Favorite day/weekend trips from Portland? (Eugene, Salem: to rent, casino, cabin)

[christiner81]

We've done a few day trips to Seaside and Multnomah Falls.

Where else do you like to go that's not toooo far away?

[EnricoV]

I love staying at Kah-nee-ta. Be sure to see the museum at Warm Springs while you're there. Or keep going and visit Central Oregon. Bend or Sisters, especially. Smith Rocks, Newberry Crater. Lots to see.

Have you been up to Mt. Hood? Down around Welches is a good place to rent a cabin for the weekend and just enjoy being in the woods.

Don't just visit Seaside. Lots to explore on the coast, and a lot of the places are very different in nature. Tillamook has some great things to visit, most of all the Cheese Factory. Astoria is a great historic visit, or ... if you're a Goonies fan. Lincoln City has the casino and is more of typical beach town. Or cross the river to the Long Beach peninsula, in Washington.

There are some great towns down the valley well worth exploring on a weekend visit ... Eugene, Albany (great covered bridges in the area). And it's a longer drive, but Crater Lake is doable in a weekend. Visit the wine country. Silverton and the Oregon gardens are worth a day trip. Aurora is a great day-trip ... antiquing and the historic aspects of the Aurora Colony. McMinnville, too.

And don't forget about heading north. Mt. St. Helens most definitely. Olympia, Tacoma, Aberdeen, and of course Seattle all are worth visiting.

Lots to do up the Columbia River Gorge. The Dalles and Hood River are both great little towns. You mention Multnomah Falls, but have you visited Bonneville Dam, the fish hatchery, taken a ride on the Sternwheeler out of Cascade Locks?

Honestly, I'd just get out an Oregon/Washington map, and do my best to travel the state. Some areas may not have lots to do, but are gorgeous to drive through. Others have more to actually do.

And don't forget to look for special events. Things like the St. Paul rodeo, the state fair (in September) in Salem, our family loves the Civil War re-enactments ... 4th of July at Champoeg and Labor day at Warrenton.

[SETabor]

I second everything EnricoV posted. Have you been to the tidal pools at Cannon Beach? Up the column in Astoria? If you're headed to Astoria or Long Beach, you can take the long way and take the ferry across the Columbia at Cathlamet. I hear Silver Falls is gorgeous and plan on making a trip to them this year (finally).

[christiner81]

thanks! We haven't been here too long (since march) but I have a list of places to see/things to do that I want to keep adding to. Our kids are pretty small so we tend to go one or two places at a time so it's manageable for everyone. I will be glad when they can handle more in the road trip department (without driving me crazy )

[hamellr]

I triple everything EnricoV stated.

I'd add, hiking around Larch Mountain. Take the Old Columbia River Highway and visit some of the lesser known falls. Visiting Timberline lodge (even in the Spring/Summer.) Do the Fruit Loop Tour in Hood River. Go to Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville. Visit Fort Vancouver. When the road opens, go up to Mt. St. Helens and Windy Ridge. Fort Stevens and Fort Clatsop near Astoria. Fort Yamhill in Grand Rhonde. Fort Hoskins near Corvallis. Fort Dalles in The Dalles.

Grab a cheap gold pan and go gold mining in Quartz Creek. (East of Sweet Home.) Hike to the top of Mary's Peak. Drive to the ghost town of Mitchell and see the Painted Hills. Drive north of there to Fossil, see Shaniko and other ghost towns on the way.

[PippySkiddles]

Washington county fair in Hillsboro coming up soon---July 26-29

Washington County Fair