Astoria Underground Tours - Astoria, Oregon

Discovering Astoria's Hidden History: A Comprehensive Guide to Astoria Underground Tours

Nestled in the charming coastal city of Astoria, Oregon, Astoria Underground Tours offers a unique and captivating journey into the city's rich history and lesser-known stories. This immersive experience takes visitors beneath the surface of Astoria, quite literally, as it explores the city's once-thriving underground tunnels and hidden spaces. Let's delve into the details of this fascinating tour, its services, location, and what sets it apart.

Main Services

• Underground Tours: The flagship service, Astoria Underground Tours provides guided walks through the city's historic underground passages. These tunnels, once bustling with activity during Astoria's heyday, are now a fascinating glimpse into the past.
• Custom and Private Tours: For those seeking a more personalized experience, Astoria Underground Tours offers custom and private tour options. These can be tailored to specific interests or group sizes.
• Educational Tours: The tour company caters to school groups, offering educational tours that align with local history curriculum standards. These tours are designed to be both engaging and informative for students.
• Special Events: Astoria Underground Tours occasionally hosts special events, such as lantern-lit evening tours or historical reenactments. These events provide a unique and memorable experience for participants.

Location and Access

Astoria Underground Tours is located at the lower parking lot of the Columbia Memorial Hospital, situated at 1125 Marine Dr, Astoria, OR 97103, United States. This location provides easy access to the historic downtown area and the starting points of the tours. Here's how to get there:

• By Car: From Highway 101, take the Marine Drive exit and follow the signs to Columbia Memorial Hospital. The lower parking lot is clearly marked.
• By Public Transportation: The Astoria Public Transportation system serves the downtown area, with several bus routes stopping near the hospital. The closest stop is the Columbia Memorial Hospital stop on Marine Drive.

Free street parking is available near the tour starting point, and the area is generally walkable, with numerous points of interest nearby.

Featured Characteristics

• Guided Tours: All Astoria Underground Tours are led by knowledgeable and engaging guides who bring history to life. They are trained to provide an informative, safe, and enjoyable experience for all participants.
• Historical Narrative: The tours weave together Astoria's history, from its early days as a fur trading post to its current status as a vibrant coastal community. This narrative is rich in stories of pioneers, boomtowns, and maritime lore.
• Unique Access: Astoria Underground Tours provides access to areas of the city not typically open to the public, such as the underground tunnels and historic buildings. This makes for a truly unique and exclusive experience.

Practical Information

• Appointment Required: Tours are by appointment only, so it's essential to book in advance. This ensures a personalized experience and helps the tour company manage group sizes.
• Tour Duration: Most tours last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, covering a distance of about 1 mile. The pace is comfortable, allowing for stops and stories along the way.
• Tour Times: Tour times vary depending on the season. Generally, tours are offered daily during the summer months and on weekends during the off-season. It's best to check the tour company's website for the most up-to-date schedule.
• Pricing: Astoria Underground Tours are free of charge, though donations are encouraged to support the preservation of Astoria's historic sites. This makes the tours an affordable and accessible way to explore the city's history.
• Accessibility: While the tours involve some walking and stairs, they are designed to be accessible to most individuals. Guides can provide assistance and adjust the tour as needed to accommodate participants' needs.

Positive Aspects from Reviews

Astoria Underground Tours has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/5 on Google My Business, based on 103 reviews. Here are some of the key positive aspects highlighted by reviewers:

• Knowledgeable Guides: Many reviewers praised the tour guides' extensive knowledge of Astoria's history and their ability to bring the stories to life in an engaging and informative way.
• Unique Perspective: Several reviewers mentioned how the tours provided a unique and unexpected perspective on Astoria, offering a fresh way to experience the city.
• Access to Exclusive Locations: Reviewers appreciated the access to historic buildings and underground spaces not typically open to the public.
• Affordability: The free-of-charge nature of the tours was frequently mentioned as a positive, making the experience accessible to a wide range of visitors.
• Personalized Experience: Despite sometimes being part of larger groups, many reviewers felt that the tours offered a personalized and intimate experience.

Conclusion

Astoria Underground Tours offers a captivating and unique way to explore the rich history of Astoria, Oregon. With its knowledgeable guides, access to exclusive locations, and engaging narrative, this tour company provides an unforgettable experience for history enthusiasts and casual tourists alike. Whether you're a long-time resident or a first-time visitor, Astoria Underground Tours is a must-do activity that will deepen your appreciation for this charming coastal city.

👍 Reviews of Astoria Underground Tours

Tosh&Wendy H.

5/5

My son was doing research on Astoria Underground and what better way to learn and research than to take a little field trip. We took him and two of his friends on the tour and they absolutely loved it!!!
We drove up from Salem, which is almost a 3 hour drive and we were running late by 15 min because of unexpectedly longer traffic time, and the hosts of the tour were so kind to wait for us, even when they didn’t have to. We appropriate you guys sooo much!!!
The tour itself was super informative and fun. The kids were talking about it all the way back home, how much history Astoria has under the ground, and how fun the tour guides were.
Definitely a must when you come visit Astoria 🙂 plus Astoria itself is beautiful.

Thank you!!!

Maeve H.

5/5

This tour was fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough! The tour guides are entertaining and informative with deep connections to historic Astoria. They pack a lot of fascinating local history into just 1 hour. You cannot miss it!

Jason B.

5/5

The was such a fun and educational tour. The 3 “gentlemen” were entertaining and had local attachments and personal experiences with the underground.
It lasted about an hour but honestly I could’ve listened to their funny interactions more.
Give it a try the next time you’re in Astoria!

Hannah G.

5/5

We had such an amazing time! I believe the tour guides names were Chad and Jeff, they were AMAZING!!! I definitely recommend this experience to everyone! So many cool things to learn about this little town!

Seth B.

5/5

Interesting tour under the Astoria sidewalks. Guides gave an entertaining overview of the history of the city.

Elizabeth A.

5/5

Our group of ladies had such a great time on the Underground tour! As someone from Oregon who has been to Astoria numerous times, it was so fun to learn more about the town's history in a fun way. Highly recommend!

Yana O.

1/5

My review will be detailed and substantiated.

- 1. We came here for the first time on
weekend, around 7pm, because Google Maps showed that they were open, but in fact all the doors were closed. No one answered the phone, so after that we tried to book through the website. If you are not working, then write about it, or change your work schedule, because someone may come to you and have bad internet, which will not allow you to pay and book online.

-2. Of course, it is interesting to listen to a little history, but on this excursion it was really stretched out, in several hours, but it is not worth the time.

-3. Price. The ticket cost $20 per person + tax. There are cool museums in Astoria, much more interesting and exciting and they cost $5-6 each. Of course, everyone sets their own price, but in comparison, it will be expensive for a tour of such a low level.

-4. Atmosphere. Overall, this tour looks interesting as long as you stand at the front door. And on the way out, when you see clown cars. Nothing more interesting.

I gave 1 star because people at least came to work.

Lindsi F.

5/5

I have visited Astoria a few times, but going on this tour made me appreciate this amazing town even more! The tour guides were so fun and really seem to enjoy what they do. ◡̈ Astoria has a fascinating history… who would’ve guessed that CLOWNS were so heavily involved?! 😂🤡 We also picked up some tips about more local events that we’d like to attend. We will be back! And we think that everyone should visit Astoria, take the underground tour, and enjoy this special place to the fullest. 🩶

Arianna D.

5/5

My boyfriend & I took a day trip to Astoria without doing any research on what to do there. We were exploring the city when we came across a flyer promoting the underground tours & bought tickets, not really knowing what to expect. We walked in & were greeted by 3 friendly gentlemen that were very knowledgeable on the history of Astoria. This tour was very informative however, never boring. They interacted with all the members on the tour & cracked jokes along the way. I would 100% do this tour again & recommend anyone who just wants something interesting to do.

Tosh&Wendy H.

5/5

My son was doing research on Astoria Underground and what better way to learn and research than to take a little field trip. We took him and two of his friends on the tour and they absolutely loved it!!!
We drove up from Salem, which is almost a 3 hour drive and we were running late by 15 min because of unexpectedly longer traffic time, and the hosts of the tour were so kind to wait for us, even when they didn’t have to. We appropriate you guys sooo much!!!
The tour itself was super informative and fun. The kids were talking about it all the way back home, how much history Astoria has under the ground, and how fun the tour guides were.
Definitely a must when you come visit Astoria 🙂 plus Astoria itself is beautiful.

Thank you!!!

Hannah P.

5/5

These guys are hilarious and shared so much history of the town in a fun memorable way. They went above and beyond in chatting with us and sharing extra things after the tour ended. Highly recommend!

Maeve H.

5/5

This tour was fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough! The tour guides are entertaining and informative with deep connections to historic Astoria. They pack a lot of fascinating local history into just 1 hour. You cannot miss it!

Hannah G.

5/5

We had such an amazing time! I believe the tour guides names were Chad and Jeff, they were AMAZING!!! I definitely recommend this experience to everyone! So many cool things to learn about this little town!