Astoria, Oregon is the town of my dreams with its location on the Columbia River. The enchanting Victorian houses and giant hydrangeas stole my heart before we even made it to the main part of the city. As we pulled into town after our long venture, I rolled my window down, and could feel the summer air on my skin. I immediately fell in love.

First, we decided to stop and see the Astoria column. My mom and I aren’t really fans of close spaces that are full of people, so we decided not to go up. Instead, we walked around the little hilltop and looked at the striking view that spread across the horizon on every angle of the island.

The silliest lady stopped us on our way and offered to take our picture. The wind was blowing like crazy, but I handed the camera to her anyway. We were so surprised when she took it from the seat of her car, and just leaned out of the window while her dog lounged on her lap. It was a fun little welcome to some of the quirky residents of Oregon.

After we got back in the car and drove further into Astoria, my heart was fluttering in my chest, and I could barely keep my head inside the car window. I wanted to take in all of the scenery. As I saw all of the Victorian houses lining the streets, I felt a perfect sense of freedom. I was on an adventure, and it was a beautiful one. We got up and followed this beautiful staircase to the top so that we could get a better view of the Columbia connecting with the Ocean. It was nothing short of magical.

The streets almost looked like the busy streets of San Francisco with all of the colorful houses and steep streets. The houses were all sizes and shapes, and most of them had some sort of flower pot, or garden decorating the front yard. I could have stayed in the car, driving around town looking at them, for hours and hours. Eventually, we decided to go home the same way we came just so that I could spend a little bit more time in dreamy Astoria.

Y’all, check out the garden on the house above! So beautiful!

The house below was my favorite. Of course, the most run down. Probably needing a little tender loving care, but those always seem to catch my eye! I loved the tower and the peeling white paint. I’ve always been a sucker for stained glass too! I bet the view of the ocean is incredible from those upper floor windows.

On our last day in Astoria, we took a tour of the Flavel house, and it was everything I had hoped it would be. I have always harbored a love for history, and the museum on the back of the property was so interesting to me. People mentioned ghost stories, and I daydreamed about the house throughout the rest of the trip. When we got there on our last day in Astoria, we finally went in the house. It was so exciting to walk up the big steps and go right inside.

Victorian houses are my very favorite. I love the decorative towers and bay windows that are included in the Queen Ann styled buildings, and this building was no exception. The inside of it immediately sucked us in, and I couldn’t get enough. I walked through every room that was open, and looked out the windows to see the incredible view.

Captain George Flavel, an old sea captain, built the home in 1823. Because he made his money as a river bar pilot, he designed the home to have an octagonal tower that would provide a perfect view of the Columbia river connecting to the Ocean.

The inside of the house was full of charm and had been decorated to encompass the era in which the house was built. The furniture was old, but still managed to keep a timeless display as each piece showcased its unique features. Some pieces were even fit for a princess if you ask me.

I especially loved walking through the wild garden. After seeing photos in the museum, it was easy to imagine the Flavel daughters out reading on the bench that still sits there today. I especially loved the lily pads floating in the pond with their bright pink blooms.

We also walked along the pier for lunch and climbed up high enough to see the boats on the water. It was one of the most peaceful parts of the trip, and we had so much fun just spending time together in the beautiful scenery.

We waited in line for lunch at the Bowpicker because our Airbnb host recommended it to us. It had won a few awards over the years. By the time lunch rolled around, the line was down the street and around the corner. Luckily, we got a tip to get there early, and only ended up waiting a little while.

The fish and chips were delicious! I don’t eat fish and chips very often because eating fish that’s supposedly from the ocean in the middle of Wyoming seems a little fishy to me. (Too corny? I couldn’t resist!) But honestly, fish has to come a long way to Wyoming to be eaten, so I felt a lot better about eating it knowing it had just been caught that day.

I would go back to Astoria in a heartbeat. Not only am I in love with the ocean, but the hydrangeas and Victorian houses will always have a place in my heart. Not to mention the town is named after a flower. An Aster suits the town well, as they mean love and daintiness in the language of flowers. It was the perfect place to continue my Oregon summer adventure.

xx, Haley