Weekend trips around Portland, OR?

[Stefrobrts]

Ok, Portlanders, where's your favorite place for a quick weekend trip? We finally got our act together and want to get some fall camping in. Looking for great places we can drive to in a few hours after work on Friday.

[daveswenson]

We love Cape Disappointment. Cape Lookout a close second.

[John&Vicki]

Tumalo State Park in Bend. Or Crown Villa RV Resort if you like commercial parks. Central Oregon in the Fall is magnificent.

But I also love the Oregon Coast. Be sure to check out Cape Meares Lighthouse if you go to Cape Lookout. And Cape Lookout SP is great - we'll be there in a couple of weeks.

John

[BoldAdventure]

You can see A LOT of Oregon on the weekends from Portland! We were there for no more than 2 weeks and we saw A LOT. We had a rental and they gave us unlimited miles on a Ford Edge and flipped a lid when we brought it back with over 2000 miles on it, lol.

Ecola State Park, Astoria, Smith Rock, Painted Rock.

Man, for starters, Multnomah Falls is beautiful and about a 30 minute drive outside the city.

My photos:


Ecola State Park - Get up early you can get there by 10ish. We left at 7. I think it's a 4 hour drive.


Smith Rock takes about 4hrs to get too.



Check out our photo album for ideas if you want: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1...56096206939889

[BoldAdventure]

Don't forget the River Gorge either, it's beautiful! And again 30mins away.

[lewster]

Hood River as a base for hiking, biking, wineries, water sports, restaurants. Take your pick Nd all within a half hour drive!


Lew Farber
RVIA/RVDA Nationally Certified Master Tech
Master Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
AM Solar Certified Installation Center
Lifeline Batteries**Magnum Inverters
541-490-6357

[Stefrobrts]

Yeah, of course we're familiar with the local sights, it's more like, what are great parks to hit for home base for a short weekend trip? 4 hours might be a little far out, getting off work at 5 on a Friday. I'm just wondering where the hidden gems are that we might be missing.

[Phoenix]

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum
McMinnville, OR
503-434-4180

Home of the Spruce Goose and lots more! If you like planes and space exploration, one day won't be enough time. See Website, below:

http:\\Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum | Wings & Waves Waterpark | McMinnville Oregon

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This RV park is immediately adjacent to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.

Olde Stone Village RV Park
4155 NE 3 Mile Ln, McMinnville, OR 97128
503-472-4315

Rate: $35/night

http:\\Home | Olde Stone Village | RV Parks McMinnville

Note: EXCELLENT RATINGS on RVParkReviews and Woodalls.

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The Glockenspiel Restaurant
190 East Charles Street (across the street from the Police Station)
Mount Angel, OR

Great German food, below America's largest glockenspiel (animated German clock).

Info on clock: Mount Angel, OR - The Glockenspiel

Restaurant reviews: Glockenspiel Restaurant and Pub - Mount Angel, OR | Yelp

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Mount Saint Helens - Johnson Ridge Observatory & Visitor Center
Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mount...a/?recid=31562

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Seaquest State Park Campground & Mt St Helens Visitor Centers
(Note: This visitor center is separate from Johnson Ridge.)

Campground is 4 miles from I-5 exit 49, directly across Highway 504 from the Mount Saint Helens Visitor Center.

http://www.parks.wa.gov/581/Seaquest

[KathyH]

Coastal Astoria-Warrenton-Seaside area, (Two great campgrounds)Ft Stevens State Park, or right across from that it is an awesome KOA that is the Largest KOA on the West Coast. Lots to see, and approx 2 hrs from Portland.


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[Phoenix]

If you visit Astoria, don't miss the Columbia River Maritime Museum:

Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria, Oregon | Overview

Also, we wanted to eat at "The Bowpicker", an old boat on a trailer, parked in an empty lot, a block south of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The boat was converted to a fish & chips restaurant that's open when the weather permits, and it serves only tuna. Several locals recommended it for great fish, which is bought locally everyday; and they say there is a line in the parking lot at lunchtime (it's all outdoors). It looks like people eat in their cars or on a picnic table in the parking lot. However, it rained almost every day we were there in April; and the Bowpicker was closed.

Note: Photo is from Google Earth "Street View".

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Fort Stevens State Park Campground
Astoria, OR

GPS: 46° 10.949'N, 123° 57.706'W

Beautiful campground with manicured lawns. Paved interior roads and pads, with good spacing between campsites. Sites offer the options of shaded seclusion or open sunshine (when it's not raining). Shaded sites away from main road have lots of privacy, but there may be standing water and lots of mosquitoes (see below). Sites in open areas (primarily, along the main road) have the most sun and the least mosquitoes. However, they also have the least privacy.

Note: In warm weather, this campground has HUGE MOSQUITOES that swarm 24/7. Sunny sites along the main road are highly recommended, as mosquitoes are much less dense there. However, in cooler months, they are easily foiled by just wearing a hooded sweatshirt. Despite their numbers, most mosquitoes did not seem to be biting when we were there in mid-April. Not sure what this campground would be like in summer. Perhaps, the standing pools of water in the shaded areas dry out, and the problem lessens -- Or, maybe not. One review says mosquitoes thin out after September.

Most RV sites have electric and water, but no sewer. A few sites have full hookups, but reservations are required (6-12 months in advance); and campground rules request that black water be dumped at dump station, and sewer connection only be used for gray water.

Campground is close to shopping (Costco & Fred Meyers). Also, KOA is directly across the street from park entrance.

Rates: $25-29/night (depending on season), electric & water.

Website: Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department: Fort Stevens State Park rates
.

[Stefrobrts]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm getting the trailer ready and we're going to try and get out for as many short weekend trips as we can squeeze in this fall

[KathyH]

Stefrobrts - I just got back from a 4-day stay at the Warrenton KOA, very friendly staff, well-kept campgrounds. Another place that was recommended to me was Big Eddy Park, 7 miles out of Vernonia.
http://www.freeguidetonwcamping.com/..._Eddy_Park.htm


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[Stefrobrts]

Thanks, I've been thinking about going to Vernonia, just because it's a place I've heard of, but I don't think I've ever been there yet!