Tag Archives: Oregon

Family Travel: Time To Stop and Smell The Roses

We spent a marvelous Mother’s Day touring our local botanical garden (mom’s got in free) and I’m not sure who had a better time the moms or the kids? When my 3-year-old daughter wasn’t trying to see which was taller—her or the tulips—she was sticking her face into every blossom and bush making sucking noises with her mouth. After a while she worked through her nose-mouth issues and declared everything smelled: “Bee-you-tah-ful!” I plan to take her back to the gardens in a few weeks when the roses will be in full bloom. After all, June is known as the … Continue reading →

Visiting Hells Canyon

With a name like Hells Canyon it’s hard to believe anything good can come from a trip there. But, don’t let the name fool you. If you are narrowing down your choices for a family-friendly spring break travel destination don’t rule out Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. The park encompasses more than 652,000 acres, which hug the borders of northeastern Oregon and western Idaho. The vast stretches of natural beauty can be explored on foot, on horseback, or by boat. The latter being one of the most popular—after all, Hells Canyon is home to the famous Snake River. The waterway … Continue reading →

West Coast Waterfalls

I’m a sucker for waterfalls. Perhaps, it’s because I grew up in Hawaii and lived within walking distance of some of the most popular falls in the world. Or, maybe it’s because a sense of calm rushes over me when I hear the sound of cascading water. Whatever the reason, regardless of where our family travels, if there is a waterfall within a 50-mile radius of where we are staying I make sure we make a stop. There’s no question Hawaii has some spectacular falls, as does California. In fact, the West Coast of the United States is home to … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Places You’ll Need a Car

Portland is a great place to visit on foot or by bicycle. But unless you bring your vehicle, you’ll miss some of it. Split your trip if you can, doing a day or more by car and another day or two (or four) on foot. Traffic can be horrendous in the downtown area or on any freeway during commute hours. Try to plan your vehicle trips between nine and four, or after 7 pm. Here are some places to visit by car: Lloyd Center – This is a huge shopping mall with an ice skating rink and a movie theater. … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Where to Stay

It’s always the big question, isn’t it? Where to stay in a city that you’re new to. Being part of a chain will give you some idea, but all hotels are not created equally. First read the blog about bidding for travel. If price is your primary concern, that’s the method to use. It’s the lowest price you’re going to get, but you can never be sure which hotel you’ll end up with. We like Portland and go there frequently. My husband also goes a lot for his music. Together, we have a lot of experience with the area hotels, … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Put on Your Walking Shoes!

Portland is one of our favorite day trips. It’s about three hours from us, and worth the drive. It’s even better when we take the train and don’t have to worry about parking or traffic. The City of Roses is one of the cleanest cities in the United States. Part of that is because it’s nearly impossible to drive downtown. Almost everyone bikes, walks, or uses the free public transportation. That’s not a bad thing, but you should plan it into your day. Parking can be quite expensive, generally more than a dollar per hour. It’s best explored in 2 … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

One of our favorite Portland destinations is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, more often known by its initials OMSI. OMSI is geared toward the 6-12 crowd, but children of all ages will enjoy it. There are tons of hands-on displays demonstrated different aspects of science. Chemistry, physics, and computer labs are manned by professionals who help children explore their interests. Upstairs is a paleontology lab and reptile room (yucch!). There are static and changing displays to challenge and ignite your child’s mind. My favorite permanent exhibit there is one on reproduction and fetal development. The babies are real. … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Ground Kontrol

Around the corner from Backspace is The City of Roses’ favorite arcade, Ground Kontrol. It’s a huge collection of classic pinball and arcade games. What a find! Eons ago, when I was in high school, every Friday night my sister and I would go hang out at The Castle. Miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boats, rides, and, of course, a huge arcade to eat your quarters. We’d take our money and save the last quarter. After we’d spent the rest, we took that last quarter and headed over to Eight Ball Deluxe, our favorite pinball machine. We knew we’d be able … Continue reading →

Portland, OR: Backspace

We make frequent trips to Portland, sometimes for a cultural activity and other times just to play. It was on one of these play trips that we discovered Backspace. They bill themselves as Portland’s “hip, uncool place”. It’s a 4000 s.f. space that reminds me of the beatniks of old. Yes, this conservative, Bush-loving, gun toting Christian mama likes a hotbed of insurgent thought. I just look past the anti-W stickers, the slogans of disillusioned youth, and the propaganda of the left, knowing that as they grow and have families, they’ll recognize the error of their ways ;-). Seriously, though, … Continue reading →

Visiting Crater Lake National Park

Have you ever heard someone refer to a person’s eye color as the “bluest blue you’ve ever seen?” Whenever I hear someone say that I think of Crater Lake, because to me, the water there IS the bluest blue I have ever laid my eyes on. Crater Lake is the centerpiece of Crater Lake National Park, which is located in southern Oregon at the crest of the Cascade Mountain range, about 100 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The lake was formed when a 12,000-foot-tall volcanic peak lost such a massive amount of its underground magma during an eruption that … Continue reading →