Oregon - Pitstops for Kids

Touring Oregon Wine Country with Grape Escape wine tours

March 25, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Not long ago, I wouldn’t have thought of spending a full day during a Portland Oregon vacation touring the Oregon wine country. I simply wouldn’t have realized it was an option. In fact, the region directly around metropolitan Portland is ripe with wineries, and has been for several decades. During a recent parents’ weekend away in Portland, I spent an early spring Saturday in wine country with Grape Escape Tours, and it was certainly time well-spent. And if you are enjoying Portland with kids, good news: Grape Escape welcomes children on their winery tours, and yes, there’s actually things for them to do.

We started our experience with Grape Escape before we even arrived in Portland. As soon as I reached out via their website, owner Ralph Stinton gave me a call to find out where my party’s interests in wine lay, what we hoped to see during our day in wine country, and logistical details about our group. On our scheduled tour date, Ralph met us in the lobby of our Portland hotel where we chatted further about our expectations, our wine knowledge (or lack thereof), and the like. Following our phone conversation, Ralph had designed a personalized itinerary, which he handed out to us. Included on the itinerary were the three wineries we were scheduled to visit, plus our lunch plans and a paragraph of background information on each winery. Right away, we knew we were in good hands.

We loaded into a Grape Escape 12-passenger van, and Ralph told us more about Oregon’s wine country and the wineries we were scheduled to visit as we drove the approximately 30 minutes outside the city. Our customized tour began with smaller boutique winery Alloro Vineyards, located in the Chehalem Mountains. We met owner Dave Nemarnick, who planted the vineyard then built his beautiful Mediterranean inspired winery. It was obvious that Ralph and Grape Escape enjoyed a good working relationship with Alloro and the other wineries we toured; everywhere we went, he was greeted by name, and able to tell us detailed information about the location, the wines we were tasting, and the differences and similarities between Oregon wines and those elsewhere worldwide.

We lunched at The Allison Inn and Spa in the nearby Willamette Valley, which we had arranged ourselves; had we not, Ralph would have arranged lunch for us. We headed from there to nearby Domaine Serene, a larger winery situated in the Red Hills of Dundee. We were also scheduled to taste at Archery Summit, but Ralph was able to adapt our itinerary when we opted to spend extra time touring The Allison.

Grape Escapes booking tips:

Grape Escape vans comfortably hold up to 12 guests, but caravans are possible if you have a larger group. (Grape Escape has six vans in their fleet.) Ralph is one of several qualified guides, and founded the company 19 years ago. In his words, they ‘grew up’ with the Oregon wine industry, which explains their excellent relationship with the various vineyards.

Rates start at $80 per person for a partial day tour. The tour we enjoyed lasted from 10 am to after 4 pm, and runs $175 per person (the price lowers the larger your group). You’re paying for the transportation, but also for the expertise Grape Escape adds to the experience. The best way to get started is to fill out the form on the website, or call: 503-283-3380.

Oregon wine tasting with kids:

If you’re wine tasting with kids in tow, I’d recommend a half-day tour. I know my children would have gotten restless with a longer day. Ralph and his team know which wineries will be most kid-friendly, such as Stoller Winery, which sports a playground outside. All the wineries we saw included spacious outdoor seating, long rolling lawns, and usually a friendly dog or two. Kids will enjoy being out in the Oregon countryside and will be welcomed by Grape Escape. They’ll also sip sparkling juices and enjoy the same cheese and cracker plates as the adults. Ralph recommends bringing your own car seats, which can be fitted in any of the Grape Escape vans.

As I disclose whenever applicable, we experienced Grape Escape at a media rate, for the purpose of review.

The Allison Inn and Spa: Willamette Valley wine country pick

March 21, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

Tucked into the green hillside just outside the quiet Portland bedroom community of Newberg, The Allison Inn and Spa somehow feels like both a destination and a detour. Turning up the long drive, you clearly feel as if you’ve arrived, but the location is just close enough to the bustle of downtown Portland that you feel only slightly away. When you’re looking to get away for a peaceful weekend, this is the perfect combination.

Light, airy, and expansive, The Allison is harmonious with the nature surrounding it, from the span of vineyards curving over the hillside to the leafy trees and gardens. Warm wood and highly efficient and eco-friendly features (this is a LEED Gold certified property) combine with bubbling water features, open space, and locally-sourced building materials to create a visually impressive and calming property. I literally sighed with relaxation upon entering the high-ceilinged, bright lobby.

The Allison is very much a labor of love, with owners who believe in drawing in the natural world, leaving a small eco-footprint, and treating guests right. Room rates reflect the luxurious nature of The Allison, but include everything, including things you usually pay extra for, like organic and healthy mini-bar snacks and wifi.

Most guests are here to enjoy the area’s expansive wine tasting (over 200 of the state’s approximate 400 wineries are located in this region), but you could just as easily spend your time on-property, enjoying the Allison Spa (which was too fully booked for us to even tour, a great testament to its popularity), eating gourmet cuisine using locally-sourced ingredients at Jory Restaurant, swimming in the indoor pool, or relaxing with a book on one of the many terraces or heated decks, or walking the grounds.

With kids, The Allison is within easy driving distance of McMinnville Oregon’s Air and Space Museum and adjacent Wings and Waves water park, and families could easily head to Portland for the day or even the Oregon coast. Jory has a full (and reasonable) kids’ menu, and the pool and grounds are kid-friendly.

Allison room amenities:

Hands down, the best room option for families is the double queen room, of which The Allison only has approximately a dozen (so book early). This room option is very spacious, with plenty of room for a rollaway and additionally includes a window seat/day bed perfect for toddlers or small children. The lovely bathroom includes a deep tub for fun baths, and every room has a balcony, fireplace, and the aforementioned free snacks.

The Allison does have suite and junior suites, though for the much higher price point, families don’t get a great deal more than is already provided in their queen rooms. Suites include a limited mini-kitchenette (best for entertaining…not for cooking full meals), and a nice dining table, and additional privacy for parents with a separate bedroom. All rooms, suites and standard rooms alike, include local artwork on the walls which are rotated frequently and always stunning.

Jory Restaurant:

Our meal at Jory was possibly the best food I’ve ever had in Oregon (and I’ve had many excellent meals here). Kids enjoy seeing the open kitchen from much of the dining area, and the kids’ menu is healthy while still being very appealing for little ones. Jory chefs use local ingredients, including their meat, of which they use the whole animal for less waste and in-house, fresh options. In fact, The Allison produces so little waste in general that they are not on a regular waste removal pick-up; they call when they need one. Their breakfast options are as excellent as their dinners (try the signature eggs benedict), and even their compotes, syrups, and butters are made from scratch.

There is an impressive chef’s table at Jory should your party want to indulge; I’m certain the experience would be memorable.

Allison fitness center and spa:

The Allison Spa is beloved among guests and locals alike, but I appreciated that the pool, hot tub, and fitness center is for hotel guests only. The Allison pool is not extremely large, but it’s as lovely and peaceful as the rest of the property, with natural light saturating the water from the glass ceiling and wall (which can retract in warm weather). There’s a hot tub as well as the pool, plenty of lounge chairs, and an outdoor space where you can still keep an eye on kids for summer stays.

The fitness center, adjacent to the pool, is also not large, but again, light and spacious and does not feel cramped as some smaller centers can feel.

Date last visited: March 2013

Distance from the interstate: 20 minutes from I-5.

Directions: The Allison is located at 2525 Allison Lane in Newberg Oregon.

Portland happy hour picks: Where to go for happy hour with or without the kids in Portland

March 15, 2013 By Amy Hagstrom

If you’re visiting Portland without the kids, have older kids with discerning tastes (as mine have become as they get older) or have younger children who appreciate great dining atmosphere over crayons and chicken nuggets (not mine at that age!), you’ll want to try one (or all!) of the following Portland restaurants with happy hour deals, lively ambiance, and a true Portland city feel.

23 Hoyt:

Located at 529 NW 23rd Avenue, 23 Hoyt is in the heart of the quaint Northwest district of Portland and offers a cozy atmosphere in winter and open, bright atmosphere in summer. Their happy hour (ending at 6 pm at the time of our visit) is one of the best deals in the city, offering extensive cocktails for as little as $3. My blood orange martini was stellar. After happy hour, stay for dinner to enjoy a casual but lively environment that’s still tame enough for the kids.

Pazzo Ristorante:

A Kimpton restaurant located adjacent (and attached to) the Kimpton Hotel Vintage Plaza at 627 SW Washington Street, Pazzo Ristorante is a moderately-priced Italian restaurant with far from moderate food. Their bar area is separate from dining seating, so if you have kids in tow, you can order drinks at the table. Otherwise, soak up the ambiance of this warm, inviting interior at a bar table overlooking the street. The food at Pazzo is stellar: try the butternut squash ravioli as well as the peppered bread brought to each table. Read more about Pazzo Ristorante following our recent Pazzo giveaway.

Special offer for Pit Stops for Kids readers: now through March 31, mention that you saw our recent Pazzo Ristorante dinner giveaway when making your reservation, and receive 20% off your meal!

Thirst Bistro:

Located at 0315 SW Montgomery St #340 along the RiverPlace Escalade, Thirst Bistro is small and intimate, and a great place to pop into during happy hour while walking along the river front. Grab drinks and tapas here, then stay for a light dinner, or walk a few doors down to RiverPlace hotel’s Three Degrees Waterfront Bar and Grill for a family-friendly meal that will satisfy the adults as well as the kids. Children can watch the boats on the river, and parents can always take restless kids for a short walk to see goose and ducks while waiting for food.

Photo credit

A stay at Brasada Ranch: a Central Oregon family golf resort

September 6, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

If your image of Oregon consists of only evergreens and rainy days, it’s time to visit Central Oregon’s high desert. One of our favorite regions for Oregon family vacations, Central Oregon offers beautiful mountains, lakes, and rivers for whitewater rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, golf, and every snow sport you can think up. It’s also home to a number of family resorts, including Bend Oregon’s Brasada Ranch, a Preferred hotel and spa.

Brasada Ranch is a year-round destination resort on 1,800 scenic acres, much of it wilderness. We visited in late summer, in time to experience the first crisp mornings and cool evenings. Our days were packed with activities, but families could just as easily do nothing but lounge on their sun-kissed deck, swim, and dine in one of Brasada’s two family-friendly restaurants.

It’s hard to describe the beauty of Brasada until you’ve seen it with your own eyes. The lodge and recreation buildings fold gracefully into their natural surroundings; everywhere you look, you’re greeted with restful earth tones and understated architecture that showcase the surrounding buttes and peaks and never-ending sky. Lodge rooms are available, but families will want to book one of Brasada’s Sage Canyon Cabins tucked along the Brasada Canyons golf greens and between sage-covered hills. Our cabin was a two bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom unit, and included a full gourmet kitchen, living room, dining space, and deck with hot tub. We had more than enough room to spread out (and larger cabins are available for bigger family groups). We were able to make our own meals, sit around our fireplace at night, and come and go as we pleased (covered parking makes winter visits easy, too).

Recreation at Brasada Ranch:

Brasada Ranch has, hands down, the best included recreation options of any Central Oregon resort we’ve reviewed. Their Athletic Center includes exercise equipment and classes, but also three pools (with additional wading pools and hot tubs), an excellent kids’ space called The Hideout with ping-pong, XBox Kinnect, Wii games, a rotating climbing wall, air hockey, and a toddler space, plus an outdoor playground, basketball court, beach volleyball court, and tennis courts. (Balls and rackets are available at the Athletic Center front desk for at charge.) Families could spend all day here and never encounter extra fees (unless you charge drinks or lunch to your account from the on-site grill).

In addition to the above pool, Brasada’s second pool is calmer (yet still kid-friendly). Also on-site at the Athletic Center is a full indoor pool (with bay windows that rise to keep the heat down in summer) and wading pool with water squirters and splash area. A plunge waterfall cools kids down, and a full waterslide is great for younger kids.

Additional resort activities:

If you can tear your kids away from the Athletic Center, families have many other options during a Brasada Ranch stay. Miles of hiking and mountain biking trails are accessible right from the resort, and Brasada’s two ponds are stocked with fish. During our visit, we took a horseback trail ride with Wrangler Chris at the Brasada Equestrian Center. Our kids had trail ridden before, so they knew what they were talking about when they declared their high desert ride their ‘favorite part of our Brasada vacation’. What made it special? The attention to each rider (groups are kept small), the beautiful scenery, and the fact that they were allowed to trot their horses along the trail.

Off ranch, Brasada’s recreation center can arrange for fly fishing excursions, helicopter tours, whitewater rafting, or bird watching, and can direct families to the best off-site hiking trails. In winter, families can snowshoe or cross country ski, or take Brasada’s van service to Mt. Bachelor for downhill ski and snowboarding. Brasada excursions, horseback riding, and golf (below) come at an additional (significant) charge; if you’re working within a budget, as most families are, we recommend picking your favorite 1-2 to experience as a family, and spending the remainder of your time busy enjoying the many included recreation options.

Brasada Canyons Golf:

If Brasada’s crown is the natural beauty of the high desert, then its crown jewel is Brasada Canyons. I don’t even golf, but still considered my accompaniment of my husband and kids on the course as one of the most enjoyable parts of my Brasada stay. While Brasada Canyons is certainly challenging, it’s family friendly: just explain that you’ll be golfing with young children or beginners (as the case may be) and the pro shop will be happy to help you book an appropriate tee time and show you the five levels of tee boxes to choose from. We opted to golf only nine holes with our two beginners, and found it easy to manage with golf carts well-stocked with ice water, bathrooms on-course, and friendly staff.

Brasada dining:

It’s relaxing to eat in your cabin, but families can’t leave Brasada without experiencing at least one high desert sunset on the Ranch House or Range deck. The Ranch House features more casual fare: think burgers, wraps, and salads, while Range showcases Oregonian farm-to-fork cuisine that’s truly exquisite. Expect a leisurely dining experience of at least a few hours at Range if you order several courses; while waiting, let the kids play on the lawn or gather around the communal fire pit if eating outdoors. At either restaurant, don’t leave without trying the homemade s’mores.

Brasada Spa:

The Spa Brasada is located adjacent to the Athletic Center building, making it easy for moms (or dads) to step away for a treatment. I don’t often spend time in spas during family vacations, opting for group activities instead, but if you have the time, a visit to this spa is well worth it. I loved the infusion of the natural surroundings brought indoors: the spa’s signature oils and scents are lavender and sage. If you book a treatment, plan to come early or stay late to take advantage of the relaxation room and private pool and hot tub.

Date last visited:

August 2012

Distance from the nearest interstate:

15 minutes off Highway 97.

Room and cabin rates:

Two-bedroom cabins such as the one we enjoyed range from approximately $299-399 depending on season and date. Lodge rooms can be had for less, but either way, book early: Brasada fills up fast in the prime months. Brasada Ranch packages are always offered, and are worth checking!

Directions:

Brasada Ranch is located at 16986 Brasada Ranch Road, Powell Butte, Oregon. It’s only 15 minutes from Bend, Oregon off Highway 97.

As I disclose whenever applicable, my family and I experienced Brasada Ranch as guests of the resort, allowing us to review it for our readers. This hospitality came with no expectation of a positive review.

Bend on Dwellable

A family lodge stay: The Lodge at Suttle Lake, Sisters Oregon

July 23, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

A mountain lake lodge that’s equally appealing to adults and kids isn’t easy to find…unless you’re in Oregon. (It must be something about my home state’s laid-back, outdoorsy atmosphere.) The Lodge at Suttle Lake, located just outside of Sisters, Oregon, is one of them. Easily accessed from Highway 20 (30 minutes from Bend, Oregon on Highway 97 or two hours from Salem, Oregon on I-5), the Lodge at Suttle Lake is a breeze to get to, but still isolated in the Deschutes National Forest on Suttle Lake.

First built in the 1920s, and experiencing several set-backs (mostly of the wildfire variety) since, the newest version of the lodge and adjacent cabins were built in 2005, giving the entire property a very new look. The main lodge is beautiful (fans of woodwork will especially appreciate the ornately carved front entrance) and offers a great room lobby with towering fireplace, large outdoor deck, bar and seating area, and sunny gazebo overlooking the lake. The guest cabins are nearby, and all have easy lake access.

We stayed in a lofted lodge room, which sleeps 4-5 and boasts a fireplace and upper sleeping loft. Cabins on the property sleep 4-8 people, and all but the historic cabins have every possible amenity families could ask for. The cabins are designated as waterfront or creekside, but all are steps from the lakeshore.

Guests of the lodge rooms and standard cabins enjoy an evening wine and cheese reception (perfect for unwinding by the lake before dinner…kids can play on the large expanse of lawn), and a full marina is available for non-motorized boat rentals of all sorts. (Motorized boats are allowed on some parts of Suttle Lake.) There’s a nice beach area in front of the lodge for families to swim, and a 3.5 mile trail loops around the circumfrence of the lake, making for a nice (but not challenging) hike.

Within driving distance of Suttle Lake is Camp Sherman (only a few miles away on Highway 20) where more hikes await, and the quaint resort town of Sisters, where families can rent bikes at Blazin’ Saddles and mountain bike on the Peterson Ridge Trail system. The lodge is open year-round, making it a great choice for snowshoeing and skiing in the winter.

Distance from the interstate:

The lodge is located right off Highway 20. In fact, this is its only drawback: you do hear street noise.

Room rates:

At the time of our visit, lofted lodge rooms like the one we stayed in start at $199/night. Standard rooms are the same price. Cabins are approximately $269 (pricing varies between cabin and season).

Dining options:

The lodge has a nice restaurant, The Boathouse, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Families can eat out on the dock overlooking the lake, and the full bar serves fun specialty drinks. There is a kid menu, but the dinner menu is fairly pricy for family dining. I recommend renting a cabin so that you can prepare your own meals, and plan to eat only a few special meals at the Boathouse.

Directions:

From Bend, depart Highway 97 for Highway 20 at Sisters, then follow it to 13300 Highway 20. From Salem, follow Highway 20 from I-5. It’s easy to find!

As I disclose whenever applicable, we stayed at the Lodge of Suttle Lake as guests of the lodge, as part of a freelance travel assignment. While we appreciate the chance to experience Suttle Lake, this compensation came with no expectation of a positive review.

Sisters on Dwellable

Expedia Kids in the City: Portland Oregon

June 7, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom
Today, Pit Stops for Kids is proud to participate in Expedia.com’s fantastic Kids in the City summer series. For 12 days, 12 American cities are featured by 12 travel bloggers. Each day, readers of Expedia experience a different city, all perfect for family summer vactions. Today, Pit Stops for Kids is presenting the final city of Portland, Oregon.

As an Oregon resident, it’s hard to imagine a better city to explore with kids than Portland. Small enough to navigate easily, yet big enough to host all the excitement families want in a city vacation, Portland is a fun, stimulating mix of beautiful scenery, outdoor activities, and often-alternative (yet always free-thinking) urban culture. Read on to see our favorite ways to enjoy Portland, then head to Expedia to view our Portland Fact Sheet, containing all the logistical information you need to plan your own Portland summer visit.

Get outside.

Portland is famous for its outdoorsy, sporty mentality. Everywhere you go in Portland, you’ll see cyclists heading to work, joggers on the river front, and crew teams skimming down the Willamette. There are abundant natural areas for families to explore. Kids will love walking the river front at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, where they can spy docked ships and watch the working drawbridges lift and fall. Book a cruise on the Portland Spirit to see more of the Willamette, or if you have babies and small children, spend a day in the slow lane at Mt. Tabor Park, where the walking trails meander amid leafy trees and the playgrounds provide hours of fun.

Older kids will love biking the many family-level bike trails, and everyone will enjoy a day trip driving the Columbia River Gorge, located just miles outside the city on I-84. There, families can see the same view as early pioneers at the Cape Horn Overlook, feel the spray of stunning Multnomah Falls, and watch salmon jump up the fish ladder at the Bonneville Dam. And myth buster alert: it rains far less in Portland than you might think, but if a downpour catches you by surprise, you can always stop at the REI anchor store or original Nike store (both downtown) for the latest rain gear.

Learn a thing or two.

Located downtown, families simply must stop at Powell’s City of Books. A Portland institution, Powell’s consists of multiple rooms (and stories, no pun intended) of new and used books. An entire room is dedicated to children’s books, where readings are often held around the squishy chairs and kid-sized tables. School-aged kids and teens enjoy their own spaces as well, and adult book-lovers will have to be pulled out against their will! Be sure to grab a store map at the entrance to get around!

Across the Willamette from Powell’s lies OMSI, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. OMSI boasts a full-scale hands-on museum, with permanent exhibits on earth, life, and chemical science, a baby and toddler area, a fun logistical puzzles and brain teaser section, and working science labs for school-aged kids. Everyone will love the IMAX and planetarium shows, and past visiting exhibits have included headliners like Sue the dinosaur and Richard Scarry’s Puzzletown.

A short MAX ride away (more on Portland’s public transit to come), Portland’s Washington Park houses the Oregon Zoo and Portland Children’s Museum. Small enough to be manageable and yet big enough to feature all the animals families want to see, the Oregon Zoo remains one of our favorites for its friendly, knowledgeable staff, great shows, and park-like atmosphere (feel free to bring in a cooler on a wagon and picnic on on the center green spaces). On rainy days, the Children’s Museum can’t be beat. Featuring three stories of interactive fun, young kids will love the tree fort, working grocery store, vet clinic, and waterworks, but the museum’s most unique exhibit is its pottery art studio and ‘recycled art’ lab. Open during select hours and fully staffed, these spaces allow kids to create freely, using real art equipment, supplies, and tools. My kids have spent literal hours inside!

Minutes outside of the city, families will find countless Oregon farms and vineyards, many with you-pick opportunities and country entertainment, and in McMinnville (45 minutes away), kids will go crazy for the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum and adjacent Wings and Waves indoor water park. Plan to spend the better part of a day at this highly educational (yet completely entertaining) complex, which will teach families about WWII aviation history, space program events, and even the science of water. The water park is as big and comprehensive as any we’ve seen, and includes attractions for everyone from toddlers to teens.

Eat like a local.

Portlandians love their local, whole foods, which are abundant at the Portland Saturday Market and at downtown’s many Portland food carts during the summer months. During a weekend walk along the water front or downtown blocks, food trucks are available at every corner, offering everything from gourmet grilled cheese to escargot. Our favorite trucks include The Honey Pot, selling slices of pie, and Herb’s Mac and Cheese, featuring delicious, farm-to-table–you guessed it–macaroni and cheese. If you want to sit down for a meal, a McMenamins is likely nearby. A chain of restaurants in Oregon, McMenamins are always converted from historic or fated-to-be-demolished buildings, ranging from old schools to fire stations to train terminals. For a morning treat, head to Voodoo Doughnut, located near the Burnside Bridge downtown, for some of the world’s most unqiue doughnut creations.

Stay in the heart of it all.

Families centralized in the downtown area will have little use for their car, due to Portland’s efficient and simple-to-navigate public transit system. Both the Hotel Monaco Portland, which caters to kids, and the Embassy Suites Portland, which offers a fantastic free breakfast, lie within Portland’s ‘Fareless Square’, where rides on the MAX lightrail are free. The Hotel Monaco also rents out free bikes to families, so they can explore downtown on wheels. Within the downtown area, families can spend time at Pioneer Square, Portland’s signature shopping and eating mecca, and in the adjacent Pearl District, where antique shops and speciality stores invite families to poke around.

Whether you spend a day or spend a week, you’ll fall in love with Portland. While you’re planning, don’t forget to check out our Fact Sheet and video at Expedia.com. While you’re there, check out the other cities represented: Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver, New York, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle, San Diego, and Minneapolis.

Pit Stops for Kids was compensated to support the Kids in the City summer-travel campaign.

Portland Saturday Market, Portland Oregon

May 10, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom
Often, one of the best ways to get to know a city is to experience one of their seasonal festivals or street markets. From March through December of every year, the Burnside Bridge area of Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Ankeny Park in Portland Oregon comes alive with the Portland Saturday Market.

One part artisan vendor market, one part touristy festival, and one part foodie heaven, the Portland Saturday Market is entertaining for everyone from fussy babies to grandparents. Families will want to spend a couple of hours here, tasting local farm-to-market food cart fare, watching (and listening to) the many street performers (including one-man bands, drum circles, magicians, and jugglers), and shopping for everything from handmade jewelry to clothing to wood carvings. Our boys’ favorite booth featured hundreds of varieties of pocket knives, but you’ll also find children’s toys, fine art photography, hand-stitched hats and scarves, and beading. Special events are scheduled throughout the summer, with featured bands and entertainers on the main stage every Saturday.

Note: One aisle of stalls on the far side of the market do feature smoking paraphelia and marajuana use promotion predominently. It’s easy to avoid if you should desire, but is there.

Distance from the interstate:

You can reach the market area within 15 minutes of I-5, but you’ll have to stop somewhere along Naito parkway for parking.

Hours and admission prices:

There’s no admission to the market (though you’ll pay for parking). The hours are generally 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and 11 am to 4:30 pm on Sundays.

Food options:

There’s plenty of food stalls at the market, but should you want something a little healthier than traditional ‘fair food’, head up to Oak and 2nd for lots of Portland food truck choices.

Note: market-going receive two hours of free parking validation at Smart Park locations with any market food purchase of $25 or more.

Directions:

From I-5, exit at 299B to take 405 North toward City Center. Exit 1A to Naito Parkway. Park at the Smart Park on NW Naito and Davis Street.

Wildlife Safari

May 7, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom
Every once in a while, a potential pit stop surprises me. We’d traveled Oregon’s I-5 stretch countless times before we took the opportunity to visit Wildlife Safari outside Winston, Oregon. Why the delay? I tend to be suspicious of roadside animal attractions: as a card-carrying PETA member, I want to be sure the zoos and preserves I support are in the best interest the animals. I’m glad to say that Winston’s Wildlife Safari is a first class operation and a truly fantastic zoological park.

Located just a few miles off I-5 south of Roseburg, colorful billboards will direct you to the park (don’t be fooled by the somewhat less classy looking animal ‘ark’ attraction located nearby…this is a separate operation). Upon entering Wildlife Safari, you have two options: begin with the driving tour of the safari grounds, where you’ll cruise slowly through various sanctuaries housing free-roaming zebras, giraffes, elephants, and everything else you can imagine (lions and tigers and bears oh my!), or park and walk through the center safari square, where you’ll find the gift shop, surprisingly decent food, and some smaller animals, like reptiles, turtles, a very loud monkey, and a small train ride. Intuition would tell you to start there–get out and release your own monkeys from the confines of the car–but my suggestion is the driving tour, because with admission, you get to go through twice. It works well to drive through, park and visit the walking grounds, then drive through once more on your way out.

Plan to spend at least 3-4 hours here to see it all (1.5 to drive through, and at least one more to tour the grounds).

Tip: If you have very small children, they’ll probably only have the ability to sit in the car for one drive through the grounds. Depending on how crowded the tour is, this loop can take as long as an hour. We let our kids unbuckle to see better (you’re only driving 5-10 MPH), but of course that’s a parental preference.

Pets: If you’re traveling with your pets, they are not allowed in the park, but very nice kennels are available on-site for only $5. This is a great option to avoid leaving your pets in a potentially overheated or cold car.

Distance from the interstate:

Ten minutes from I-5.

Admission cost:

Adults are $17.99, and kids (ages 4-12) are $11.99. Depending on the size of your family, a family (annual) membership might be a better option. The membership is only $99, and gets two adults and up to five children into the park and drive-through safari for unlimited visits. This is also a great choice if you think you might traverse I-5 more than once a year.

Hours of operation:

Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. The cafe closes slightly earlier (usually 4:30 pm).

Food services:

There’s a nice cafe on-site, which serves the usual burger and fries, but also healthy sandwiches and veggie burgers. It’s not cheap (think theme park pricing) but the kids’ meals are a good deal. Families can also picnic in an designated area.

Directions:

Wildlife Safari is located at 1790 Safari Road, Winston Oregon. From I-5, visitors will take Exit 119 west onto Highway 42 to Lookingglass Road. Follow signage from there!

Photo credit: SpringfieldHomer.

Guide to Portland food carts with kids

May 3, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom
Ever since getting my first taste of food cart eating in Vancouver last June, I’ve sought out food trucks and carts while in cities. I’ve found great food cart fare in Boston and traditional hot dog cart fare in New York City, and given Portland, Oregon’s foodie bent, I wasn’t surprised to find the food cart craze had hit the City of Roses as well.

During an overnight at downtown Portland’s Hotel Monaco this April, we hit the pavement in search of the best food carts in Portland.

Our favorite Portland food cart finds:

A Taste of Greek: Located on SW 2nd and Oak, A Taste of Greek has, in my 12-year-old’s opinion, ‘the best gyros he’s ever had’. My falafel was tasty too. And we fed two people for under $10.

Starchy and Husk: Also on Sw 2nd and Oak (this is food cart mecca), Starchy and Husk has gourmet mac and cheese kids and adults will love, with add-ins like sweet potato and pancetta. Best of all adding a side salad and corn bread is only $1.

Fuego 1: If you crave Mexican fare, you have lots of options (our favorite, Fuego, has three locations alone). The burritos are great here, and you can find lots of vegetarian options. Fuego 1 is located at 6th and Yamhill.

The Honey Pot: For dessert or an afternoon snack, head to The Honey Pot, located at 43rd and Belmont. They serve slices of pie that will please everyone in your group from the artisan foodie to the pickiest kid. Our favorite: The Boyfriend, which is peach pie made from coconut milk. Plus, they sell pre-made pie dough for only $2.50 if you want to bake at home.

How to find Portland food carts:

Walking through the downtown blocks of Portland guarantees running into one or more ‘pods’ of food trucks, but if you want to find that particular cart you’ve been hearing about, we’ve found Food Carts Portland to be most helpful for pre-trip review reading, and the Portland Food Cart Directory most useful on the fly. Food carts group together on downtown parking lots, and a sure bet is the Burnside Bridge area near the Portland Saturday Market. Keep in mind that most food trucks are seasonal, so hit ‘food truck and cart season’ from April through October for the most variety.

Wings and Waves Water Park

April 26, 2012 By Amy Hagstrom

After lunch would be a good time to move from the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum to the Wings and Waves water park. (The exception to this rule would be during peak holiday weekends, when the lines for rides at the water park escalate by mid-day. This, however, is not the norm.)

You can’t miss the water park, which is adjacent to the museum buildings and topped by an Evergreen commercial craft (more on that in a minute). Inside, you’ll find a spacious and airy, well-lit, and very high quality water park four large slides (one body slide and three inner-tube style slides), a wave pool, a leisure pool with basketball hoops and a whirlpool vortex, hot tubs, and an activity water play structure with additional slides and a dumping bucket. The larger slides do have height requirements (42′ for the tube slides and 48′ for the body slide), but quite young kids probably won’t be up for them anyway: visitors climb countless (dang, I should have counted them!) steps up to above roof-level where they enter the bay of the aforementioned aircraft to the slide entrances.

Our kids spent the most time in the wave pool (floating tubes and life vests are complementary) and leisure pool, but loved the slides as well. Evergreen describes their water park as an ‘educational water park’ and though I was skeptical, they really do deliver on this front. Upstairs (overlooking the wave pool) is an entire hands-on museum space coined ‘H20: Water Needs Life’, which features water cycle exhibits and play areas, hands-on water rocket launchers, a submarine to climb into, and even an ‘astronaut training’ fitness station. Best of all, kids can run around in their swimsuits, and no one cares if they get wet.

Date last visited:

April 15, 2012

Distance from the interstate:

The Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is located 45 minutes from downtown Portland, Oregon and 30 minutes from I-5 off Highway 18.

Hours of operation:

Hours vary depending on season. Check the most recent museum and water park hours.

Admission prices:

Admission isn’t cheap at $20 per adult ($18 per youth) for the museums and $30 per adult ($25 for under 42′). Combined admission is not yet offered. There is a non-swimmer rate of $10 for the water park, and kids 3 and under are free.

Tip: Another guest informed me that the museum does honor other Northwest children’s and science museum memberships for entry, though I was unable to confirm. If you need a car, an option is Easyrentcars.

Food and drink:

There is a concession area at the water park and a healthier cafe at the museum. Outside food and drink are not permitted, but a nice picnic area is located outside. Visitors are free to bring coolers to the outside areas.

Directions:

The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum and Wings & Waves Waterpark are located 3.5 miles southeast of McMinnville, Oregon, on Highway 18 across from the McMinnville Municiple Airport. It is approximately one hour from Portland and 40 minutes from Salem. If using GPS, insert the address: 500 NE Cumulus Avenue.

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