We set out on Thursday morning for points north of Astoria, basically on the other side of the Columbia via that huge bridge on the edge of town. It’s an odd setup, the bottom of the bridge is probably 300′ above the roadway below it. The approach to the bridge is this big steep circular loop, like nothing I have experienced before. The funny part, as we were climbing this circular roadway that reminds me of the mousetrap game when I was a kid, there was a 55 MPH sign. It was so steep and curved, 55 seemed ludicrous! We finally made it to the entrance of the bridge and went up and over this mighty structure, then steeply down the other side to a 4-mile-long causeway maybe 10′ above the water the rest of the way till you got near the other shore where there was another 3-truss bridge section, but that one was only 50′ or so above the water line.
We then headed up the 101 toward Long Beach and parts north. I had expected lots of views along the way, but that proved to be incorrect as it was like driving thru a heavily wooded forest all the way to the northern tip. Once there we realized we needed a Washington State Discover Pass and we didn’t own one nor did we know how to obtain one. So instead of finding a place to eat a picnic lunch, we turned 
around and headed for the ocean hoping to find a spot. We did find an ornate gate in a very secluded area on the way into the park and 
took a picture on the way out. We also found another gate later, and I assume it may be the other side, based on where we were.
What we found was the oddest area I had ever seen near Oysterville. Miles and miles of small bungalows with many undeveloped lots in between them housing trailers and motor homes on them with folks camping on them. It’s like you buy property there to summer vacation in your RV; and then when you save enough money, you build a home on that same property.
We never found a place to pull over for a picnic and ended up in a small town named Ocean Park (sans any park) and pulled into a parking lot to eat a late lunch. Afterward we headed south to Long Beach. All along the way we saw more of the bungalows and small lots with RV’s on them. There is always something odd on our adventures. We looked over and a guy was riding a bike and had his golf clubs on a hand cart hooked to the back of his bike. Ingenuity at its best!
We arrived in Long Beach and found an ice cream shop, parked, went inside and found 
approximately 50 people in line for a cone. We walked out and down a long road out toward the beach with the sign about the longest beach in the world. It was a really long walk out to the end and a bit cool heading out there. There were also a lot of port-a-cans lined up out there, probably still there from the 4th of July. The sand goes way out and people drive their cars out there and park!
We 
found a sign listing all the shipwrecks off the beach and there were lots of them, about 200!! We walked back toward 
the town thinking about that ice cream again; but when we got back, I decided to walk along the main tourist street. Zillions of little shops, Fun Land, and restaurants on both sides of the street. We did the whole stretch and back and hoped when we got back to the ice cream shop, the line would be shorter. We got there, and the line was longer. No ice cream for us today!
We proceeded to head further south to find the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. We found the parking area, and again there were all the signs about not parking there without your pass displayed; so we headed out to find the other lighthouse that’s not far from it. We found that one and there was a kiosk to buy the pass there. But of course the kiosk was broken. We decided to park there anyway, and a bunch of the other folks there said they didn’t have a pass either, so we winged it and walked out the trail to find the North Head Lighthouse.
It wasn’t very far, with a gorgeous view along the way there. We took a few pics and headed back to the car as it was getting late in the day. We drove 
out of the park and found the 101 to head back over the huge bridge and to the RV park. Along the way I noticed a Mexican restaurant very close to the campground. When we got back, I suggested Mexican for dinner. That was a hit and I drove back for take-out.
A long day that ended with a pretty decent Mexican dinner!