Find Small-Town Style and Charm in Astoria, Oregon

This former industrial town two hours from Portland has transformed into a stylish weekend destination while honoring its maritime history.

One of the suites at the Commodore Hotel.  (Photo: Courtesy of Commodore Hotel)

Choose the most stylish option in town, the Commodore Hotel (from $74 for rooms with shared bathrooms; from $149 for suites with private bathroom), for rooms that are small but smartly designed with mod furniture and abstract wall art that extends onto the ceiling. Originally opened in the twenties, the building was abandoned and fell into disrepair for more than 40 years before it was rehabbed in 2009, a fact that’s hard to wrap your head around while sipping on a latte from adjacent Street 14 Coffee in the colorful, cozy lobby.

Check into the doily-free Rose River Inn (from $95), the nicest of several bed and breakfasts on the town’s steep back hill, and a short walk from the waterfront. A colorful garden surrounds the 1912 Craftsman-style home, whose five comfortable rooms have historic details like clawfoot tubs, fireplaces, and antiques.

Watch ships pass beneath the Astoria-Megler Bridge through large windows at the Cannery Pier Hotel (from $179), which juts out 600 feet into the Columbia River on the site of a fish-packing facility. All 46 rooms feature decks, water views, and binoculars for spotting sea lions and blue herons year-round, and there are complimentary Oregon wines and smoked salmon served in the lobby every evening.