Kids Heart Adventure

It’s kind of ironic that to get to Pendleton from Portland, you have to head east. Because the little city along the Umatilla River that functions as a gateway to the dry side of Oregon bills itself as “The Real West.” And indeed, even if you’re not visiting during the world-famous Pendleton Round-up, Pendleton is …

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The secret’s out about this awesome town on the mouth of the Columbia River. Start your visit at Fort Clatsop National Historical Park, where you can trace Lewis and Clark’s journey to the sea and explore a replica of the fort they built to shelter them over the long winter of 1805-1806. Afterwards, stretch your …

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The Eagle Creek fire in the summer of 2017 broke Portland’s collective heart, and left many of us wondering what we could do to help restore our beloved Columbia River Gorge. Here’s one answer: Go visit, and help out those who depend on tourist dollars. Base yourselves in the hip little burg of White Salmon, …

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On Portland’s clearest days, Mount Rainier can be glimpsed from the city’s overlooks, reminding us that this treasured national park is only a 2.5-hour drive from Portland. Base your family in nearby Ashford, the gateway town to the park’s southwestern entrance. From there, you can spend a day exploring in and around the park — …

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Let’s be honest: There’s really only one reason to come to this friendly, sunbaked town in north-central Oregon — the mighty Deschutes River. We submit that in August, when the flows are low and the temperature is hot, there’s no better place in Oregon to introduce your kids to the joys of river rafting. (They’ll …

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Mount Hood gets all the glory when it comes to the PDX skyline, but Mount Saint Helens, just about a two-hour drive away, is a huge adventure in its own right, completely unlike any other destination thanks to its 1980 eruption and the aftermath. If you haven’t taken your kids to Ape Caves yet, this …

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