alwaysafrica

Hi there!

I had written out a while ago for information about a possible 3-week stay in Oregon. Unfortunately, my hubbie's work is preventing us from taking that full 3 weeks, but we still find ourselves with 9 days (apart from flight dates) in Oregon! We are so excited!

A bit of background about us before I start asking questions My husband and I are in our mid-thirties. We'll be traveling from Toronto, Canada with our two young boys -- aged 4 years old and 15 months old. We took our youngest son on a 3-week trip to California when he was 13 months old and the three of us had a fantastic time hiking, sightseeing and the like. Now that there are two kids, we can only hope traveling goes as smoothly

In our 9 days, we've narrowed down what we'd like to include in our trip:

1-2 days in Portland
4-5 days on the coast
3-4 days in the Columbia River Gorge Area

So, the question is -- how to spend that time? More time on the coast and less in the gorge area? What are the must-sees (particularly for the kids, but also for us ?

PORTLAND
We look forward to seeing Portland, but I'm thinking that we should probably only include one day in Portland (rather than two). If we have only one day there, what would be the must-sees? Anything great for the kids?

THE COAST
I'd love some in-depth info about travel on the coast. If we had unlimited time, we'd love to see the entire coast. As it is, we know that we want to spend part of one day at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport and also that we absolutely must make it to Port Orford because our 4-year-old loves dinosaurs and we MUST make it to the Prehistoric Gardens (it will be the highlight of the trip for him!). We want to spend some time at the beach along the coast of course and would also love to see the dunes. My questions include:

1) How long does the driving actually take along the coast (in our experience in California, the times given by online maps are not exactly accurate given the traffic, conditions, etc. How much time should we allot, say, for a drive between Cannon Beach and Port Orford (should we decide to do that entire drive)?

2) Given those driving times and the time that we have to spend on the coast, how far north would you start our coast drive?

3) Where would be a good place (or places) to stay? Ideally, I'd love to spend at least 2 nights in one place along the coast (so as to minimize the packing and unpacking -- easier on all of us). Is there more of a central place that would fit into our itinerary, where we could double-back to explore certain areas if need be? Also, any suggestions for hotels/motels/lodging that has one-or-two bedroom units (with separate bedroom(s)) would be greatly appreciated. I find that staying in places with a little more space (rather than cramming into one hotel room) really makes all of the difference on vacation.

4) Whale-watching -- is there good whale-watching to be done in August? Or will we have missed prime season?

THE GORGE

1) Is 3-4 days in the Gorge area too long? Of course, I understand that one could probably spend weeks exploring the area and never get bored... but given our time constraints (and our desire to have lots of time on the coast) etc., is the gorge a good place to spend 3-4 days? We love hiking and plan to have the baby in a backpack carrier, but we'll also have our 4 year old to contend with. Which basically means that we'll need to find hikes that are either accessible for strollers or realistic for a 4 year old to walk (with period piggy back rides if needed . Any suggestions on appropriate hikes would be great!

2) What are the must-sees in the gorge area? Which waterfalls will be the most worthwhile in August?

Given that we'll have the two young kids with us while doing all of this driving, we need to be mindful that we aren't including too many "full-day drives" or "really long drives". Ideally, we'd like to be able to do our longer drives in the afternoon (when both boys will likely nap).

Thanks so much in advance -- I'm so excited to hear what you "Oregon experts" have to say!!! I know that a lot of my questions are quite open-ended and I appreciate that we have quite a lot of work to do on this itinerary. But with two kids running around, time for planning the vacation has been quite limited, and so I would really like to hear what all of you have to say about timing (which really is key to the decisions that follow!) before doing any more research and/or decision-making...

Thanks!
Jenn

kimamom

Check out Tides by the Sea in Seaside, they have 2 bedroom units there, we stayed in a corner upstairs unit which had beautiful oceanviews. They have a heated outdoor pool there, also! ***kim***

Gia

alwaysafrica
I will be visiting Oregon with my family in August as well. Maybe my thread will help offer some ideas? I've copied it below. Also, I think you might want to take one day from the Gorge or the Coast and add it to the city part - there is so much to see and do in Portland. The kids will love the Oregon Zoo, steam train, parks, Children's Museum and just a great, easy city to get around. (Being from NYC, I find it exceedingly kid-friendly But that's just my opinion. Whatever you do, I'm pretty sure you'll fall in love with Oregon as much as our family has.
Have a great trip!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ed-i-think.cfm

tomfuller

You could try seeing both the Columbia Gorge and the city of Portland from one base east of the airport. Maybe Troutdale? You don't have to stay in Hood River but you should check it out in daylight. I don't know how far up the paved trail at Multnomah Falls you want to go with the kids. It is a great hike. I would pick one of Gia's spots (probably the zoo).
It is easy to get on US 26 west from thew zoo. Kim's recoin Seaside sounds great. Try to get to Cannon Beach at low tide to walk out to Haystack Rock. Between Seaside and Newport make time to stop at the Tillamook Cheese Factory (ice cream!)
You will want to stop for the night somewhere south of Newport after seeing the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Perhaps Winchester Bay? Head down to Port Orford in the morning see the dinosaur things and return to Winchester Bay. For your return to Portland take Route 38 east from Reedsport. About 5 miles from Reedsport are 2 viewing areas where you may see a herd of Roosevelt Elk. Take I-5 and I-205 back to the airport (PDX). If you do have any time left after covering the coast from Seaside to Port Orford, spend it seeing something you didn't get the chance to see in Portland before you fly out.
The northward whale migration is over long before July.
I'm hoping you will come back to see more of our beautiful state when you can stay longer.

alwaysafrica

Hi guys -- Thanks so much for the advice!

Gia, I just checked out your post and it's got so many great tips! The most important is the Dino Exhibit at the Oregon Zoo. I know that we would likely have ended up at the zoo anyhow, but now I know it's a must! For those who have been to both the Dino Exhibit and also Prehistoric Gardens (near Port Orford) -- how similar are they? If we're going to do the Dino Exhibit at the Zoo, is it still worth it to head all the way down to Port Orford to see the other as well?

Tom -- how long would you say the drive is between Cannon Beach and Port Orford (assuming lots of stops for photos etc.)? Just so that I have a basic idea...

Also, I've read that driving south from Port Orford (towards Brookings) is one of the most spectacular drives. We of course were planning on stopping at Port Orford, but I'm wondering if perhaps we should continue just a little bit farther...?

Thanks!
Jenn

tomfuller

Seaside to Newport (Aquarium) is 120 miles 3 hours.. Remember to make the short stop at Tillamook.
Newport to Winchester Bay is 75 miles (2 hours). You should not plan on seeing both the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Port Orford on the same day. From Winchester Bay to Port Orford is also 75 miles (2 hours). It makes sense to me to book 2 nights in Winchester Bay. If you had extra time after Port Orford you could go as far south as Gold Beach before heading back to Winchester Bay. I did stay in WB many years ago with teenagers so there is at least 1 hotel there for your split room need. Don't remember which it was.

Gia

Glad it could help. My sis says the Oregon Zoo dino exhibit is awesome. They had it last summer and we weren't able to make it so I'm really excited to take my son (also 4) this summer. The zoo is great on it's own, a definite must-see. Sorry I can't offer any advice on Port Orford (but I'll put it on my list for next time - so thanks!). Hope to hear about it!

alwaysafrica

Hi Gia -- I'm glad to hear that your sister has gone. I'd love to hear... Does she think that 4 year olds might be scared at the exhibit? After looking at some footage on youtube and reading a couple of reviews, I'm really hoping that the exhibit won't scare the wits out of my son! I'd love to hear the opinion of someone who has been...

Also -- do you know if she has been to the Prehistoric Gardens in Port Orford? I'm dying to hear from someone who has done both to see if it's still worth heading all the way down the coast for it (or whether the zoo exhibit will be satisfying enough .

I'll keep writing out as we narrow down our itinerary...

Thanks!
Jenn

Gia

Jenn, my sis thinks it will be PERFECT for my 4-year old son, we're not anticipating that he'll be scared at all, but she knows him well. She took her daughter last year when she was just 2 and said my niece at first was hesitant but never really scared. And now a year later, she loves it and can't wait to show her cousins. And my 2-year old daughter is braver and more of a daredevil than either of them so I'm not too concerned that she'll be frightened either, she's pretty used to the dinosaur scene because of her brother! . Unfortunately none of us has been to Port Orford. I'll ask her to ask her friends and see if they have any feedback. If they do, I'll report back here.

sunbum1944

Cannon Beach to Port Orford is a full day , even without any stops. I think one of the most beautiful parts of the coast is between Lincoln City and just south of Florence and you can make many stops so I would not plan to just cruise by.

you might consider a night just north of Florence at the Adobe Motel or the Fireside ( they are beside each other) and right on the water. The Adobe does have 2 bedroom suites with kitchen in some units - there is also a restaurant- also close to other family oriented restaurants in Yachats. There is a great beach to walk on .

My favorite spot in the area is Devils Elbow State Park - beautiful little cove with trail up to one of the most photographed lighthouses in the US- rocks for the kids to climb on- you could spend a day just playing here.

The kids will also love the sand dunes at Honeyman State park - another place kids can spend a lot of time playing on the dunes.

Old town in Newport is interesting too- lots of touristy interesting things to do while observing a real working fishing village - there in also an Underwater Garden ( I think similar to the one in Victoria if you have been there) and a wax museum. There is also a lighthouse close by to tour complete with an interesting ghost story. I took my relatives from Saskatchewan there and the ghost story is what stuck in their daughters head about her trip to Oregon.

I am not familiar with places to stay at Winchester Bay but it appears to me that none of them are on the water- and- in the summer that whole area becomes over run with people hauling in their ATV's to go dune buggy riding. They are allowed to ride at night, so depending on where you stay, you might hear the noise they create.

You could check Umqua Lighthouse State Park ( close to Winchester Bay) to see if any yurts are available although they sell out early- the deluxe ones are great and the kids might think that is fun. If you would happen to get a yurt, going up to the lighthouse at night is a magical experience-

Whales- season is over, however, there are some resident pods so its possible you could see some- especially around Depoe Bay.

The drive between Florence and Coos Bay is not too spectacular as there are trees growing between highway and ocean- and not that much to see but sounds like Port Orford is on your list of places to see- just know that there will be a long stretch without much to see on your way there.

Hood River- I think a must will be to walk up to the top of Multanomah Falls - even a 4 year old can make it up the stairs and its quite spectacular when you get to the foot bridge.

Enjoy- hope you get great weather.

alwaysafrica

Well, I'm thrilled to say that we just booked our flights and we will actually be in Oregon for 11 days (rather than 9)! This means that we'll be able to either enjoy more time in the spots we'd already chosen or else add an entirely new (short) leg to the trip! Suggestions would be appreciated of course

Sunbum, thank you so much for all of your advice! In the next couple of days, as I'm working on our itinerary, I'll certainly be referring to it (and likely will have follow-up questions !

Gia -- I have no doubt that my little 15-month-old will have no fear when it comes to the dino exhibit But my 4-year-old... I just find that this is the exact age that "fears" are starting to arise... He plays with dinosaurs nonstop and loves them so much, but when it comes to staring full-size roaring, moving dinosaurs in the face... hmm. I guess we'll find out!!!

alwaysafrica

Hi again -

I realized that I hadn't mentioned our dates. We'll be arriving in Portland on Wednesday, July 27th (in the late evening) and departing on Monday, August 8th (in the early morning). Because our trip is sooner than we'd originally thought (and we didn't book it until later than we'd originally wanted to!), I'm fearing that we're going to have trouble finding lodging (particularly because of my desire to find places with one or two bedroom units).

That said, I've found a "vacation rental" condo in Depoe Bay that looks lovely. I'd love to hear some thoughts/opinions about Depoe Bay. I'm now wondering whether maybe we could use that as a home base for traveling to the southern coast etc.

Jenn

alwaysafrica

First of all, I'd again like to apologize about the disorganization of this thread and my itinerary! As I say, I've found it hard to plan with the kids running around! But now that we've booked our plane tickets, I'm determined to get researching with fervor and come up with a wonderful itinerary! Thanks again to all that have helped so far...

I just realized that when we were in California, we flew into San Diego and out of San Francisco which allowed us to avoid having to drive the coast twice (we wouldn't have minded at all of course, but our little one would have!). And now I'm realizing that we have the same problem in Oregon... If the coast is a full days' drive (without stops), then to do it twice seems crazy. What I'd really love to do is kick over inland at some point and make it to Crater Lake (which was the subject of my earlier post months ago), but I'm wondering whether it will be too much additional driving. What would be a nice route to take back to Portland from say Florence (assuming we don't head all the way to Port Orford)?

Thanks!
Jenn

tomfuller

Just for the chance to see the Roosevelt Elk take Rt. 38 east from Reedsport. Highway 128 is OK but is a bit confusing when you get over to Eugene. I-5 from Curtin to Portland is much faster than the coastal route.
I hope you can find the time to at least visit Crater Lake and come up the east side of the Cascades through Bend.

sunbum1944

Depoe Bay is a nice coastal town but I think does not have the same charm as Yachats, Newport or Florence- but for purposes of a base it would be OK- I would check and see if you could find a vacation rental in Yachats - there are several property management places-

You might enjoy the dune buggy rides south of Florence- I always bring guest there for a ride over the dunes. They have a large group buggy or one that holds 4 I think - a driver takes you flying over the dunes. I usually go in the smaller one - its a wild ride so you might not be able to take the little one on it, not sure about that.

Remember the Oregon Coast can be pretty chilly even in the summer so bring some warm clothes.

Route from Florence to Portland - well you could come to Eugene and then take Hwy 99 through the wine country around McMinnville - beautiful country and you could make a winery stop or two even with kids in tow- also could then stop at the Evergreen Space Museum where Howard Hughes "Spruce Goose "in on display.

sunbum1944

you dont actually have to come to Eugene to hook onto 99 - just an option- it would be shorter from the coast if you took hwy 20 from Newport

alwaysafrica

Hi all - thanks for all of the great advice so far! I've now tweaked the itinerary a bit and am hoping for more feedback. I'm also wondering whether all of this equals too much driving (given that we're traveling with our two young kids). I'm finding the layout of Oregon a bit tricky -- once you head down the coast, you inevitably have to head back up... which automatically equals a lot of driving

Anyways, here's the draft itinerary:

DAY 1: Arrive in Portland in late evening. Find a hotel closeby.

DAY 2: Spend the day in Portland - Oregon zoo, rose garden, walking around town

DAY 3: Leave in the morning and head for Cannon Beach. Spend the morning, lunchtime and most of the afternoon in the area... Around 3:00, head south to wherever we'll be staying overnight. Right now, I've got some requests out for vacation rentals in Newport, Yachats and Depoe Bay. Any further opinions about where to stay? It seems that most of the hotels are full (or at least there are no more suites available) and so I'm turning to vacation rentals (which we tend to really like anyway).

Any further opinions about whether to stay in Newport, Yachats or Depoe Bay? I'm always surprised that so many people say that they love staying in Newport, given that it seems like such a large place (comparatively speaking). I think I've found a lovely vacation rental in Yachats - would all agree that Yachats is a good home base?

The reasoning for leaving Cannon Beach in the mid-afternoon is that there isn't a lot of lodging available in Cannon Beach and it all has a 2 or 3 night minimum. Given the distance we'd like to travel on the coast, I just don't think that staying that long in Cannon Beach is a smart choice for us. I know that a lot of people absolutely love Cannon Beach and may not feel that this is enough time... I'm just not sure how else to work it?

DAY 4 and 5: Spend the days exploring the central coast (from our home base of Yachats, Newport or Depoe Bay). See the sights, let the kids roam on the beaches, take photos, eat seafood We will also spend a good half-day at the Coast Aquarium in Newport. As recommended, Devil's Elbow State Park, etc.

*** This is where I'm still really up in the air. I'm just not sure whether it's worth it for us to head all the way to Port Orford... Given that we'll be visiting the Dinosaur Exhibit at the Portland Zoo, I'm just not sure if it's worth the long drive. At first I thought that it would be because I thought -- what's wrong with adding more gorgeous, scenic drives down the coast? But now that I've heard (sunbum -- thank you for all of your thoughts!) that the drive between Florence and Coos Bay is not very interesting (and from the map, it appears that the drive between Coos Bay and Port Orford is mostly inland -- is this true in actuality?), I'm just wondering whether it's worth it...

I'm going to write the rest of this itinerary without Port Orford (and then reserve the right to change my mind back :

DAY 6: Spend half of this day on the central coast, exploring etc. In the early afternoon (in time for the kids' naps : , then continue heading down the coast. We'd likely stop at Reedsport (would it be about an hour's drive?) and then head east on 38 to try to see the Roosevelt Elk (that'd be fantastic!). I assume then that we should take hwy. 38 all the way over to I-5?

**This is also where I'm up in the air. Right now, we'll be halfway through day 6 of our 11 day itinerary (leaving early on day 12 from Portland). That leaves us 5 days (and the rest of day 6). I'm not sure at this point whether we'll be able to head all the way over to Crater Lake (which I would LOVE to do). Keeping in mind that it's a long drive, and that we still want to spend a couple of days in the Columbia River Gorge area, do we have the time? If not, do we have time to at least kick over east toward Bend and/or Sisters? I'd really like to hear some thoughts on this (and depending on where we head, what route should we take? How long will the drive times be?). Otherwise, how should we head back up? I'm thinking that if we literally just head up I-5 towards Portland, then we'll have a few days in the gorge area, but will need to fill a few more days...

So! That's what I've come up with so far! Can't wait to hear from all of you!

Jenn

alwaysafrica

Oh - and I forgot that we want to spend a little bit of time at the dunes as well while on the coast. Need to account a bit of time for that.

tomfuller

Day 6 or 7? Take Rt. 38 east to Elkton and turn right on 138 to Sutherlin to Roseburg. Take 138 past Diamond Lake to the north entrance to Crater Lake. If you can't get lodging at Crater Lake, they have nice 2 bedroom cabins at Diamond Lake Resort.
When leaving the Crater Lake area, try for lodging near Bend.
The north entrance to Crater Lake is still closed but I'm quite sure it will be open by August 1.

sunbum1944

If you have found a lovely place in Yachats I would jump on it!
No sure I would drive to Pt Orford for a dinosaur exhibit- but the coast line around Bandon, Pt Orford is very scenic - and you would enjoy.

The Bend area is great and lots to interest the kids there- lava tubes, walks through volcanic areas, if you went to Sunriver resort they could go biking, swimming, horseback riding- its a great family resort - took my Sask relatives there too and they loved it.

In Sunriver a lot of the homes are rented through a variety of property managers- I think you will find several if you Google. If golf is your thing, you will love it - and there is a lot of great hiking around Bend - some pretty easy ones a 4 year old might not mind doing.

Benham Falls hike on the Deshutes River Trail would be one your son might like- easy hike along the river with beautiful falls - mosquitoes can be a problem sometimes.
When you actually decide on where you will be, I can give more hiking ideas.

Diamond Lake- also a great family area but again, those cabins rent quickly so I would book ASAP if interested. One thing about Diamond Lake- it gets covered with green algae at times and is not swimmable- it seems like I read something about being able to get that problem corrected but not sure. But there is a nice walkable, bikeable trail around the lake, paddle boats, roped off swimming area, bike rental, restaurant - have only stayed there a couple of times- it is not a luxury resort, rooms are well used- but always enjoyed time there.

Along Hwy 138 there could be a lot of waterfall stops and short walk/hikes. Tokatee Falls is a good one, very beautiful.

We are finally getting nice weather- hasn't rained in days- I think was about 79 today