Visited: Wednesday, July 4th, 2012
Oddly, the website for this park suggests as a first stop a place not associated with the park, the Astoria Column. And - it's a great suggestion. Climbing to the top, you get a great view of the area; really a commanding view of the whole of the park, unavailable from any other single point. If you go, buy a glider in the gift store before you go up.
The primary site for the park is Fort Clatsop, the site where Lewis & Clark wintered after they reached the Pacific. And it's very nice, with a good visitor center, an informative movie, a reproduction of the fort, and a number of ranger programs, including one on the weapons carried by Lewis & Clark's party which the boys loved.
The other visitor center is part of the Washington State Park system, at Cape Disappointment. And it's expensive - $10 for a day pass for parking, plus $5 per adult for entry. However, there are NPS stamps there, so collectors of those will want to go, and it's a great overview of Lewis & Clark's expedition out (with some coverage of their return), so those who enjoy history will also want to visit.
Overall, we spent about 5 hours at the various sites (and getting between them) - and the boys put up with it all. Well worthwhile, in my opinion.
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