While most Oregonians default to road trips for coastal adventures, the Peak Northwest podcast recently revealed a brilliant alternative: combining the Portland to Astoria boat cruise with public transit to create the ultimate car-free Oregon coast adventure.

The podcast featured Oregonian reporter Lizzy Acker, who turned what many experience as a simple day trip into the first leg of a multi-day exploration. Her experience highlights how travelers can craft extended, stress-free adventures along Oregon’s coast without ever touching a steering wheel.

Generative AI was used to summarize a recent episode of the Peak Northwest podcast. This story was reviewed and edited by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

After arriving in Astoria by boat, travelers can spend a night or two exploring this historic river town before continuing their journey. As Acker described, “Astoria is so cute. There’s great food.” From there, a network of public transit options opens up possibilities for extended coastal adventures.

Portland to Astoria on Portland Spirit Chardonnay and carbonara at Fedé in Astoria on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Lizzy Acker/Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian)

Astoria Fish and Chips Albacore tuna fish and chips from Bowpicker Fish & Chips in Astoria. (Jamie Hale/The Oregonian/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)

“I would love to take the bus further down. You could even go as far down as you wanted and then you could go inland, take the bus to Albany and take the train back or [go to] Eugene,” Acker said.

This approach to coastal travel eliminates one of the biggest headaches of Oregon coast trips: parking. “These towns on the coast are so walkable. Most of them, everything is within walking distance anyway,” Acker explained. “Parking in Canon Beach is a true nightmare if you’re just going for a short period of time. So, take the bus.”

The podcast highlighted several transit options that make this multi-day adventure possible. The Oregon Point bus runs twice daily between Astoria and Portland for $18 one way. Additionally, a new coastal bus service launched on Memorial Day that provides connections to various coastal towns, while local city buses connect different points along the coast.

“It takes a little more planning. It takes a little extra thought, but I maintain that ultimately it leads to a much more calm trip,” Acker explained.

For those concerned about logistics, Acker’s experience offers reassurance. She found her hotel in Astoria was conveniently located across the street from the bus station, making the morning departure stress-free. “I didn’t even have to be like, ‘Am I going to miss the bus?’ You know, because I could have seen it out my window and then walked to it if I wanted to.”

Portland to Astoria on Portland Spirit Lizzy Acker on the bus on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Lizzy Acker/Lizzy Acker/The Oregonian)

Acker shared her ambitions for future transit-based trips, including Corvallis, Bend and even Mount Hood for skiing. “My dad skis sometimes multiple times a week,” she noted. “He has the whole thing fully worked out.”

For those inspired to try this approach, Acker offered encouragement: “I want to bring more people in because the more people that take the bus, the more people that do these non-car options, the more routes they have and the more buses they send.”

Listen to the full episode here:

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