Check out our readers’ choice award winners for sweet treats, adventure attractions, kid-friendly take out, playgrounds, hikes and more.
Adventure Attraction
WINNER: Mt. Hood Adventure Park at Skibowl
Families have a wide, exciting range of fun choices at Mt. Hood Adventure Park at Skibowl. Naturally, this place is a wintertime must-visit with tubing and skiing. But it’s just as fun when the powdery stuff has melted. Find tamer thrills for younger kids, like the kiddie go-karts, pony rides or carousel. Your tweens and teens will flock to the adrenaline-producing attractions that include a bungee jump, zip lines and sprint karts at the Malibu Raceway. And just about everyone loves the Alpine Slide.
TOP 5
- DEFY Beaverton
- Escape Games PDX
- Skamania Lodge Zipline Tour & Aerial Park
- iFLY Indoor Skydiving
- Tree to Tree Adventure Park
Museums & Family Memberships
WINNER: Oregon Zoo
Any animal lover will tell you that the Oregon Zoo is a special place. Home to more than 2500 animals, birds, reptiles and more, the zoo also has a stellar family membership.
TOP 5
- Oregon Museum of Science & Industry (OMSI)
- Portland Japanese Garden
- Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals
- Portland Art Museum
- Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
Family-Friendly Farm
Winner: Topaz Farm
It’s no surprise that Topaz Farm is the winner in this year’s first-ever “Family-Friendly Farm” category. Families love their kid-friendly live music events, free animal walks and tractor talks for the littles, harvest festivals, farm-to-plate dinners, regenerative farming practices, and incredible food and beverage options. If you’re looking for a place to relax, to slow down and enjoy old-fashioned farm fun, head to Sauvie Island.
TOP 5:
Family-Friendly Hike
WINNER: Tryon Creek
Tryon Creek covers 658 acres of second-growth forests, with lots of opportunities to spot squirrels, woodpeckers, owlets, and other wildlife. They host regular guided nature hikes and lots of family-friendly events, including their annual Trillium Festival.
TOP 5
Playground
WINNER: Gabriel Park
Ending Westmoreland Park’s multi-year winning streak for the second year in a row is the inclusive playground at Gabriel Park in SW Portland. There’s even an in ground trampoline you can wheel or walk onto! The soft-surface ground is perfect for crawlers, too.
TOP 5
- Westmoreland Park
- Washington Park
- Hidden Creek Park West in Hillsboro
- Pirate Park
- Harper’s Playground at Arbor Lodge Park
Kid-friendly Bike Trail
WINNER: Banks-Vernonia State Trail
Kids love all the bridges on the Banks-Vernonia State Trail — there are 13 of them on this 21-mile paved trail! Don’t miss the 733-foot long and 80-foot high Buton Trestle. In between the bucolic towns of Banks and Vernonia await glimpses of wildlife, wide pastures and lush forests.
TOP 5
- Springwater Corridor Trail
- Eastbank Esplanade
- North Clackamas Trolley Trail
- Tualatin River Greenway Trail
- Rock Creek Trail
Sweet Treats
WINNER: Salt & Straw
Breakfast cereal, edible flowers, Thanksgiving turkey — the makers at Salt & Straw ice cream find flavor inspiration in (oftentimes) the unlikeliest places. And our readers love them for it!
TOP 5
- Pips Original Doughnuts & Chai
- Cloud City Ice Cream
- Fifty Licks Ice Cream
- Voodoo Doughnut
- Blue Star Donuts
Kid-friendly Take Out
WINNER: Slappy Cakes
Slappy Cakes has bested multi-year winner Laughing Planet with its playful take on breakfast all-day. Kids and adults love making pancakes right at their own table, and eating them fresh from the griddle. With seasonal batter, made-from-scratch ingredients, and toppings galore, it’s no wonder families are obsessed with this local business.
TOP 5
- Laughing Planet Cafe
- Hopworks Urban Brewery
- La Provence – Petite Provence Bistro – Boulangerie Patisserie
- Waffle Window
- Tin Shed
Pizza
WINNER: Pizzicato
Pizzicato is not just a take-out hero with a great selection of kid-pleasing options, it’s also a community hero. Pizzicato has raised funds for local nonprofits such as Street Roots, Urban Gleaners and Black Resilience Fund.
TOP 5
Arcades/Bowling/Family Fun Center
WINNER: Enchanted Forest
This family-owned business has been serving up imaginative theme-park fun since 1971!
TOP 5
- KingPin’s Family Entertainment Center
- Electric Castle’s Wunderland Cinema and Nickel Games
- Wilsonville Family Fun Center/Bullwinkle’s Entertainment
- Topgolf
- Grand Central Bowl
Indoor Playspace
WINNER: Playdate PDX
Playdate PDX, a NW Portland treasure, has helped many a parent get work done while the kids have a blast in the three story indoor structure.
TOP 5
Birthday Party Spot
WINNER: Oaks Amusement Park
There’s no better place to celebrate than Oaks Park, “where the fun never ends!” It has been operating since 1905, providing more than a century of family fun for Portlanders. Enjoy the amusement park rides in the summer or go for a skate with your birthday party invitees year-round.
TOP 5
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