Fort Stevens State Park possesses fascinating military history. In 1862, Union soldiers stood watch over the mouth of the Columbia River from Fort Stevens. Eighty years later, on the night of June 21, 1942, Fort Stevens gained distinction as the only military installation in the continental United States to have been fired on since the War of 1812. A Japanese submarine roaming offshore that night fired 17 shells at the fort. There was no damaged inflicted, and Fort Stevens did not fire back.

The park includes 20th Century gun batteries and an excellent history museum. Every summer, historical re-enactment groups put on battles and maneuvers sure to thrill military enthusiasts.

Hike or bike on one of the park’s numerous trails through groves of trees and miles of sand dunes.

Don’t miss the Peter Iredale shipwreck, the skeleton of a British bark that ran aground in 1906 (above).