Laura-Jane Adventures

The thing that I loved about my fall break trip was that it turned out to be a complete mix of everything – the cities and the forests. Astoria was a breath of fresh air compared to the fast paced atmosphere of Seattle. Our hotel room overlooked the marina and was a postcard view of the boats. In the mornings I would thoroughly enjoy a peaceful morning walk along the boardwalk.

The journey from Seattle to Astoria was delightful, this was due to the stops we made along the way to take in and appreciate the views of the west coast. Heritage Park in Olympia, Washington, was the first stop after leaving Seattle. This was a place we hadn’t planned on seeing but simply came across. It was stunning. I would be sure to return to Olympia if I visit Washington again. The city seemed like a perfect place for college students and Heritage Park would be the ideal lunch stop to relish in a picnic.

After some more travelling we stopped at a lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The lighthouse was located in Cape Disappointment State Park and I can clarify it was certainly not a disappointment. We walked along the coast soaking up the breath-taking views and enjoying the quietness of it all.

Our only full day in Astoria was another day of exploring and I loved every minute of it. The astonishing beauty of the Pacific coast was something I was not prepared for and it made me feel so lucky to be experiencing it all. Cannon Beach was the highlight of this day. The sunshine made the city seem like paradise. We walked along the towns sandy beaches and marvelled at Haystack Rock.

Throughout the day we continued our exploring and drove to a city in Oregon called Seaside, while we were there I took advantage of the many ice cream shops and enjoyed a very large cone filled with coffee and Oreo flavoured ice cream. After stuffing my face, again, myself and my host family walked along the beach before taking pleasure in watching the sun go down. I am a big kid at heart so was delighted to sit and swing whilst watching the sunset.

To complete our day we the drove back to Astoria and visited the Astoria Column. This monument was built in 1926 to celebrate the settlement of the west. There are 164 steps to reach the top and the view across Astoria and its neighbouring cities is stunning. The Column is covered in artwork and at night lights up to show the astonishing work of Atilio Pusteria. When I reached the top I could not stop smiling.

The city of Astoria itself was rather run down, however, the city is a perfect location for exploring everything between Oregon and Washington. Perhaps if I had spent more time there it would not have seemed that way, nevertheless I enjoyed it and everything it allowed me to experience.

Lots of love,

Laura Jane x