“We’re really concentrating on homes that have amazing views of the Columbia River,” Mary Davies, vice president of resource development with the Assistance League of Columbia Pacific, said.

Davies is talking about “Astoria River View,” this year’s theme for the Assistance League’s Home & Chef Tour. The annual event, now in its 14th year, offers an afternoon of meandering through impressive homes while enjoying tasty bites prepared by local chefs.

Assistance League Home & Chef Tour

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Tickets are $35 each and benefit local philanthropic programs

www.assistanceleaguecp.org

On Saturday, attendees will tour five featured homes and businesses, each with sweeping views of the Columbia River.

Tour destinations include a contemporary house on Skyline Avenue, overlooking the Columbia River toward the Astoria Bridge and Willapa Hills.

A house on Irving Avenue will also be part of the tour, featuring views that stretch toward Youngs Bay. On a clear day, visible from the house is a roughly 11-miles stretch looking east up the Columbia. Closer to the river, near Mill Pond, a more recently-built home with an open floor plan and an abundance of natural light will offer another tour stop.

The Wheelhouse, located near Astoria Brewing Co., will also be a part of this year’s tour. The Wheelhouse, once housing a cannery, was remodeled by its current owners in 2020.

Davies said that the assistance league reaches out to the owners of properties that they’d like to include in the tour, and that for the most part Astorians are receptive to letting their home be a part of the one-day event.

The fifth stop on the Home & Chef Tour is the Benjamin Young Inn, located along the river on Duane Street.

The Benjamin Young Inn is “part of what makes Astoria,” Innkeeper Emma Anderson said. The inn was built in 1888, and has had little in the way of construction since except for preservation and upkeep, Anderson said. In its 135 years, ownership has changed only three times and has stayed in Young’s family for 100 years.

Benjamin Young sailed to Astoria from Sweden. He owned a salmon cannery in town, also worked in real estate and was a politician.

Each house attendees stop by will be paired with a chef from a coastal restaurant, including Nekst, Josephson’s Smokehouse, Finn’s Fish House, The Nest and Beach Burrito.

Davies said that her favorite part of previous years’ tours is the chance to talk and mingle with locals and visitors from out-of-town.

Proceeds from the event benefit local philanthropic programs, including clothing for students in need and scholarship programs for education, cultural activities and sports.

“It’s a really fun event for couples to do, friends to do, family to do,” Davies said. “And it’s at your own pace.”