When planning our recent road trip in Oregon, there was no doubt that my husband and I would do an Astoria Goonies tour.  The Goonies was my childhood. The movie had everything a kid could ask for — adventure, treasure, pirates… And fine, the ever-not-so-subtle ad placements. BABY RUTH! So we packed up our car with the twins and hit the road to visit Astoria, Oregon, where the iconic Spielberg movie was filmed. Okay, so we might have overdone it on the packing front…

But where is Astoria, Oregon? How do you get there? And is it worth the visit. On our latest adventure, my husband Kevin and I will take you along the must-see spots for your self-guided Astoria Goonies tour in Oregon. The town has taken Goonies tourism to a whole new level, with giftshops selling Goonies T-shirts, playing cards, posters and beanies. It’s Goonies time all year round in Astoria!

Before you know it, you’ll be quoting all the classic lines (and likely irritating your partner along the way). Like, “Hey you GUYS!”… or “Goonies never say die!” Okay, I’ll stop there. Check out our self-guided tour below.

Astoria Goonies Tour: How Do I Get there?

If you’re based in Portland, Oregon, a road trip to Astoria is about as easy as it gets. Astoria is located about 98 miles northwest of Portland, at the southwest tip of the state. Astoria is also a wonderful place to explore the many towns dotting the Oregon coast — an incredibly popular spot in the summer for locals looking to escape the city heat.

The total drive from Portland to Astoria takes anywhere from about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours total. We suggest leaving bright and early to have a full day to explore the city and take in all The Goonies action. We departed Portland at 8 AM in order to arrive just as the Oregon Film Museum was opening (at 10 AM), the very first stop on the tour.

6 Must-See Stops Along Your Astoria Goonies Tour

Stop #1: Oregon Film Museum

The Oregon Film Museum is the best place to start your self-guided tour. We recommend coming here first to learn more not just about The Goonies locations but the countless other movies and TV shows filmed in and around Astoria like Kindergarten Cop, Free Willie and the Twilight series. On our visit, the museum had limited capacity due to COVID. This is another reason to start here first since there is often a wait to get inside.

We ended up waiting about 30 minutes before we could even go in — on a weekday. But there is plenty to do as you wait to go inside, such as taking some selfies with the Fratelli’s Jeep just outside the museum. Be sure to look for the bullet holes in the back.

The museum is open every day (10 AM – 5 PM). It’s pretty tiny inside. Most people spend about 1 hour here, though Kevin and I spent nearly 2 hours since we had so much fun with the interactive movie-making section, where we re-enacted scenes from The Shining, Kindergarten Cop and of course The Goonies (where I played a very convincing Mama Fratelli).

We also enjoyed perusing the many props from the movie. And couldn’t help but notice the Greek statue from the movie — where Chunk breaks off the “man part” and glues it on upside down. What a classic moment!

As a film and TV nerd, I also loved reading the original call sheets for the movie filming. Mr. Spielberg, you’re due on set at 9 AM! How cool?

The museum is heavy on The Goonies items.  Several scenes from the movie were filmed outside as well as inside the museum. The museum building was once the Clatsop County Jail, a working jail from 1914 through 1976. You can go inside one of the cells where Jake Fratelli pretended to hang himself in the movie, only to use it as a ploy to escape.

Before you head out, make sure you check out the gift shop to pick up all your swag. Of course, they couldn’t help but sell some Baby Ruth candy bars. I honestly was tempted to buy one getting caught up in all The Goonies excitement!

Stop #2: Flavel House Museum

This stop is a quickie, but too convenient to pass up. Located just across the street from the Oregon Film Museum, the Flavel House Museum is one of the most filmed buildings in Astoria. This spot is a more “blink and you miss it” moment in the film. The boys ride their bikes past it in search of One-Eyed Willy. It’s also where Mikey’s dad worked as a museum curator. How original, right?

But these aren’t the only movies shot here. It seems that most productions that come to Astoria end up working this home into their shot. Today, the museum tells the story of Victorian-era life during the time of Captain George Flavel. It is a classic example of Queen Anne architecture and luckily was saved from being demolished and turned into a parking lot.

Stop #3: Lower Columbia Bowl

Located about a 5 minute walk from the Flavel House is the Lower Columbia Bowl (826 Marine Dr). We visited Astoria on a Monday, and unfortunately the bowling alley was closed so we could only look from the outside in. This is one of my favorite moments in the movie — where Chunk watches a police chase play out and smashes his pizza and milkshake into the glass window. And not gonna lie, if the bowling alley was open, I would have definitely re-enacted this scene from the window that is still here today.

Stop #4: The Goonies House

The crown jewel of visiting Astoria is seeing The Goonies house also known as “Mikey’s house.” You’ll need to hop in your car and drive to this spot, located at 368 38th Street. For several years, the owners of the home weren’t too keen on people stopping by to take endless selfies in front of their place (umm, you’d think they would have expected that, right?). On our trip, there were no issues. The only request from the owners (as of writing) is that you don’t park in their driveway or around it. We ended up parking about 2 blocks away, along the road, and walked up. This is a very quick stop. Basically you walk about 5 minutes, snap some pictures and head out. We spent maybe 20 minutes total including our walk to/from the car.

Lunch Break: Astoria Coffee or Silver Salmon Grille

At this point, you’ll likely be hungry. You’re just seconds away from Astoria Coffee Shop (304 37th St). Again, Monday probably wasn’t the best idea to visit Astoria. The coffee shop was closed. The shop looked really comfy. And guess what? It was also featured in The Goonies. The shop can be seen in the backdrop as housecleaner Rosalita tries crossing the street as the Fratellis speed by with cops flying after them. Even if the shop is closed, you can pick up a bag of their roasted coffee beans at the vending machine out front. And the coffee selection? Goonies blend naturally.

Kevin and I decided to head back into downtown Astoria, which is compact and a wonderful spot just to explore with all the many shops and restaurants. We ate at Silver Salmon Grille (1105 Commercial St), primarily a seafood restaurant but also has vegan options and some delicious flatbread pizza. They also have some award-winning clam chowder, which my husband chowed down. There is no Goonies connection here. We were just hungry! But liked the booth at the front since we could watch all the action pass us by.

Stop #5: Ecola State Park

This next stop is well worth the journey. You’ll need to hop in your car and leave downtown Astoria.

It’s a 45 minute drive, or about 26 miles, to reach Ecola State Park. You’ll drive through some gorgeous coastal Oregon scenery, and the very busy popular tourist town of Seaside. If you have time, it’s worth a stop to check out Seaside and all the wild action. If not, continue on to Ecola State Park, where the Fratelli’s hideout (aka The Lighthouse Lounge) was filmed. Today, you won’t find the dilapidated lounge, but a vista overlooking the ocean.

There is a large parking lot that costs $5 for the entire day.

We parked our car and enjoyed getting out and stretching our legs. You’ll get some great photos here. And it was this moment, where I could almost feel the movie come alive.

There are several hiking trails in the park. We ended up just roaming along the coastal pathways and taking in the view. If the trails look familiar, you guessed it. The Goonies also shot many of the wooded scenes around this park. We could see why so many films and TV programs are shot around here.

Final Stop #6: Cannon Beach

You’ve reached your final stop of your Astoria Goonies Tour. And I can’t think of a better spot to end it than Cannon Beach, located a quick 3.8 miles south of Ecola State Park, or about 15 minutes by car. Many people think this is where the final scene in the movie was filmed — where One-Eyed Willy’s ship sails into the sunset. But that final scene from The Goonies was shot at Goat Rock Beach in California (along the coast near Santa Rosa, Calif.).

So what was filmed at Cannon Beach? The opening sequence where a car race took place right on the beach. It always felt like this scene had nothing to do with the rest of the movie. But hey, it was an action-packed way to start a movie, right?

The best way to get here is by plugging in “Haystack Rock” into your Google maps. We found ample parking along the Oregon Coast Highway 101. Just make sure you don’t park over the lines. We carefully crossed Highway 101, where a staircase takes you directly down to the beach near the lifeguard stand. If this doesn’t feel like The Goonies, I’m not sure what does.

Be sure to bring some layers. Even in the thick of summer, it was a little chilly. We laughed out loud since we passed people wearing swim suits, then another group wearing winter jackets and beanies. I guess we all have our own definitions of chilly. Coming up from LA, we thought it was cold!

After spending about an hour walking along the beach, and taking plenty of photos, we were ready to hit the road and head back to Portland where we’d spend our evening at the Airbnb. We had a packed day, and just felt like lounging on the couch and watching a movie. One guess on what we streamed that night on Amazon Prime? I mean, how could we not watch The Goonies after this jam-packed day? And we have to tell you, it was even more special and entertaining after walking through the real-life movie set.

Looking for other ideas while visiting Portland? Be sure to check out our 1 day guide to Portland. For all you wine drinkers, you’ll need to read our top picks for a day of wine tasting through Oregon’s wine country. Looking for something more active? Visit our full review on a biking tour through Portland’s most interesting neighborhoods. And for those traveling down the coast, be sure to check out all of our coverage on California, including our adventures on Catalina Island. And of course, if you are looking for more ideas to do during COVID, here are our top 5 fun ideas to do at home.