Where was The Goonies filmed?

Every epic quest must start somewhere, and for this group of young friends, the adventure to find One-Eyed Willy’s treasure begins in Mikey’s attic. As the klutzy Chunk and the rest of the Goonies explore the eclectic selection of items stored in the attic, Mikey’s main concern is that they’ll get him into trouble.

But that all changes when he stumbles across the ancient map and starts to believe that it may in fact be real. “What if? Just what if this map could lead to One-Eyed Willy’s rich stuff? Then we wouldn’t have to leave the Goondocks,” Mikey exclaims in wonder.

Of course, this scene is set in the most famous of all The Goonies filming locations in Astoria, Mikey’s house. Located on 38th Street, this iconic residence is a must-visit on the itinerary of any fan of this ‘80s classic. However, just remember that it’s private property, so show some courtesy and make sure to follow any of the homeowner’s signposted rules.

As far as memorable opening scenes go, you’ll be hard pressed to find many that can hold their own against the start of The Goonies.

The director throws the audience straight into the action as we see Jake Fratelli fake his suicide — “You schmuck! Do you really think I’d be stupid enough to kill myself?” reads his ‘suicide’ note — and launch a daring escape attempt from the county jail. There are shots fired, leaping flames, and a high-speed car chase through the streets of Astoria, while we’re also quickly introduced to the movie’s main protagonists and villains. As a viewer, you’re only been watching for a few minutes but already you’re hooked.

The best part about this is that the Astoria county jail is still standing today and looks exactly as it did in the film. In fact, it’s now home to the Oregon Film Museum, which celebrates film and TV production in Oregon, and the timing of the museum opening coincided with the 25th anniversary of The Goonies.

There’s a special Goonies exhibit here, and you can even see the jail cell where Jake was held. You might even see the Jeep used in the escape parked out the front, so be sure to check out this iconic site on Duane Street in downtown Astoria.

As the friends set off to see where One-Eyed Willy’s treasure map leads, their adventure takes them out of Astoria and towards a beautiful stretch of Oregon coastline. But before that, they race out of town on their bikes, the map held tight in their possession, and come across Mikey’s dad working at the museum.

This gorgeous building is also one of the most easily recognizable Goonies landmarks in Astoria. It’s the Flavel House, a Queen Anne-style home on Exchange Street that was built back in 1885. Today it’s also known as the Captain George Flavel House Museum, so if you’re stopping by for a photo out the front, it’s worth checking out the history on offer inside.

Before long, the friends soon find themselves at an abandoned restaurant on a rugged stretch of coastline. With the help of the map and an old doubloon, they work together to crack the code and find out where they need to go next.

“Guys...I think I have a match. I’m sure of it! The lighthouse, the rock, and the restaurant all fit the doubloon. That must mean that the rich stuff is near the restaurant,” exclaims Mikey.

What they’re about to realize is that they’ve also stumbled upon the Fratellis’ hideout and are about to land themselves in a whole world of trouble. They hear gunshots as the Fratellis murder two FBI agents, and the old restaurant gives off a decidedly creepy vibe.

The site where this scene was filmed is found in Ecola State Park, which is roughly 25 miles south of Astoria. While the exterior of the restaurant never existed in real life — the production crew constructed it around a park shelter — you can still stand in the same spot the Goonies did when they made sense of the old treasure map.

Once you’ve finished checking out Ecola State Park, be sure to head a few miles further south to check out another memorable filming location from The Goonies. After the daring prison escape at the start of the film, the Fratelli family lead the police on a car chase through town and down onto the beach.

While her sons are skeptical about the escape route, their mother knows exactly what she’s doing: “Ah, trust in your old mother, boys!” she cackles. “Throw her into four-wheel drive and hold onto your hats.” And with that, the criminals launch onto the sand just as a truck race along the sand gets underway, leaving the despairing cops in their wake.

To check out this famous stretch of silver screen sand, head to Cannon Beach. It’s a very pretty part of the Oregon coastline, and the views of Haystack Rock from here are truly spectacular.

The climactic final scenes of The Goonies are shot on the beach. Once again, we don’t want to give away too many plot details in case you’ve never seen the film, but just as the action seems to be wrapping up, the sheriff notices something in the distance.

“Holy Mary mother of God. Look at that!” he exclaims, as we see One-Eyed Willy’s legendary ship drifting out to sea. And as the Inferno sails into the sunset, a tearful Mikey waves him farewell: “Bye, Willy. Thanks.”

Given that much of the film was shot on location in Oregon, you might be surprised to learn that this part of the movie was shot in California. The final beach scenes after the Goonies escape the tunnel network and their fate is decided were actually filmed on the Sonoma Coast.

With its craggy rock formations, Goat Rock Beach is the ideal setting for the conclusion to this thrilling adventure. However, given that it’s over 700 miles away from Astoria, it’s a site you’ll probably want to explore on a separate trip to your main Goonies adventure.