Lightship Columbia is the last lightship serving the Pacific Coast
Lightship Columbia, a 128-foot welded-steel lightship, was built in 1950 for the U.S. Coast Guard. It was stationed at the mouth of the Columbia River near Cape Disappointment between 1951 and 1979. Retired in 1979, after 28 years of service the Lightship Columbia was sold to the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria in 1980. Lightship Columbia, is afloat, open to the public as part of museum admission. On December 20, 1989, the Lightship Columbia was added to the National Register of Historic Places as National Historic Landmark #89002463.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum has the largest collection of Pacific Northwest maritime artifacts in the country and works to preserve the rich maritime heritage of the entire Columbia River region. Exhibits take an exciting look at the legendary Columbia River entrance, where the forces of the mighty Columbia River and Pacific Ocean meet to create one of the most dangerous bar crossings on the planet. There have been approximately 114 vessels wrecked, stranded, sunk in collisions, or capsized in the Columbia River estuary, on the nearby beaches or at sea within a few miles of the entrance giving it the name “Graveyard of the Pacific. Here, waves can exceed 40 feet in height during the most severe winter storms. This museum is one of the country’s finest displays about shipwrecks, lighthouses, fishing, navigation and naval history.
Guests staying at these Oregon Coast bed and breakfasts enjoy hiking, biking, kayaking the rivers trails, paths and surf. Over 600 Victorian homes are tucked away throughout Astoria along with museums, galleries, antique shops and small intimate gift shops and fine restaurants.
The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, its environment, culture, and heritage with you. Get to know our State like a local. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a world class city experience, or a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance when staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.
‘This Byway offers many natural wonders. Visit between November and June to watch the storms come in or to scan the horizon to catch a glimpse of migrating gray whales. Several rock formations are home to large colonies of seals and sea lions, and shorebirds abound in the countless estuaries. And then there’s the wind-sculpted dunes, marshes, lush agricultural valleys and majestic rainforests.’ The Oregon Coast: one of the 
