Oregon Coast Highway - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 100

offshore year-round. But the best chance of spotting these 40-ton mammals is from
mid-December through mid-January, when as many as 30 whales per hour cruise by
the coast.
To spot whales from the shore, wait for a calm, overcast day and perch yourself on a
tall, outlying cliff during the early-morning hours. Scan the horizon for a “blow” (a
white puff of water vapor), then look for periodic spouts. If you're lucky, you may
even see a whale breach—spring above the surface before splash diving—like the
humpback shown above.
22. Astoria
It seems only fitting that the drive should end at the bustling seaport of Astoria, for it was
here, in 1811, that John Jacob Astor's fur-trading company established a post that became
the first permanent American settlement in the Pacific Northwest. There are over 600 his-
toric homes in Astoria. The most famous is Flavel House, a splendid Victorian mansion
erected in1885byCaptain GeorgeFlavel, whoisbelieved tohave been Astoria'sfirst mil-
lionaire
On Coxcomb Hill, 12-story-high Astoria Column provides a panoramic view of the
townbelow,SaddleMountaintothesouth,andtothenorth,thegracefulspanoftheAstoria
Bridge, which crosses the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington.