Things to do/see/eat/stay in Eastern Oregon....
 

Hi there. I am going on a two or three day trip with my three kids this week, ages 8-10-12, across eastern Oregon. (We live in South Central Washington). I am planning on going to John Day, and seeing some ghost towns along the way, and up into Baker City and the loop by Hell's Canyon towards LeGrande. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to definately do, or even where to stay along the way? Small towns are so hard to know in advance or places to stay or eat? I want this trip to be fun, educational, and adventurous! Thanks so much for all your help!

I responded to your previous post. Posts sink pretty fast here. To find yours click on your name and you can find them.

<Author: BoniseA
Date: 04/02/2007, 08:26 am
Near Prairie City there's Strawberry Mountain and Strawberry Lake. It's a easy hike to the lake and really pretty. You could fish there too.



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Author: BoniseA
Date: 04/02/2007, 08:30 am
Also Pendleton is really neat. They have an underground Pendleton tour that is fantastic. There are miles of tunnels under Pendleton. Mostly the Chinese lived in these tunnels. The sidewalks have glass blocks in them to transmit light. The Chinese built these tunnels and had their own city under Pendleton. There's gambling dens and laundries down there. There were Chinese gangs that had fights. Also included is a brothel (above ground) that operated until the 50's. It looks just like it did when it was operational.

Pendleton must have been a wild town. It had an air base. My dad remembers it. He's from eastern Oregon.

I don't know if all this may be appropriate for your kids but it sure is interesting>

In addition, a long, long time ago I went to college in La Grande. There's a pretty drive up a mountain that goes to a lake. I cannot remember the name.

Are you going to Bend? That's my favorite Oregon city. It has a beautiful park (Drake Park) on the Deschutes river. Be sure to visit it. Also go to Pilot Butte.

Thanks, BoniseA. I reposted after I saw I had messed up the title! I read about the Pendleton Underground tour and it sounds interesting. Do you know of any interesting places to eat (or stay) that might catch our attention in some of the more remote areas of Eastern Oregon?

Our trip is coming together and is beginning to sound like fun!

Thanks again for your help....

Eastern Oregon is pretty ordinary when it comes to restaurants and hotels. I don't think you'll find much that is fancy. Also, I spent a lot of time there until young adulthood. I've only infrequently visited since. I thnk it was Grizzly Bear pizza that used to be so good.

If you stay at a mom and pop motel, ask to see the room first before you book the room. Don't be afraid to turn it down.

Snake River in Hells Canyon is great for boating. Also fruits and vegetables grow good in Hells Canyon. Stop at fruit stands.

Try to do Pendleton. I'm wanting to go back there.

You mentioned Baker. I can't think of a thing there. I think there was a rodeo school there.

You're making me feel nostalgic for eastern Oregon. I love the smell of sagebrush after it rains.

The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker is great. My kids, 11 and 3 at the time, loved it. Dioramas of wagons and horses and a good dialogue about the wagon train. Outside, you can walk and see ruts from the real wagon train road. There is also a museum in town that we enjoyed. Can't remember the name.

I'm from Pendleton - sorry to report Grizzly Bear Pizza has been gone for years. In Pendleton I reccommend seeing the Underground Tours, Hamley's Western Store, The Round-up Hall of Fame and the Historical Society. We have great art center too, but it might be less intersting to kids. Continuing out of Pendleton toward LaGrande and Baker City, is Tamastslikt Interpretive Center on the Confederated Tribes Reservation. It tells the story of the Oregon Trail from the Native American view point. If you continue on to Baker it makes a nice pairing with the Oregon Trail Center there.

You might stop to eat in Haines at the Haines steak house. It is just outside of Baker City. It is a huge old building with a covered wagon for a salad bar and lots of interesting things on the walls to look out.

Between Walla Walla and Pendleton there are good restaurants in Adams (only one in town), Athena (the Double Tree) and Weston (the Loghorn). TO the west of Pendleton in the small town of Echo there are good places to eat and you can Oregon Trail ruts.

Eastern Oregon is great. I hope you have a wonderful trip.

Thank you so much, everyone, for all your tips. We're off tomorrow morning on our "big" adventure!