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Some guests check in with rolling luggage and a good book. Others arrive with something better: a dog who immediately finds the sunniest patch of garden and makes it theirs.
We love both kinds of guests equally. But we’ll admit — the ones with four legs tend to remind us why Astoria is such a special place to slow down. The river air, the garden, the unhurried pace of a town that has never been in a hurry — dogs seem to understand all of it immediately and instinctively.
If you’re planning a stay at Clementine’s with your pup, you’re in the right city. Astoria is one of the most genuinely dog-welcoming communities on the entire Oregon coast, with pet-friendly patios, trails, waterfront walks, historic parks, and enough craft beer (for you) to make an afternoon of it. Here’s how we’d spend a perfect dog’s day out.
Guests love the backyard private pergola and fire pit
Home Base: The Rose Garden and Pergola at Clementine’s
Before you venture anywhere, let your dog do what dogs do best: explore at their own pace.
Clementine’s Guest House sits on Exchange Street behind a garden that our guests — human and canine alike — find difficult to leave. The rose garden and pergola are a genuine sanctuary: fragrant blooms in season, dappled shade, the kind of quiet that makes you set your phone down and just be somewhere. Dogs settle into the grass and seem to exhale. So do their people.
This is your home base. Return to it often. The best days in Astoria tend to follow a rhythm of exploring and returning — a long walk, then the garden. A trip down to the waterfront, then the pergola with coffee. Our guests tell us that they didn’t expect to spend so much time simply sitting in the garden with their dogs, and that it ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.
We welcome up to two pets per stay for a small fee. The yard gives your dog room to decompress, and the whole property is set up with the understanding that pets are part of the family. Because they are.
Iconic view of Astoria Megler Bridge & Columbia River from Riverwalk
Morning: The Astoria Riverwalk
Start the day on the water. The Astoria Riverwalk stretches 6.4 miles along the Columbia River waterfront, and it is one of the finest urban walking trails in the Pacific Northwest — for any species. The path meanders under the elegant arc of the Astoria-Megler Bridge and past interpretive kiosks that tell the story of the city’s cannery and maritime heritage. Your dog will be far more interested in the smells, which are apparently extraordinary.
The walk is flat, mostly paved, and well-shaded in stretches — easy on older dogs or shorter legs. Ship-watchers will find natural stopping points where freighters and tugboats pass within surprisingly close range of the trail. And if your dog has any seafaring ambitions, know that well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome aboard the Astoria Riverfront Trolley, the historic “Old 300” that rolls along the waterfront on summer and fall days. It’s a scenic ride, a genuine piece of Astoria history, and probably the most distinguished form of public transportation your dog has ever taken.
Mid-Morning: Fort Astoria and the Historic District
The grounds of Fort Astoria — a compact park in the heart of downtown marking the site of the first American settlement west of the Rockies — are pet-friendly and lovely for a short stroll. Several historic structures and grassy lawns make it a good photo stop and a natural break point between the Riverwalk and wherever the morning takes you next.
From there, wander the Victorian blocks around Exchange Street. The neighborhood is walkable and quiet in the mornings, and dogs get a lot of friendly attention from locals. Astoria is a town where people stop and ask your dog’s name.
*Photo Courtesy of Bowpicker Fish & Chips*
Lunch: Patios with Views
By now, everyone is ready for something to eat. Astoria has more genuinely dog-friendly dining than almost any coastal town its size — and several of these spots go well beyond merely tolerating your pup.
Astoria Brewing Company (on the Riverwalk) has a waterfront deck where dogs are not just welcome but catered to — there’s a small dog menu, including a hamburger patty for your four-legged dining companion. The views of the Columbia are as good from the deck as anywhere in town.
Fort George Brewery & Public House offers both lower and upper patio seating that’s dog-friendly, and they’ll bring water bowls without being asked. Their food menu covers sandwiches, tacos, and pizza alongside a strong lineup of craft beers. A beloved local institution.
Buoy Beer Co., perched over the water near the Columbia River Maritime Museum, welcomes dogs at outdoor patio tables with craft beers and a menu of Northwest favorites — clam chowder, salmon, and shrimp cocktail among them. The river views here are particularly good.
Bowpicker Fish & Chips is technically a converted fishing boat permanently docked across from the Maritime Museum, selling beer-battered Albacore tuna and golden steak fries. You eat standing up or find a nearby spot — and your dog can absolutely come along. Hours vary with the weather and the daily fish supply, so check their social pages before making it a plan.
Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro is a European-style cafe by day and a local-seafood bistro by evening, with four outdoor sidewalk tables that welcome dogs. A block from the Riverwalk, it’s one of the most reliably good meals in town.
A practical note: Astoria’s outdoor patios are generally weather-dependent. On gray or rainy days, some patios close or reduce capacity. A quick call ahead is always a good idea, especially in the shoulder seasons.
Afternoon: The Sunday Market (Seasonal)
If your visit falls on a Sunday between May and mid-October, take your dog to the Astoria Sunday Market. With up to 200 vendors spread across a festive outdoor space, the market features fresh produce, local arts and crafts, prepared foods, and live music — and it is completely dog-friendly. The sights and smells are overwhelming in the best possible way for a dog, and the energy is cheerful and welcoming. Bring a bag for treats (the human kind, and probably the dog kind too).
The Day Trip: Fort Stevens State Park
About 10 miles west of Astoria, Fort Stevens State Park is one of the great dog destinations on the entire Oregon coast — 4,300 acres of living history, beach, trails, and open space where dogs are welcome throughout.
The centerpiece for most visitors is the Peter Iredale shipwreck: the rusted iron skeleton of a four-masted sailing vessel that ran aground in 1906 and has sat on the beach ever since, slowly being reclaimed by sand and sea. Walking up to it with a dog is a particular kind of magic — the wreck is photogenic, haunting, and large enough that even a very confident dog will approach it with some curiosity. The beach here allows dogs, and the surf-chasing opportunities are excellent.
Beyond the shipwreck, Fort Stevens has miles of trails through coastal forest, a military history museum with grounds that welcome leashed dogs, and even pet-friendly yurts and cabins if you want to extend the adventure into an overnight. Book those well in advance — they fill up.
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park: A Dog’s Place in History
Here’s a piece of history that dog people love: when Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery made the trek to the Pacific in 1805, they brought a dog. His name was Seaman — a large Newfoundland who belonged to Meriwether Lewis and was noted in the expedition journals as a capable hunter, a camp guardian, and a loyal companion across thousands of miles of wilderness.
In honor of Seaman’s contribution, Fort Clatsop — the reconstruction of the corps’ winter camp just south of Astoria — is one of the only units in the entire National Park system that explicitly welcomes dogs on its grounds and trails. Five pet-friendly trails wind through the coastal forest, including the South Slough Trail. Keep your dog leashed, as always, and take a moment to appreciate that the muddy ground beneath you and your dog’s paws is roughly the same ground where Seaman once stood, probably equally happy to have arrived somewhere after a very long journey.
A Few Practical Notes for Traveling with Dogs in Astoria
Leash rules: Astoria and surrounding parks require leashes of 6 feet or less. Fort Stevens and Lewis & Clark both enforce this. The Riverwalk is similarly leashed-only. Bring a good one.
Water: The Columbia River waterfront is breezy and can be deceptively warm in summer. Most dog-friendly patios will bring a water bowl if you ask — Fort George does it automatically. Carry water on trail walks.
The Sunday Market runs May through mid-October. Check the Astoria Sunday Market website before planning your visit around it.
Bowpicker’s hours are weather- and supply-dependent. It’s worth the check — when they’re open, it’s one of the best quick meals in Astoria.
Fort Stevens yurts and pet-friendly cabins book fast, especially in summer. Reserve well ahead if you want to extend the trip.
End the Day Where You Started
However the day unfolds — whether you made it to Fort Stevens or spent most of it on the Riverwalk and two different patios — find your way back to the garden before dark.
The rose garden and pergola at Clementine’s are different in the evening. The light comes in low and golden. The roses hold their color longer than you expect. Your dog finds the same patch of grass they claimed this morning and settles in again, satisfied in the thorough way that only a dog who has had a truly good day can be.
That’s the Astoria Dog’s Day Out. It’s not complicated. It’s just a town that likes dogs, a river that never stops moving, and a garden to come home to.
Book Your Stay at Clementine’s Guest House
Quick Reference: Astoria’s Best Dog-Friendly Stops
- Astoria Riverwalk — 6.4 miles, flat, leashed dogs welcome
- Astoria Riverfront Trolley — leashed dogs welcome aboard (seasonal)
- Fort Astoria — leashed dogs welcome on grounds
- Astoria Sunday Market — dogs welcome, May through mid-October
- Astoria Brewing Company — waterfront deck, dog menu
- Fort George Brewery — upper and lower patios, water bowls provided
- Buoy Beer Co. — waterfront patio, leashed dogs welcome
- Bowpicker Fish & Chips — takeaway, dog-friendly, weather-dependent hours
- Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro — outdoor sidewalk tables
- Fort Stevens State Park — beach, trails, Peter Iredale shipwreck; leashed dogs throughout
- Lewis & Clark National Historical Park — five pet-friendly trails, leashed dogs
Clementine’s Guest House is a historic inn on Exchange Street in the heart of Astoria, Oregon. Our rose garden, pergola, and pet-welcoming rooms make us the natural home base for travelers who believe the best trips include a dog.