Columbia Riverfront Real Estate, Willamette Valley Guide

Always dreamed of owning riverfront property? Imagine waking up every morning with the beautiful Columbia River flowing by right outside your door. It’s a dream for a lot of people, but the reality is, knowing where to look can be a challenge.

To make your job easier, we did an extensive search to find Columbia River riverfront property in Oregon and Washington along the Willamette Valley. From single-family homes to condos to floating homes, there are a multitude of possibilities for all price ranges. You’ll be amazed by what you can find.

Columbia Riverfront Single-Family Homes

When you own a single-family home right on the water, it’s like having your own personal oasis. The water’s calming effect – along with the wildlife it attracts – means a peaceful, serene quality of life and oftentimes, direct access to the water via a private beach or boat ramp. See all riverfront homes for sale here.

Columbia Riverfront Condos

If you don’t want the responsibility that comes from owning a detached home, like landscaping and lawn work, or if you desire a lower price range, a condo is a great way to go. They’re ideal for first-time home buyers and downsizing empty-nesters alike. The low impact on your wallet doesn’t stop with the price, either. Condos are typically overseen by an HOA, which is responsible for maintaining community rules and regulations. Many offer extras like pools, rooftop terraces, fitness centers, and even spas. HOA fees range widely, so be sure you check those out before you get your heart set on a property. See all riverfront condos for sale here.

On the River, Columbia River Floating Homes

The unique lifestyle that comes with owning a floating home is not for everyone. But for those who love the water and want to be in or near the city yet don’t resonate with the urban lifestyle—and don’t mind being in close proximity to their neighbors—will be happy to know the Portland Metro area abounds with floating home possibilities.

Take Our Columbia River Riverfront Real Estate Tour

This guide is long, so carve out some time and settle in! To help you get oriented, here’s how we organized our findings.

First we cover the Oregon Columbia Real Estate Riverfront, starting in Portland, as well as Hayden and Sauvie Islands, and work our way north to Rainier.

Next, we cover Washington Columbia Real Estate Riverfront, starting in Vancouver and heading north to Kalama, then doubling back to Camas and Washougal.

Oregon Columbia Real Estate Riverfront Guide

Portland, Oregon Real Estate Riverfront

Wilkes Neighborhood

Our first stop on the Columbia is on the far northeast border of Portland along NE Marine Dr. just west of Chinook Landing Marine Park. Here, you’ll find several groups of floating homes in the Wilkes neighborhood, home to several marinas and moorages. This neighborhood has an Old Portland vibe—quiet and not concerned with keeping up with trends—which makes it ideal for those who want to enjoy the serenity of the riverfront lifestyle yet be close enough to the city when they want to partake. See all Wilkes neighborhood homes for sale.

These neighborhood marinas provide a number of amenities including boat slip rentals, river activities like canoeing, kayaking, wake boarding, and proximity to parks, restaurants and entertainment. Blue Lake Park is a nearby destination for daytime recreation. As for nightlife, there are many local food carts and McMenamins’ Edgefield Pub is just a short drive away.

Big Eddy Marina – This marina is a gated community with over 60 floating homes. Its location at the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge gives residents access to unlimited excursions and adventures.

The Islands Moorage – This marina is located just west on the Columbia river on the way to Portland. With over 70 floating homes, this slightly larger gated community provides similar activities with a slightly shorter commute to Portland.

Ducks Moorage – Ducks Moorage is a smaller gated community of 30 floating homes. Located even closer to downtown Portland, this smaller cluster of floating homes provides the same river living as the neighboring marinas.

Wil-Jan Moorage – With only 10 homes, this small community is somewhat less private. It is not gated, but provides the same level of river enjoyment.

Columbia Ridge Marina – This thriving gated community of 50 floating homes takes river living seriously. It has an active Facebook community and offers a variety of activities for residents.

McGuire Point Marina – There are over 40 floating homes in this final marina of the Wilkes Neighborhood. This gated community lies closest to downtown Portland while still providing access to all the Columbia River Gorge has to offer.

Bridgeton Neighborhood

Further north, right about where NE Marine Dr. merges with NE Bridgeton Rd., another group of floating homes is located in the Bridgeton neighborhood. This charming community has a small-town feel, and its active, outdoorsy residents have a genuine appreciation for their natural surroundings. Several moorage companies and marinas service this area as well. See all Bridgeton neighborhood homes for sale.

These small communities provide easy access to many Portland restaurants, downtown Portland, walking trails like the Columbia Slough Trail, and of course, plentiful water activities.

Bridgeton Harbor Moorage – This is a small group of 7 floating homes. It does not provide gated access and offers all of the perks of river living.

Bridgeton Moorage – Another 7 floating homes without gated access are located here.

Captain’s Moorage – This is a slightly larger marina consisting of 10 floating homes without gated access.

Columbia Way West – As one of the larger marinas in the neighborhood, Columbia Way West boasts 26 floating homes. With a variety of rental options, this community provides ample opportunities for residents to maximize the river lifestyle.

Waynes Moorage – The smallest marina in this neighborhood has a total of 6 floating homes without gated access.

Buoy One – This marina of 15 floating homes offers a gated ramp for residents.

Blue Frog Landing – The westernmost marina of the Bridgeton neighborhood hosts 12 floating homes with no gated access.

Tomahawk Island / Hayden Island

Hayden Island Neighborhood

Hayden Island neighborhood is half undeveloped nature preserve and half developed with retail stores and some residential sections consisting of condos, floating homes, and single-family homes. The neighborhood includes all homes on both Hayden Island and Tomahawk Island. This marine community is an eclectic mix of all ages who live the outdoorsy, active lifestyle. See all Hayden Island neighborhood homes for sale.

Tomahawk Island

Directly across the water from Bridgeton, we come to Tomahawk Island, the southeasternmost section of Hayden Island, which offers floating homes, single-family homes, and condos.

Floating Homes

Parallel to the N. Lotus Isle Dr. on Tomahawk Island, you’ll find a group of floating homes at Tomahawk Island Moorage.

Right at the cove by Lotus Isle Park, you’ll find Island Cove, yet another floating home community.

Single-Family Homes

The southern shore of Tomahawk Island on N. Lotus Isle Dr. has a row of single-family homes, complete with boat ramps.

About .1 miles north, another grouping of single-family homes are situated on either side of N. Tomahawk Island Dr.: the neck that connects Tomahawk Island with Hayden Island.

Hayden Island

Condos

Just as you enter Hayden Island from Tomahawk Island, a few condo communities are located on the right.

Columbia Point Condominiums: This three-story, 96-unit condo complex offers convenient river living for those who desire access to water sports and recreation while living on firm ground. It offers the usual associated amenities for condo residents plus the benefit of easy access to the river.

Jantzen Beach Village Condominiums: These condos also provide an affordable way to enjoy the river while living on land. You can see available condos for sale here.

Floating Homes

Continuing north just past I-5 on N. Jantzen St., you’ll come to another strip of floating homes served by Jantzen Beach Moorage and West Hayden Island Moorage.

Jantzen Beach Moorage: With 177 floating homes, this gated community provides plentiful opportunities for community, river access, and more. It is run by a non-profit instead of a HOA which provides an extensive information page for residents.

West Hayden Island Moorage: There are over 50 floating homes in this gated community. You can explore more of the island on this detailed site.

Single-Family Homes

Single-family homes flank the north and south edges of Hayden Island. There is a small section that runs parallel to the floating homes on N. Southshore Ave. and N. Westshore Dr. (south side).

You’ll also find single-family homes on the north side of the island, running along N. Columbia River Dr. and N. Menzies Dr., bending around onto N. Menzies Ct. and N. Image Canoe Ave.

Sauvie Island

Next, we come to Sauvie Island north of Portland, known for its farmland and wildlife refuge. There are, however, a few choice spots on the Columbia River side.

Single-Family Homes

There’s a point where NW Reeder Rd. crosses over Gee Creek, near the Reeder Beach RV Park and Country Store, and leads to a short stretch of homes situated right on the Columbia River, some with a sandy beach right off the back yard.

St. Helens, Oregon Real Estate Riverfront

Further north of Sauvie Island, off Highway 30, we come to St Helens, a small town located on the confluence of four rivers. Residents here enjoy a serene lifestyle, thanks to surrounding parks, trails, and expansive views of the Columbia River and Mt. Saint Helens. Columbia Botanical Gardens is also located here. See all St. Helens homes for sale.

In this quaint little town, film location for the famed Halloweentown and Twilight movies, you’ll find single-family and floating home real estate.

Floating Homes

On the shore of St Helens, directly across from Sand Island Marine Park, there’s Max’s Moorage, Dillard’s Moorage, and Rocky Pointe Marina on S. River St.

Max’s Moorage: This small slice of river life has just 8 floating homes and no gated access.

Dillard’s Moorage: This marina contains 10 floating homes and a gated boat ramp for added security.

Rocky Pointe Marina: This is the largest marina in St. Helens with 56 floating homes. It also offers increased security with gated access.

Single-Family Homes

Continuing north, passing Grey Cliffs Waterfront Park, you make your way to Riverside Dr., River Cliff Dr., and Grey Cliff Dr. Here you’ll find several single-family homes right on the water.

Columbia City, Oregon Real Estate Riverfront

Hop back on Highway 30, and continue north. Just as you pass Dalton Lake Nature Preserve, you’ll enter the town of Columbia City, a prime river-front community that prides itself on its focus on livability and sustainability and maintaining its unique identity and independence. Here, you’ll find riverfront living in single-family homes. See all Columbia City homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

The Strand, a street that runs parallel to the river and Front Pl. between I St. and E Sts. and has several riverfront homes.

Prescott, Oregon Real Estate Riverfront

Twelve miles north of Columbia City is Prescott, right off the Columbia River Highway. This quiet little community has 50 residents and boasts a one-mile long beach—Prescott beach, a 71-acre day-use county park, one of the Columbia River’s most coveted fishing and windsurfing sites. See all Prescott, OR homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

You’ll find two small sections of single-family homes on the river in Prescott. Look for the spots where School St. and Ivy Lane meet and then again where Riverview Rd and Hout St. meet, the last of which is just before Prescott Beach Park.

Rainier, Oregon Real Estate Riverfront

Rainier is the last stop in our Columbia River Riverfront Homes trip north of Portland. This small town has a lot to offer: local entertainment, historical landmarks, fishing, camping, and scenic views. All of this only 10 miles from Longview, WA and under an hour from Portland. Here, you’ll find single-family homes along the river. See all Ranier, OR homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

Before you get to Rainier proper, there’s a section parallel to Columbia River Highway between Oasis Creek and Piedmont Creek with single-family homes right on the river.

Further north, a couple of blocks past Rainier City Park, you’ll find a small group of riverfront homes on King Dr.

Washington Columbia Real Estate Riverfront

Vancouver, Washington Real Estate Riverfront

Vancouver is loaded with Columbia River riverfront possibilities. Washington’s fourth largest city is a blend of historic architecture and new construction, and even after its transforming revitalization, which brought big-city amenities, it has maintained its small-town charm. Here, we cover all that Vancouver has to offer before turning north to explore further. See all Vancouver homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

There’s a 7.5-mile stretch in Vancouver, just south Winter Community Park, full of single-family homes right on the water. We started at the southernmost point, just north of Columbia Vista Corporation and found a long stretch of riverfront homes to catch as we head back north.

Old Evergreen / Columbia River Neighborhood

The lion’s share of these homes are within the Old Evergreen Neighborhood (aka Columbia River Neighborhood). History abounds here. Fisher’s Cemetery is thought to be the oldest settlers’ burial ground in Clark County. One of the Northwest’s earliest sawmills sits at the east end of the cemetery. Old Evergreen Highway itself goes back to the days of the first automobiles and is now traversed by motorists and cyclists alike.

Despite the residential development this area has seen, it remains largely rural, nestled in towering evergreens with lovely river and mountain vistas.

• Rivershore Landing—Homes in Rivershore Landing were built beginning in 1998 and are located south of SR-14 on the north bank of the Columbia River in the Columbia River neighborhood. This notable neighborhood boasts excellent river and city views.
  
• Rivershore Narrows—Rivershore Narrows consists of fourteen executive narrows homes, located on SE Rivershore Dr. Residents in these homes enjoy expansive views of the beautiful Columbia River, along with remarkable sunsets, sailboats and salmon fishing in action, and the graceful flight of osprey, all from 50 feet above a private beach. These homes are located just east of the I-205 Bridge, minutes from the Portland International Airport and downtown Portland.

• Steamboat Landing HOA—Moving to the southeast, right off SE Evergreen Highway, we come to Steamboat Landing HOA, a planned, gated community that utilizes its surrounding natural beauty for recreation and quality of life. The neighborhood has a park, marina, and walking trails, with easy access to Vancouver and Portland.
  
• Rivercrest Estates—Located on on SE Burlington, Rivercrest Estates is an upscale neighborhood with breathtaking views of the Mt. Hood, city lights, and of course the beautiful Columbia River.
  
• Image Ln.—SE Image Rd. crosses the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks and end at Image Ln. where you’ll find a handful of homes on the water.
  
• Leiser Point—Leiser Point, located on SE Leiser Point Dr. is a subdivision with a wide variety of home styles built between 1925 and 2003. Residents here live in bungalows, contemporary, ranch, daylight ranch, Dutch colonial, Craftsman, and custom homes, some of which back right up to the water.
  
• Columbia Harbor Estates—Columbia Harbor is located on SE 17th St. just north of Leiser Point. This area is a gated community with ranch, daylight ranch, and contemporary style homes built between 1980 and 1992.
  

Riverview Neighborhood

• Topper Landing—Topper Landing is a gated community on SE Topper Drive with superb views of the Columbia River.
  

Condos

One mile north of Topper Landing, passing Winter Community Park, we come to our first set of condos.

• Tidewater Cove Condos—Tidewater Cove Condos are located at 1000 SE Tidewater Pl., right on Tidewater Cove Marina. This condo community is comprised of seven residential buildings with 94 units centered around three small lagoons. A Clubhouse with meeting spaces and a workout room, along with a seasonal out-door pool and tennis court, are available to residents. The real bonus at Tidewater Cove is the unobstructed Columbia River views.
  
• Sahalie at Tidewater Cove—Directly beyond Tidewater Cove Marina lies another small group of riverfront condos in the Columbia Way neighborhood of Vancouver. Sahalie at Tidewater Cove consists of three 3-story buildings housing 32 condo units. Living areas range from 1620 to 4357 sq. ft.
  
• The Meriwhether—Located at 2015 SE Columbia River Dr. is The Meriwether, a single 4-story, low-rise building with 17 units in the Columbia Way neighborhood of Vancouver, built in 1998.
  
• Columbia Way—Right on Surprise Beach, you’ll find Columbia Way, a group of condos and townhomes, built between 1994 and 2006.
  
• Kirkland Tower Penthouses—For upscale, luxury living, this group of high rises won’t disappoint. Located at 590 Waterfront Way, these desirable 1- to 3-bedroom units offer residents all services attached to the Hotel Indigo and gorgeous views of not just the Columbia River, but Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Hood, and the city, as well.

Kalama, Washington Real Estate Riverfront

Proceeding north again on I-5 on the river’s east side now, we come to Kalama. With virtually no room for expansion, largely due to its location on a narrow swath of land between the Columbia River and a bluff, Kalama is infused with a community-focused, small-town vibe. See all Kalama homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

There’s a small section of Kalama with homes right on the water in Kalama. You’ll find them on Tidewater Drive. Schoolhouse Creek runs down the center of this area.

Camas, Washington Real Estate Riverfront

Now, we’ll make our turn back and head southeast, past Vancouver to Camas, a sparse suburban area with lots of parks and tree-lined streets. See all Camas homes for sale.

Single-Family Homes

There’s a four-block section in Camas on SE 11th & 12th Sts., just before you get to Parker’s Landing Historical Park, with single-family homes. Some have boat ramps. All have direct access to the river just off their expansive back yards.

Washougal, Washington Real Estate Riverfront

Our last stop on the Columbia Riverfront River Real Estate Guide Tour is Washougal, known for its lowlands and famous prairie at the west entrance to Columbia River Gorge with Mt. Hood rising in the distance. See all Washougal homes for sale.

Single Family Homes

Just south of Waterfront Natural Play Area on A Street, which runs parallel to Lewis and Clark Highway, we find our last section of single-family homes. The lots are narrow but deep and have direct access to the river.

Looking for Columbia River Riverfront Property?

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