On day 114 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive from Longview, Washington to Portland, Oregon. We drive on the “Ocean Beach Highway” through “Willapa National Reserve” to the town of Long Beach on the coast. Long Beach deserves this name because it has the longest beach in the world. It is a beautiful place to visit and take a walk on the beach.

We visit the nearby “Cape Disappointment State Park” (formerly “Fort Canby State Park”). This is a public recreation area on Cape Disappointment. The state park's 2,023 acres (819 ha) include a diverse landscape of old-growth forests, freshwater lakes, freshwater and saltwater marshes, and oceanfront tidal areas.
There are several interesting sights to visit in the park, such as “Fort Canby”, the “Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center”, “North Head Lighthouse” and “Cape Disappointment Lighthouse”. “Cape Disappointment” got its name when Captain John Meares was very disappointed in his failure to cross the river in 1788

In 1862, during the American Civil War, the “Post at Cape Disappointment” camp was established to protect the northern approach to the mouth of the Columbia River from possible attack. In 1863, Fort Stevens was founded on the south bank of the Columbia River. In 1864 the Fort was renamed Fort Cape Disappointment. There are still some Civil War batteries in the park.

Fort Cape Disappointment was expanded and renamed Fort Canby in 1875. In 1906, when construction was completed under the Endicott Program, Fort Canby became part of the three Forts Harbor Defenses of the Columbia River along with Fort Stevens and Fort Columbia. During the Second World War the fort was further expanded. After the fort was decommissioned in the years following World War II, it was transferred to the state for use as a state park in the early 1950s.

Visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in the park. It sits on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. There are exhibits on the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark expedition from St. Louis, Missouri to the Pacific coast, the later history of the park, including the lighthouses, U.S. Coast Guard and military activities, and the maritime and natural history of the area.

After lunch we visit Fort Columbia State Park, considered one of the most intact historic coastal defense sites in the US. In addition to its historical significance, the area offers bird watching, miles of forested hiking trails and secluded beaches. The park offers a self-guided interpretive historical walk with information about various fort features and site history. Interpretive panels at the gun batteries contain historical photographs and blueprints.

The Interpretive Center focuses on the history of Fort Columbia, including the topics of early exploration, fur trading, and western settlement. The Fort Columbia Interpretive Center is open daily from July 1 to September 5 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The historic commanding officer's home is filled with era-appropriate furnishings and interprets the history of the home's former residents. (The house is currently closed).

We cross the state line between Washington and Oregon on the Astoria-Megler Bridge, a steel cantilever bridge that spans the Columbia River and connects Astoria, Oregon, to Megler, Washington. With a length of over six kilometers, it is the longest truss bridge in North America, with a beautiful view of the river.

In Astoria we pay a short visit to the Astoria Column, a monument and viewpoint over the Columbia River. The column was built in 1926 and stands atop Coxcomb Hill in John Jacob Astor Park. The column is made of steel and concrete. In the column there is a staircase that leads to a platform from which you have a great view of the surroundings and the river. In 1974, the tower was added to the American National Register of Historic Places.

We continue on the beautiful Nehalem Highway through the forested mountain landscape of Oregon. Plan a quick stop at the Olney Saloon. Have a drink in the Saloon or on the large terrace. If you're hungry, they also serve delicious American dishes. Inside the Saloon the walls are filled with interesting things to read. The friendly staff is happy to tell you more about the history of this Saloon and the beautiful waterfalls in the area.

Just before the village of Pittsburgh we leave the Nehalem Highway to take the Scappoose Vernonia Highway to Scappoose, again a beautiful winding road through beautiful nature with beautiful views.

The last part of the drive to Portland we take the McNamee Road. It is a beautiful winding road with a length of 4.5 mls/7 km. Cyclists beware as this road is very popular and known to cyclists as "McGnarly Road" due to its challenging hills. We stop briefly at the “Portland Troll Bridge”, an old wooden trestle railway bridge. Over the years, locals have attached troll dolls to the wood and painted trolls directly onto the planks.

Portland is the final destination of this beautiful day. The city has a lot to offer and it is recommended to plan an extra day here. More information about Portland can be found in the link in this review.