Cape Disappointment State Park (2 miles southwest of Ilwaco) is home to wild beaches, sea-smashed cliffs, the remains of Fort Canby and 8 miles of forested hiking trails that take in its two towering lighthouses. Lewis and Clark camped near here in November 1805 while searching for a winter camp. Their whole cross-continental journey is faithfully recounted at the fantastic Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center.
Cape Disappointment State Park
Top choice
Contact
Address
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
28.1 MILES
Haystack Rock is Cannon Beach's iconic symbol, a beautiful hulking monolith that rises 235ft and has had cameos in several movies. It's part of the Oregon…
-
25.69 MILES
Located just north of town, Ecola State Park offers seclusion, various hikes and great picnicking. Short paths at Ecola Point lead over the headland to…
-
7.22 MILES
Ten miles west of Astoria, this park holds the historic military installation that once guarded the mouth of the Columbia River. Near the Military Museum…
-
Leadbetter Point State Park Natural Area
22.21 MILES
This 807-acre natural area, 3 miles north of Oysterville, is a kind of buffer between the straggling developments of Long Beach Peninsula and a section of…
-
Columbia River Maritime Museum
13.29 MILES
Astoria's seafaring heritage is well interpreted at this wave-shaped museum. It's hard to miss the retired Coast Guard boat, frozen mid-rescue, through a…
-
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park
13.66 MILES
Five miles south of Astoria, this historical park holds Fort Clatsop, a reconstructed fort similar to the one the Corps of Discovery occupied during their…
-
4.39 MILES
Half souvenir shop and half sideshow, the 'museum' features Weekly World News stars like Jake the Alligator Boy (a wonder of taxidermy that appears to be…
-
21.09 MILES
Families with kids will enjoy this aquarium on the promenade. Don't expect anything like Newport's cutting-edge version, but rather a few fish tanks, a…
Nearby attractions
0.48 MILES
There's little left of Fort Canby (1852) nowadays, but it's still interesting to poke around the remains. The fort was heavily armed during the Civil War…
2. Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
0.73 MILES
A state-of-the-art museum tracing the journey of Lewis and Clark, the center has a fittingly dramatic location on a high bluff overlooking the point where…
3. Cape Disappointment Lighthouse
0.88 MILES
From the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, a hiking trail leads half a mile to Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. Built in 1856, it's the oldest such…
1.13 MILES
The more scenic of Cape Disappointment's two lighthouses, this 1898 beauty is found at the end of a short trail with views out to sea.
5. Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum
1.83 MILES
Investigating ancient Chinook culture, along with the journeys and trade of successive Spanish, Russian, British and American explorers, is this fine…
6. World Kite Museum & Hall of Fame
4.14 MILES
If you think a museum devoted to the history and artistry of kites might be a bore, think again. Kites have been used for scientific research, aerial…
4.39 MILES
Half souvenir shop and half sideshow, the 'museum' features Weekly World News stars like Jake the Alligator Boy (a wonder of taxidermy that appears to be…
7.22 MILES
Ten miles west of Astoria, this park holds the historic military installation that once guarded the mouth of the Columbia River. Near the Military Museum…