Driving through Seattle neighborhood holiday light displays is one of the easiest, cheapest and most fun ways to “get in the spirit.” When my kids were at home, every year we went out looking at lights on Christmas Eve. We would listen to Christmas music on the radio and snack on popcorn and goodies in […]
Attractions
Picturesque Skinner Butte Trail
Caption: Skinner Butte. This easy one mile (0.6 km) forested trail provides a picturesque view of the Willamette River, Spencer Butte (the surrounding valley’s highest peak) and downtown Eugene. There is also a large University of Oregon “O” that is used as a photo opportunity by students and visiting families. There is a parking lot […]
Sea lions rule here
A cavernous sea cave adopted by a herd of Steller sea lions, some years numbering as many as 200. Take an elevator ride 200 feet (61 m) down into the cave as tall as a 12-story building and as wide as a football field. During the fall and winter barking sea lions lounge around inside […]
Summer Festival in Bend
Type/Classic Stroll through the more than 100 fine artists and craftspeople as they fill the street with their handwork, design and artistry in Bend, Oregon July 9-10 at the First Interstate Bank Summer Festival. Traveling to Bend from all over the state, region and country, these fine artists bring color and life to the First […]
See Seattle Solo
Type/Classic Take a step back from planning and make some friends with sight-seeing tours like the pay-what-you-feel Seattle 101 walking tour from Seattle Free Walking Tours* (2001 Western Ave), or Seattle Cycling Tours’* (714 Pike St) Basic Seattle City Tour. To taste the best of Seattle from local experts, take one of Savor Seattle’s* (1916 […]
Portland Farmers Market
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets. Portland […]
May is Wine Month in Willamette Valley
During the months of April, May and June the Willamette Valley is “in bloom” with brilliant gardens, budding vines and clear skies. At the center of it all is the long-running Memorial Weekend in Wine Country event, now expanded to include the entire month of May. Wineries open their doors to welcome the return of vibrant colors to […]
First Thursday in the Pearl
First Thursday in the Pearl starts May 5 in Portland. Started in 1986, First Thursday in the Pearl is a district-wide celebration that occurs on the first Thursday of each month. Originally a gathering of art collectors and dealers, the celebration has grown to a monthly event of over ten thousand people that includes art enthusiasts, […]
Building a carousel dream in Albany
The Albany Carousel was made possible by private donations and volunteers who helped create the restoration of an historic 1909 Dentzel Carousel over 15 years. Though the framework is all original, each rideable creature— from a giraffe to a mermaid-horse to a giant bunny—is new and hand-carved by (amateur) volunteers from the community. The Carousel […]
Cascade Raptor Center expands
The Cascade Raptor Center in Eugene, Oregon, recently purchased four- and-a-half additional acres with the goal of expanding their parking, adding a new visitors center and some additional enclosures in the coming years. The center features one of the largest collections of native raptor species in the Pacific Northwest. The year-round volunteer-based nonprofit’s focus is […]