale site improvements and the preservation and restoration of the column. - $2 goes towards standard site maintenance and operations. - $1 provided to the city of Astoria to fund essential city services such as police, fire department, public library and parks. You can take as much time as you need. And...your $5 fee is good for an entire year of visits to the column. So, you can come during the day and enjoy the setting at night underneath the stars. Overall, although my main focus for coming to the small town of Astoria, Oregon was to do everything Goonies associated because of my childhood love for the film, but discovering Astoria Column as a bonus activity was a great way to enjoy some quiet downtime and scenic views for a few hours.

The Astoria Column is 125 feet tall, and there's no elevator, so you will be climbing all 164 steps to get to the top. The views from the top are worth it though! During December, the tower was decorated with strings of lights to make it look like a Christmas tree. Very cute. The gift shop was closed when I visited, and so I felt like I missed out on some of the history or background of the column since the informational signs outside were sparse, other than the usual placard about the journey of Lewis and Clark. There's a $5 parking fee for an annual parking pass, as well as a short trail into the woods from the parking lot.

This is a column, celebrating the early explorers who were here. There is a decorated column with the names of famous people. Lots of visitors climbed up to the top. I didn't even go inside the door. They sell parking for five dollars a year. I wonder how many people come back another time. I came on tour bus.

Astoria, OR is a must visit to climb the Astoria Column. It's a historic monument with an unbeatable viewpoint. Built in 1926 as part of a series of 12 markers celebrating the westward expansion and the contributions of early settlers. Its design is inspired by the Trajan's Column in Rome, with its 125-foot height decorated with intricate murals that spiral around the tower, depicting key moments in the region's exploration, including Lewis and Clark's expedition. The climb up the 164-step spiral staircase is well worth it. Once at the top, you're rewarded with 360-degree views that stretch across the Columbia River, Pacific Ocean, and the coastal range.

The Astoria Column was a neat historical monument. You can climb to up stairs on the inside of the column and get a great view of Astoria. There is a small gift shop that sells balsa wood planes that you can launch from the top.

$5 entrance fee. Beautiful view of Astoria, the water and surrounding forest. The windy, steep road up the hill is like a surprise because you can't see how wonderful the view is still you park and look around. A nice short stop while in the area.

An incredible view from the top! Plenty of parking ($5 fee) & viewing areas with picnic tables & walking trails

Fun little touristy thing to do in Astoria. There are some good hiking trails in this area, if you decide to drive up there parking will be about $10. They have a little tourist shop with t-shirt/stickers/tourist items, but they also sell airplanes you can throw off the top of the column which come either pre-built or assemble yourself. If you ask (some might offer too), the cashiers have some colorful markers that you can add some color to your plane.

Had an awesome afternoon with my granddaughter exploring the Column and grounds. It was a beautiful day and the views from the platform were absolutely amazing. You could see forever in all directions. Loved reading the history involved in constructing this landmark. So happy we shared this experience together!

This popped up as a must-see when planning our Oregon road trip. We made our way over after the sites for the Goonies, and we are so glad we did! It was $5 for parking, which I think is worth it. It's almost like admission to the column. You can walk up the stairs inside and go to the top. My husband made the climb up and I opted to walk around the column 500 times to read the writing on it lol There were a few plaques around to read the history of the area, which I love, along with a gift shop (we didn't go in). Right where we parked, you can see out to the ocean, and there were nice chairs set out, so we sat for a bit and watched the water. It is right on the coast on a mountain, so it can get windy and cold. This was a really neat, inexpensive attraction. The road up to the column is narrow and does wind a bit, so be careful heading up!

The views from this park just cannot be beat - especially from the top of the column!! You can see the whole of Astoria and the mouth of the infamous Columbia River - breathtaking and expansive!! My first visit was several years ago during the pandemic when it was closed - so you could visit the park grounds but couldn't climb the column. I'm so happy I finally made it back....so so worth it - a total MUST if you're visiting Astoria. It's 164 stairs up to the top per their website - but I counted 170 from car to the top of the column (but it's entirely possible my count was off due to trying to catch my breath LOL). The 360 degree views of the area are amazing. You can see the whole town, the famous Astoria bridge in its entirety, and so much of the Graveyard of the Pacific! The outside of the column is covered in artwork that depicts the history of Astoria and is just lovely. It's $5 to enter, but that covers you for a whole year so be sure to keep your parking ticket! There's more to the park than just the column itself - scattered around the grounds are numerous info signs, historical relics and art pieces- as well as lots of benches. Highly recommend leaving time to explore the grounds as well. There's a great little gift shop on site full of trinkets and mementos - as well as approved "gliders" that you're allowed to fly from the top of the column haha! So fun! All the staff on site are very friendly and excited to share the area history - a definite must when visiting Astoria!

Christmas break adventures with the fams found us visiting the Column on a whim. My kids were too little to remember the pain and suffering of climbing 164 practically vertical stairs. So, naturally, I brought them here for the view & to hear the inevitable whining. I win! They all climbed, they all whined, they saw, and then they whined again on the way down (made me tear up hearing them xoxo my sweet little headache makers on the struggle bus). It's a $5 annual pass, so good deal there. Parking is doable even if it seems limited. I can't speak to what the gift shop holds because I dare not let my poor (literally broke) kids near it. No, no, we didn't come for an $8 paper airplane that you throw down from the top and never see again because some snotty nosed kid at the bottom "found" it first. No, we came for the Column and we conquered the Column. Cheers.

Beautiful drive through the parks loved the panoramic views I climbed the column 135 ft of elevation via spiral stairs with several stops along the way and you can fly your paper plabe once you reach the top

So fun! We only heard of this because I asked a cashier in a bookstore what was a "don't miss" in Astoria. (My WA friend recommended the town but we saw it and were not really wowed.) However, this Tower is just amazing! Luckily some people climbing down advised us to go to the gift shop FIRST to buy balsa planes BEFORE doing the whole climb = so grateful! I chickened out of the climb after about 10 spiral steps - I have a terrible fear of heights...but it was still worth the trip cuz of the VIEWS! Just stellar! I took pix of hubby flying his planes; he said they went REALLY far. NOTE: he said the climb was really a LOT for his quads! Photo ops here are amazing and we even saw a bride and groom getting their pix there, that's how glorious it is. I'd DEFINITELY call it an Astoria MUST SEE.

WOW its nice brudda i never been to the top its looks cools thoughs nice my mom says i should put periods at the end of my sentences but i dont want to do that really OK

Good way to see a spectacular view of Astoria. You purchase an annual parking pass for $5-but the column itself is free. Might cost you a few days of sore legs though! I think the man at the gate said 164 steps to the top. Its also a spiral staircase...so could make some people dizzy. Definitely a unique experience. There are also trails you can explore, a gift shop, and restrooms.

Sure, the column is a nice attraction, but it's really difficult to like something that celebrates the exploits of adventurers that led to the destruction of the indiginous folks and their culture. The artwork is beautiful and the climb up the spiral staircase is an easy activity for the whole family. The views are dependent on the weather and clouds, but they are usually spectacular. If you want a more strenuous adventure, park your car anywhere in Astoria, save the $5 parking free, and hike up to this area.

What a great attraction! At $5 entry fee per car, this is a great way to spend a sunny day. It took us 4 minutes to climb the column going up -- most people should have no issue climbing to the top. The inside is air condition I believe since it was 90 degrees the day we went and when we got inside the tower, it was a solid 20 - 30 degrees cooler! The top is a LOT cooler cooler too (felt similar to inside the tower with added breeze). A few people were having picnics on the lawn and there were plenty of picnic tables and lawn area so you'll have no issue finding space!

164 steps to the top, when I was in grade school, we would have a field trip here many times, so much fun, and so beautiful. I love the entire Oregon coast, and it's history. This is definitely part of it. You can see the mouth of the Columbia River, and the topography and vegetation is inviting! A monument to the West. The Astoria Column, located atop Coxcomb Hill, is a monument to the natural riches of the Pacific Northwest and the people who settled there. Building and maintaining the Column has been an endeavor requiring the efforts and resources of many over the years. It stands today as one of the finest tributes in America to those who built the West. Attilio Pusterla's was the artist who sketches for the Astoria Column, chronological depictions begin from bottom to top -- tracing the development to the region from its pristine beginnings to the arrival of the railroad in 1893. Built in 1926, the concrete and steel structure is part of a 30-acre city park.

Quality/Quantity - Excellent. Buy a $2 glider and fly it from the top of the column. We found that out after we came back down from the column, so we had to go up twice. Then we found another glider one the floor and my daughter and I both said to each other that we are NOT climbing up again a third time; so we gave it to the next kid that was going to walk up the column Atmosphere - What a fun place. The column - 125 foot tall, 164 step spiral staircase to the 360 observation deck. Built in 1926, added to the national register of historic places on 5/2/1974. Beautiful views of the river, bridges, etc. Open 7 days a week from 9:00am to 7:00pm; see website for season hours. Trails and walking paths; 30 acres. Restrooms, clean but more "outhouse" like. Gift shop (where you buy the gliders). Dog friendly (not inside the column). Service - Okay. The attendant was friendly. Price - $5 parking per car for the whole year. It is good until December 3, 2022. Owner Comment - Thanks for having such an affordable fun place.

Historic with lovely view of the city and river. A must see or must visit place when you are in Astoria. Breath-taking and relaxing. We did go earlier today on a nice weather. Went up the monument which is quite a stair climb but totally worth it.

Well worth visiting! Buy the airplane for $1 and fly it off the top it's fun for the kids! Enjoyed my visit here. Definitely worth the $5 parking and if you come in the morning maybe you will luck out and see the ships coming into port.

Wow! What an incredible beautiful park. The park is just beyond gorgeous period. The Astoria column is incredible. Once you get to the top you can see the ocean and the Columbia Gorge river at the same time along with endless gorgeous Landscape that goes forever in every direction 360. Yes! There is a lot of stairs, but do not let that get in your way to climb to the top and enjoy the incredible views. You can even buy paper airplanes on site that I think are two bucks apiece and throw them off of the column. How often can you climb to the top of some thing and be allowed to throw a paper airplane off and feel like a kid all over again. We strongly recommend this park as an absolute stop.

"Playing cool makes me lose my mind. I can't be someone I don't recognize" - Tate McRae. I must declare coming to Astoria has to be the best decision I made in my life. It was 2021 and I was in Oregon seeing my therapist. So during my free time I decide to drive my Ford Transit Connect milk van to Astoria as a way to release my mental health stress. Turns out I made the right decision to do so. I was so happy when I made it to the Astoria Column because I was like "cha cha cha yeah yeah yeah" just like the Allstate Crab commercial. Why? It's because I got a great view of Astoria, Oregon and see why the state is such a majestic place to own an office. I never been so happy in my life before. Drawback: The only thing I hate about this was I have to pay for parking but hey it's worth it. It's what make me Oregon Proud. https://www.ispot.tv/ad/OPry/allstate-waves

What a little unexpected treasure!!!! This place was recommended to us on our trip to Oregon and despite not planning on going, we ended up in the area and decided to check it out. Figured it would be a good place try stretch out legs and maybe get a good view. It's $5 to park and after parking we realized you could climb the stairs all the way to the top! Make sure you stop in the gift shop for your $1 plane first so you can chuck it over the edge once you arrive at the top! Great little history lesson and workout! Myself and my teenage son enjoyed this stop very much!

Why not stop by here when passing through Astoria, so we did. Came by on a wonderful summer day a few months ago to check out the views. Easy to find, pay a $5 parking fee, get out and enjoy the views! The column is pretty cool, you can hike up the column by using the winding staircase. Pulled up my pants and off we went up the stairs. Narrow staircase, suck it in as people pass you on the way down. Not too much space up there but the views are great! We spent about 15 mins or so up there taking some photos then we headed back down. There's also a little hiking trail just off to the side of the parking lot, we hit that up too while we were there to see the "Cathedral Tree". They have a little souvenir shop, restrooms, and seating areas to picnic and just relax. It's a great stop to check out while in the area. Do it.

I had to drive through Astoria (home of the Goonies ), and saw that the Astoria Column was an attraction in the area. So glad we stopped by. There was a $5 parking fee (good for the whole year - although I won't be back for the year). There are breathtaking views of the area including the Columbia River. I learned about the Lewis & Clark expedition from the signs posted in the area. My son and I climbed to to the top. It was windy up there, but provided amazing 360 views! Visitors were able to buy wooden planes from the gift shop to throw off from the top to see how far it would go, and it was fun to watch! A definite must stop if you're in Astoria!

The views are amazing. You don't have to climb the stairs to the top of the column to get amazing views. You can see the ocean, the river(s), the bay, the bar, all the way to Seaside. I'm a local, so I walk all the way up Coxcomb Drive, then up the meadow to the top. It's roughly a 15 min walk one way. A bit narrow, watch for cars.

The best views in all of Astoria! Rain or shine, this column gives you 360 degree views of Astoria and the surrounding area. Climb up the narrow, but well-maintained steel spiral staircase for an even better view up top. $5 for parking, but they'll give you a pass so that you can have unlimited entry for a year.

As others have said, you get a great view of Astoria from the top of the column, but it was rather windy when I was there. Nevertheless, you can get some nice photos and good exercise climbing the 164 steps to get to the top! The day I was there, there were quite a few others, so going up and down the stairs was a challenge as one side of each step is narrow while the other side is wider; a lot of people preferred staying on the wider side of the step, so getting around them was a challenge. Also, no masks were required, so it was a bit disconcerting being so close to unmasked people huffing and puffing on the narrow indoor staircase, not knowing if they've been vaccinated or not. Parking is $5 each car, so not too bad. There are hiking trails in the area if you're so inclined, but we didn't take advantage of them. The gift shop sells wooden gliders to fly from the top of the column, so that can be an incentive to climb all those steps; might be fun for the kids to try to find the gliders after others have flown them off the top, too!

It was very serene, beautiful and cold. Really nice views but it was very windy and drizzly. Did not make the climb up the column but we were able to walk around it and take in some nice views.

Astoria Column is an amazing place to see the most epic views of Astoria Oregon and be taken back by its beauty. There is a trail you can walk up or you can pay $5 for an annual pass that lets you park at the top near the column. Added bonus is that there is a public restroom as a side note. Due to COVID, the column itself is closed, but you can still view the outside as well as the gift shop that had the nicest women working inside who I chatted with for awhile talking about my travels and love of their town. Truly lovely people. But now, again, the views here. Wow. Amazing. Breathtaking. I know I said that but it needs to be repeated. I spent so much time just kind of taken back by it all. They have chairs for you to just sit and take it all in and I'm so glad I did. It's peaceful; there were other tourists but it isn't loud or crowded or anything like that. It was peaceful. Kind of made you feel like you were in heaven looking down on Earth. I mean you look out and see for what feels like ever. It's amazing. I'm so glad I stopped here and hopefully you'll feel the same.

My boyfriend and I were visiting Portland from Los Angeles. I wasn't sure if the drive to Astoria would be worth it, but it might be the highlight of our whole trip! The column was so much fun with the stunning views. We spent some time in the gift shop (you can buy wooden airplanes for $1 to throw off the column balcony, pretty fun!) and packed a picnic. They had 3 or so picnic tables and a few more chairs along the grassy area. Plenty of parking which is $5 (good for the year and also gave us 10% off at Mo's which we took advantage of). I believe there were bathrooms on site as well.

We have visited Astoria probably 6 times over the last 4 or so years and we have never visited the column. No real reason it just never made our list. I loved it actually. It was a cool column that you can walk up and around. The around is beautifully designed and looks really cool. Plus is full of history and information. The inside walk was fun and the top gives you amazing views. I have zero negative about this experience. I mean you pay $5 to park and its good for the year. They tell you how they break down the cost of the parking permit. It is just a really cool little Landmark and worth the time to visit.

We went on early morning hours. We were one of the first group of people there. At this time there was no problem with finding a place to park the car. As we were leaving though, I noticed crowd was starting to form. The Column is spectacular. The art work that went into it is awesome. We manage to brave the climb all the way to the top. The view from above is really something else. It's really a breath of fresh air. Literally!!! If you're claustrophobic, do not attempt to climb or you will get dizzy. When we went up to climb, there was not a whole lot of people yet but the steep spiral staircase made it hard. There's not a whole lot of room inside and must share with others coming back down. It felt like forever getting there. The view however, made it worth while. From the top you can see a peak of Washington State. Megler Bridge connects the 2 state. I guess now I can say I've been there and done that. Now, on to the next destination.

Follow the stamped columns on the road up the hill to the top. Very winding up and down so be careful of cars and even charter buses coming the opposite way. Cost $5 to get in and the views are amazing. One of the highest viewpoints in Astoria; & for even more breathtaking views, climb up the 170 stairs in the column or so and you get views all the way around. Be careful not to go up to fast as my muscles were feeling it at the end.

Fantastic views of Astoria! So the Astoria Column has a total of 164 steps... halfway up I was dying LoL! I am so not physically fit, but gahhh!! we did it and the hubby and I finally reached the top. We emerged from the observation deck and wow! we enjoyed beautiful panoramic views of the Astoria-Megler Bridge, the harbor, port, ocean, mountains, the city of Astoria and the coast (on a clear day you can see for miles).... totally worth the stairs. The view is really great even in the fog. When we got to the top and stepped out onto the balcony we were hit with a strong gust of wind, cold wind so dress in layers. brrrrr! Our visit was on Memorial Day weekend. We snapped a few photos before heading back down the spiral stairs. There is a small gift shop on the premises and you can purchase gliders to fly from the top of the Column. A $5 fee gets you in the parking lot for a year. We did not know this until a car heading back down (as we were heading up) flagged us and gave us their ticket. We thanked them and went on our merry way. We were the recipient of a kind deed so we paid it forward by doing the same to another family as we left the landmark. The outside of the column is painted with pictures of historical significance of the area: the discovery of the Columbia River, the end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and the arrival of the ship Tonquin. The concrete column itself is 125-feet tall and was built to celebrate the discovery, exploration, and settlement of the West. Cool landmark to see. Done. Review #1401 (227th business review)

Absolutely stunning views from the park surrounding the column! We chose to not climb to the top but still enjoyed marveling at the murals on the column. We wished we'd taken a picnic to enjoy on the various tables and chairs there. We were excited to have had a conversation with the lovely couple who are the park hosts.

The best view in all of Astoria. I always enjoy making this my last stop or first stop no matter the weather. It is perfect for selfies and photos. There is an optional stair climb in the actual column itself, but I think the views are just as good down below.

Need to get your stairs in for the day? Looking to tighten up those calves and glutes? Want to test your dizziness tolerance? Look no further than Body By Astoria Column. Our patented 164-step program gets you toned up just in time to emerge for great views of the river and the bridge. You'll be sweating to the oldies--93-years-old to be exact--as this member of the National Register of Historic Places pumps up the cardio. Bring a balsa glider from the gift shop to toss of the top, and double the calorie burn when you go all the way back down to pick it up, and bring it up again for flight number two. Watch those pounds melt away! Don't miss the hottest (or windiest, or most balmy, depending on the day) workout trend in Astoria, Body By Astoria Column!

Built in 1926 out of concrete and steel, the Astoria Column is part of a 30-acre (12 ha) city park on Coxcomb Hill in Astoria, Oregon. The 125-foot (38 m)-tall column has a 164-step spiral staircase ascending to an observation deck at the top. Patterned after the Trajan Column in Rome, the spiral sgraffito frieze on the exterior of the structure was painted by Electus D. Litchfield and Attilio Pusterla. The mural shows 14 significant events in the early history of Oregon, as well as 18 scenes from the history of the region, including Captain Gray's discovery of the Columbia River in 1792 and the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The frieze starts with the "pristine forest" and concludes with the arrival of the railway in Astoria.

Without explanation the best 360 view over the town and ocean. $5 year long pass is reasonable. Prepare with suitable clothing to make the stair climb - it is a thigh burner! Rumored that flying paper airplanes off the top is the thing to do, but I cannot imagine the trash complaints from the community. Small gift shop for trinkets and snacks. *Great workout ~ common to see joggers and bikers challenge the road hill leading to the column parking lot.

They charge a small fee to get in. The pass is good for a year. It is an excellent View and a nice place just to sit and relax. They have chairs and benches and you can walk around. There is a little gift shop that is not very exciting. It is worth the cost.

This site is a must visit for one-time visitors to Astoria. I run up the hill for a visit every couple of years to enjoy the views. The stroll to the top of the column is not difficult if you are in decent shape but over the years the site has become quite popular so the stairway can be like grand central sometimes. The views at the top are amazing. They do charge to park but that doesn't seem to be enforced with any regularity. With a gift shop close by one would think that they wouldn't nickle and dime you for parking. Although afaik, the column construction and on-going maintenance is a private and mostly volunteer funded endeavor and whatever money comes in seems to be put to good use just keeping the grounds in stellar condition. You'll regret not stopping here if you only make it to Astoria once in your lifetime.

Really cool view from the top. Walking up the 164 steps to the top was hard and not everyone should try it. The column is not big so the stairs are in a tight spiral which made us dizzy as we walked up. I would suggest going to the gift store before you walk up and purchase a small wooden plane to fly off the top of the tower. There some teenagers up there when we were there and there were having a great time seeing who could fly theirs the farthest. The parking is $5 and the attendant was really nice and funny. We enjoyed our time there but if you are short on time this is maybe not worth the time or effort.

Unbeatable view of the mouth of the Columbia River and Astoria, all for just the low low price of $5 for an annual pass. It's a great place to head after grabbing a snack downtown.