Day 1 – 2: Portland
We arrived in Portland close to 8:00 p.m. and checked into Paramount Hotel. The rooms were great, and the staff were awesome. As they say – location, location, location! We were in walking distance of all of the top Portland spots. The downside is that parking is expensive – nearly $40/night valet parking! Whoo-dang! Also, if you are like me, you will tip the valet each time you take the car out. All of that adds up quickly. Despite the parking costs, the hotel’s location made it well worth it.
After we checked-in we headed straight to Pok Pok – arguably Portland’s best Thai restaurant (about a 10 minute drive from our hotel). Unfortunately, after hunting and finally finding a parking spot, the wait was over an hour! We were too hungry for all of that (ain’t nobody got time for that!). Instead we opted for Hot Lips pizza right down the street. It hit the spot. Nothing better than pizza after a long travel day. Regardless of how much pizza I stuffed my face with, I was not about to give up on Pok Pok that easily. Turns out Pok Pok would deliver to our hotel room! Although delivery was over an hour, it was well worth the wait (not that I couldn’t use the hour to let my stomach digest all that pizza). Two delicious dinners within a couple of hours – not a bad way to start the vacation!
The next day, after a much-needed coffee and pastry pick-me-up, we started walking. We discovered that Portland had so much to offer! See our walking route. If you aren’t into walking, you can rent bikes and even take a guided bike tour.
- Cost – $20/Adult; Kids are free!
- Time – 2 Hours Maximum w/ Kids (anything shorter you won’t be giving the exhibits their due)
- Pros – There is so much to see, and each exhibition is unique.
- Cons – Kids (especially young’ns will get bored); Our 10-year-old got a bit fatigued toward the end, but all-in-all, a great option for us. If you think your kids won’t be interested but you know you can’t miss it, just bribe them with a trip to one of Portland’s many donut shops.
- Cost – Free (unless you decide to purchase, which you will)
- Time – 1.5 Hours (longer if you have an avid reader in the family)
- Pros – Largest selection of books I have ever seen. The store is divided into various sections on various levels of the store – children’s books, food and wine, science-fiction, etc. This place is every book lover’s dream come true, and the books are affordable. We had our daughter bring a canvas bag and let her fill it up with as many books as she could. She loved it!
- Cons – None
For lunch, we visited one of Portland’s Food Cart Pods. Pods consist of a grouping of mobile food trucks. There are a few scattered throughout the city, but the closest to our hotel was the Alder Pod. The obvious pick for kids – The Grilled Cheese Grill. This truck has everything you would expect – grilled cheese (with the option of various types of cheeses) and tomato soup.
After lunch, we took a short car ride to the International Rose Test Garden. Unfortunately, the roses were not in bloom. Regardless, we had a relaxing time just strolling through the garden and enjoying the views (Eye Spy Mt. Hood).
International Rose Test Garden
- Cost – Free
- Time – 2 Hours Maximum w/ Kids
- Pros – Beautiful views; located near other attractions, including the Portland Japanese Garden, Oregon Zoo, and Portland Children’s Museum. For more information about other activities in the area go to the Washington Park site.
- Cons – No roses unless you come when they are in bloom (May – September)
After such a busy day, mama was ready to play! We were recommended Deschutes Brewery. Both my husband and I went for the beer flight. Because of this, we were able to sample EVERY beer they had on tap! Deschutes is kid-friendly; however, you are limited to certain seating areas. Check out this site for more kid-friendly breweries.
Day 3 – Government Camp (“Govie”) (i.e., Mt. Hood)
We departed from Portland incredibly early for Mt. Hood. Luckily, Voodoo Doughnuts is open 24 / 7. We grabbed a dozen doughnuts and hit the road. Mt. Hood is about 1.5 hours from Portland. Our destination was Timberline Lodge. Although Timberline Lodge provides accommodations, we were only going to take snowboarding lessons.
As we were getting closer to Timberline Lodge, the weather began to change drastically. In Portland, it was sunny with a temperature in the mid-70s. However, in Mt. Hood, it was snowing . . . a lot. As a Florida girl, I thought I was in a fairy tale.
For the kiddo, we opted for the Timberline Kids Club, which provides lessons to kids (age 4-12) of all levels. We enrolled her in the 1/2-day program, but she was having so much fun we extended to the full day program. I would recommend making a reservation in advance.
- Cost – $130 (1/2 Day + Rental) or $170 (Full Day + Rental) for kiddos age 4 -6 and $120 (1/2 Day + Rental) or $160 (Full Day + Rental) for kiddos age 7-12
- Time – 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Half Day) or 3:00 p.m. (Full Day)
- Pros – Parents can leave, watch, take their own lessons, etc. It’s a ski/snowboard daycare. Full day lessons even include lunch. Oh . . . and kids are pooped after!
- Cons – Pricey (but well worth it)
My husband and I decided to take snowboarding lessons. I had never even seen where snow covered the ground more than an inch (even less). Therefore, this was a completely new experience for me. Even though I completely busted my ass over and over and over and over (you get the point) again, I would do it again in a second.
This may be obvious to most people, but ski and snowboarding clothes are not normal clothes. I didn’t realize this until a couple of days before our vacation started. I had to frantically purchase the proper attire on Amazon. If you don’t have the proper clothing, this could easily turn into a miserable experience. There is nothing worse than being cold and wet. So, PSA for Floridians – get the proper clothing.
We opted to stay at the Best Western Mt. Hood Inn, which was very affordable. It is not a fancy hotel, but it is comfortable and serves free breakfast. Another perk – Mt. Hood Brewing Co. is right next door. I wouldn’t say that it is the best beer I have ever tasted, but its beer. I like beer. Following a day of lessons on the slope, it was a great, convenient option for dinner and drinks.
Day 4: Multnomah Falls (Corbett, Oregon)
After our FREE (HOLLLLLA!!!) breakfast at the hotel, we headed to Multnomah Falls for an early morning hike. Multnomah Falls is about an hour or so from our hotel in Mt. Hood. It is the tallest waterfall in Oregon at over 600 ft. high! Geez . . . this is a long and difficult hike. You can opt to hike to the Benson Bridge (1/4 mile hike) or all the way to the top (over a mile). Unless you are a Gladiator, it would be nearly impossible to make it to the top with small children. However, the hike to Benson Bridge is doable. Regardless of how high up you make it, it is beautiful. We took some of my most favorite pictures of the entire vacation on this hike.
To give you an idea of how high you are at the top, the picture below highlights the view of the Benson Bridge from the top. What is this . . . a bridge for ANTS!? (I hope some people get this reference.)
Multnomah Falls
- Cost – Free (even parking)
- Time – All seasons
- Pros – Beautiful!
- Cons – Your booty will be sore the next day but you had to work off those donuts and beer some way or another.
For the more adventurous, try zip-lining nearby.
To save money, we packed a little lunch for after our hike. Just down the road from the falls we found an area of picnic tables that was perfect for our after-hike picnic. An alternative to packing a lunch is Multnomah Falls Lodge, which is located right out in front of the hike entryway (you can’t miss it).
When we returned to the hotel, my husband opted for a nap (. . . rookie) while we opted for more snow! Tubing was available right down the street. WeEeEeEe!
There were various other activities available in Mt. Hood that we just didn’t have the time to partake in. For example, an alternative to Timberline Lodge is Mt. Hood Skibowl, which offers the usual (e.g., skiing, snowboarding) but also snowmobiling, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and sleigh riding.
Day 5: Willamette (wil-AM-it) Valley, Oregon
Our next stop was Willamette Valley, more specifically, Salem, which was approximately 2.5 hours away from Mt. Hood. To break up the drive, we stopped by the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn (approximately 30 minutes out from Salem). O-M-G there were so many tulips! It was absolutely beautiful and unlike anything I have ever seen – 40 acres of tulips! You may be able to spot Mt. Hood if you are there!
- Cost – $20 per car or $5 per person aged 13+ for a one-day pass (includes entrance, parking, access to tulip fields, child’s play area, tram and hayrides, among other activities).
- Time – 1-2 Hours+
- Pros – Lots of activities – especially for the little ones. You can eat their food or bring your own (#savethatmoneygurl).
- Cons – A little muddy – bring you rain boots! The festival only lasts for a limited time (March – April timeframe).
We spent most of the morning frolicking in the tulips; however, I was ready to drink some of best Pinot Noirs in the world. We checked in to our hotel – The Grand Hotel and picked up our four free tasting passes. The hotel offered a package that included accommodations, breakfast, and tasting passes to various selected wineries. I was able to call ahead and identify which wineries were kid-friendly. I honestly didn’t come across any that weren’t kid-friendly – some are just more so than others. We spent the afternoon tasting at four different wineries, which is about all that we could handle for the day. This is not the most fun day for kids but hopefully they are a little worn out from Mt. Hood and the tulips. Most wineries have an outdoor seating area where you are able to relax and enjoy wine while your kiddos run freely.
Confirmed kid-friendly wineries (if a winery is not on the list, just call in advance)
Day 6: Florence
Although Florence is 2.5 hours from Salem it is worth the drive because it is such a unique place. Florence is home to the largest coastal sand dunes in North America some as high as 500 feet above sea level! We stopped near the Siuslaw River Bridge to grab coffee and then went on a wild adventure through the dunes.
Sandland Adventures – Sandrail Tour
- Cost & Time – 1/2 hour is $35 pp; 1 hour is $65 pp (must be 3+ years old); I brought some extra cash to tip the driver.
- Pros – I think this was the best 30 minutes of my life! What an adrenaline rush. The driver was incredible. All you see are hills after hills of sand. I wish we would have opted for the 1-hour ride rather than the 1/2 hour. Be sure to wear the proper clothing as instructed on the website. You may want to bring something to cover your mouth as sand blows everywhere (e.g., scarf)!
- Cons – Although it says 3+ allowed, this was an intense experience, and I would not recommend it for 3–4-year-olds. The buggy goes very fast up and down hills. At times, you are so high up you cannot see the downhill in front of you. Although this adds to the excitement, I can see it being very scary for the young ones. Try the Giant Dune Buggy as an alternative.
If the buggy tours are not for you, try sandboarding and horseback riding.
Following the buggy tour, we ate lunch at a local restaurant and headed a little north to hike the hobbit trail past the Heceta Head Lighthouse, and watch the sun set at the Heceta Head Lighthouse State Park. Pack a little dinner to keep hunger at bay (may I recommend cheese, crackers, and some of the wine you picked up in Willamette?).
Heceta Head Lighthouse State Park & Hobbit Trail
- Cost – $5 for parking
- Time – As long as you want to hike and take in the scenic views!
- Pros – The park was incredible – views of the beautiful ocean, large standing rocks, and a historic bridge. Restrooms available in main park area.
- Cons – It got very chilly! Be sure to bring warm clothes. Also, parking may be limited. Hobbit Trail is long, and we didn’t make it to the end before we decided to turn back.
Other options in the area include Old Town Florence, Suislaw River Bridge and the Sea Lions Cave (from reading reviews, this is pricey, stinky and short-lived, so we decided against this).
If budget is not an issue, try the Sylvia Beach Hotel. It is a charming hotel located right on the beach. This hotel is for book lovers as each room is designed and decorated after a particular author (e.g., Mark Twain, Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss).
Because we wanted to save money, we opted to stay at Old Town Inn. It was a quant hotel that served continental breakfast. It was exactly what we needed after a long, eventful day.
Day 7: Newport, Oregon
The drive from Florence to Newport is about an hour; however, it is one of the most beautiful drives you will take the entire trip. On the way to Newport be sure to stop at Yaquina Head and Devils Punchbowl.
That morning we were scheduled to go whale watching. There are numerous whale watching tour companies in Newport. However, we booked with Whale Research EcoExcursions because of its glowing reviews. Unfortunately, the water was too dangerous that morning. Therefore, our trip was cancelled. In its place, we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium followed by a tour of Rogue Brewery and lunch at the Rogue Brewery restaurant.
- Cost – $45 for adults and $35 for children ages 2-12 (includes museum admission)
- Time – 1.5 hours
- Pros – From the reviews, you are on a zodiac boat rather than a larger boat which provides a more intimate experience, and you are less likely to become seasick. Further, the captains make the tour very educational.
- Cons – You cannot predict the weather or ocean conditions! Therefore, there is no guarantee that your trip won’t be cancelled.
- Cost – $22.95 for adults and $14.95 for children ages 3-12
- Time – 2-3 Hours
- Pros – Easy-going day with lots to see. Close to Rogue Brewery (see below).
- Cons – I’d rather be whale watching! Waaaahhhhhh! Also, having lived in Atlanta I was a bit spoiled when it came to aquariums. Compared to the Georgia Aquarium, this aquarium just wasn’t as exciting.
- Cost – $5 (if you wanted to sample, which you obviously do)
- Time – Only offered Monday – Friday at 1:00 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday at 1:00 p.m. & 3:00 p.m.
- Pros – Lots of beer! Very informative! Non-alcoholic root beer offered to kids.
- Cons – Kids may get bored. However, they just went to the aquarium so it’s your turn to have a little fun!
After our brewery tour, we went back to Portland to stay overnight. We left the following day on an early flight to the east coast. Adios Oregon. Thanks for the rad time. Until next time.
the lost dinosaur 