Spring Break Day Trip to Fort Clatsop

You may still be feeling remnants of winter, but Spring Break (Mar 21-25 for most schools) is just around the corner. To get you pumped and ready, we’ve got a Spring Break blog series for you in the next couple weeks so you can plan ahead!

You don’t need to max out the credit card going to exotic destinations to rock Spring Break. There are plenty of places, a short drive away, that make excellent day trips. Hop on highway 26 and head for the coast, and in a couple hours you’ll find yourself at the doorstep of some pretty cool Oregon history and a super fun kidventure.

Lewis and Clark spent three months in 1805 and 1806 recharging for their journey back home at Fort Clatsop near Astoria. The visitor center at this National Historic Park tells their story through interactive displays, movies and ranger-led demonstrations. Kids will love getting sworn in as Junior Rangers and earning a badge after completing a short booklet filled with activities.

Across the highway is a fort for a different era, Fort Stevens. Used for coastal defense from the Civil War (not the football game!) to the end of World War II, Fort Stevens has a nice display of military artifacts in their visitor center. You can also walk along the concrete gun batteries or explore an actual Civil War earthen fort.

If you head down to the beach, you can check out the wreck of the Peter Iredale. Now just an iron skeleton slowly sinking into the sand, at low tide you can walk right up to the former four-masted sailing vessel that ran around in 1906 on its way from California to the Columbia River.

On the way home, stop for dinner at Camp 18, in Elsie, Oregon. The log building, many wood carvings and old logging equipment make dining there a truly unique experience.