ML Interest Tag: popular-destination

9 Scenic Spots to Watch the Sunset in Portland

by Annette Benedetti

Show your kids the meaning of “magic hour” by taking them to one of the best sunset spots in all of Portland

With summer in full swing, a sunset viewing party is something you need to get on the calendar—pronto. It’s quite possibly our all-time favorite free summer family activity. And although we know many of your favorite city picnic spots and hiking trails easily double as sunset-viewing destinations, we think you’ll be surprised by a few of the best places to see the sunset in and around Portland. Head to the waterfront or up to the mountains to see some of the best sunsets Oregon has to offer. Really want to make the most of the evening out with your little ones? Pack some popcorn and all your stargazing supplies to see what you can glimpse in a galaxy far, far away once the sun has said “good night” and a blanket of sparkling stars fill the night sky.

Mt. Tabor

The Eastside’s favorite dormant volcano, Mt. Tabor, offers plenty of hillside space for picnics, fun, and exploration. But when it comes to dusk, it's definitely one of the best places to watch the sunset. Hike the trails, play at the playground, or stroll to the top, then settle in to watch the sun put on a show over the city skyline and the west hills. Just remember that although the park is open until midnight, it's closed to motor traffic after 10 p.m. and all day on Wednesdays.

Insider Tip: The top’s views can be somewhat limited, so spread a blanket out on the west slope over the reservoir. You’ll get to sit and relax and still enjoy the view.

S.E. 60th St. & S.E. Salmon St.
Online: portlandoregon.gov

 

Mocks Crest & Skidmore Bluffs

This simple park on a hill offers tree-shaded areas, grassy open spaces and views of the beautiful Willamette River. You might have to come early to get a spot at this locals' favorite, but the views on the hillside are worth the effort. The bluffs tower above a steep drop down to Swan Island, and the views just can't be beat. This classic picnic site runs for miles above the Willamette River. This may be the best spot North Portland has to offer for killer sunset views.

2206 N. Skidmore Terrace
Online: outdoorproject.com

 

Stonehenge in the Gorge

Cross the veil at twilight and find an otherworldly vista at Stonehenge, Washington. Rather than an ancient Druidic worship site, this replica was built in 1918 as a WWI memorial, but you can still look for a few witches and goblins between the massive stones. Three miles west of the Maryhill Museum of Art, just off Highway 14, the perfect replica is perched on the edge of the Gorge, offering stunning views both ways. It’s the more affordable (and maybe more beautiful) way of visiting Stonehenge.

35 Maryhill Museum Dr.
Goldendale, WA
Online: maryhillmuseum.org

Related: Celebrate Summer at These Amazing Picnic Spots

Pittock Mansion

Built in 1914, the mansion on the hill is a popular destination in Portland. You can take tours inside as late as 5 p.m., but arguably the best attraction is the view of the city. The best views actually face east, but if you weren’t up for the sunrise, you’ll still catch a beautiful scene of the alpenglow on Mt. Hood as the sun sets behind you, casting purple and pink light on the snowy slopes. Also, the extensive grounds of the mansion are a great place for a picnic.

Insider Tip: If a pre-sunset mansion visit is on your list, you can score tickets online to make the trip easier. It's free for kids under 6.

3229 N.W. Pittock Dr.
Online: pittockmansion.org

 

Cathedral Park

Catch the last of the rays between the cathedral-like buttresses of the St. John’s Bridge. Whether you picnic down by the edge of the Willamette or higher in the park, you’ll see the sun dip slowly behind the trees of Forest Park on the west side of the river. It’s debatable whether it’s better under the bridge or above, so come back and test them both out. 

N. Edison St. & Pittsburg Ave.
Online: portlandoregon.gov

 

Council Crest Park

Nestled in the southwest hills, the top of Council Crest offers stunning 360-degree views of the city. You’ll catch the sun setting in the west, and if you turn around you can enjoy the light reflecting off the mountains in the east. It’s a 3.3 mile hike up the top (you can also drive, if that's easier), where you’ll find picnic tables and a vista viewing point with all the best views.

S.W. Council Crest Dr.
Online: portlandoregon.gov

Related: 6 Family Forest Park Hikes You Can Do Now

Eastbank Esplanade

Stay close to home by simply heading to the river for the nightly views. Sit behind the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) on the pier, take an evening stroll or ride bikes up the esplanade and enjoy the glow. The 1.5 mile path includes sections on the water, benches and plenty of place to sit and gaze. Head to the canoe launch and dip your toes on a hot night, or stay up on the main section and watch the sun set behind the Hawthorne Bridge.

S.E. Water Ave. & Hawthorne Blvd.
Online: portlandoregon.gov

Related: Free & Cheap Museum Days at Portland's Best Museums

 

Powell Butte Nature Park

The rocky volcanoes of Powell Butte are home to wide meandering trails through a surprising variety of landscapes—wildflower meadows, old-growth forest and cottonwood groves. Many trails are paved, making them an easy stroll, and at the top, markers point to surrounding mountains like Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson and more. At 600-feet high, it’s a spectacular spot to watch the sun dip. And dusk is the best time to look for the park’s normal residents like bats, raccoons, gray foxes and deer.

16160 S.E. Powell Blvd.
Online: portlandoregon.gov

 

Angel’s Rest

For a spectacular view of the entire gorge, challenge yourself to the Angel’s Rest hike. This is best for older kids who can handle the five-mile round trip hike up a steep slope or kids young enough to be carried. The natural amphitheater offers an incredible perspective once you reach the top. There’s a field of boulders on the west side before you reach the ‘summit,’ which is likely a better place to watch the sun go down. Give yourself plenty of time to reach the top before sunset and bring flashlights and headlamps for the hike down.

Insider Tip: There are no guardrails, so be mindful of safety and keep your little ones close!

Bridal Veil Exit #28
Online: stateparks.oregon.gov

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Score Bargains at These 6 Neighborhood Garage Sales

by Kelley Gardiner

Bargains and reusing are two things that most Portland parents can appreciate 24/7. It’s even better when they’re together at the same place and time. Enter, the giant, multi-family, multi-block phenonmenon, known as the neighborhood garage sale. Whether you want to shop from (or sell to) neighbors in your own hood, or get out of your quadrant, the following neighborhood garage sales make for the perfect treasure hunt while scoring some seriously stellar deals.

photo: wikimedia.org via creative commons

Forest Heights
When: June 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Like scenic hills with your stellar deals? Forest Heights’ neighborhood sale snakes throughout the West Hills of Portland, from Skyline down to Cornell, making it a gorgeous drive that winds through the hills. When you’re done shopping, hit up the Skyline Restaurant (1313 NW Skyline Blvd.) for gigantic burgers, crisp onion rings and rich milkshakes while you sit in classic, red booths – just be sure you bring some cash.

Online: fhhoa.com

Maywood Park
When: June 12-14, Fri.-Sat. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-2 p.m

Maywood Park’s city-within-a-city lies due east of Rocky Butte. Their annual garage sale happens all weekend, so come early for the best selection, and late for last minute deals. Maywood Park is part of the “40 mile trail” that isn’t quite 40 miles yet, but you can still enjoy this multi-use trail. Bring your bikes, and work off some of the calories from the elephant ears that will be available at the sale.

Online: cityofmaywoodpark.com

Happy Valley Dog Park: photo by Chris W. via Yelp

Happy Valley
When: June 12-14, Approx. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Happy Valley might seem like a bit of a trek for most Portlanders, but it’s only about 25 minutes from downtown Portland and just a hop, skip, and a jump from Clackamas Town Center. This sale has a really cool, updated website that tells bargain hunters what’s selling at each house, for shopping efficiency for those serious sales hounds. This neighborhood doesn’t have set hours, but most sellers open up from about 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring Fido and head to the dog park at Happy Valley Park (13770 SE Ridgecrest Rd.), and if it’s a hot day, bring your bathing suits, too. A rollicking splash pad at the same park has 16 sprayers to keep your family cool.

Online: happyvalleysale.org or facebook.com/HappyValleyGarageSale

Laurelhurst
When: June 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Laurelhurst neighborhood is a popular destination for families as it is, with Laurelhurst Park’s (SE Caesar Chavez Blvd. and Stark St.) rolling grassy hills, duck pond, basketball courts and playground. Laurelhurst’s sale will include a map of participating neighbors in a very established part of town with a higher price point – who knows what you’ll find? There aren’t many restaurants in Laurelhurst proper, but your family can grab some grub to go from the nearby food carts at SE 28th and Ankeny for kid-friendly meals or snacks to take to the park. Choose from Mexican, Italian, and more. Falafel from Wolf & Bear’s (113 SE 28th Ave.) makes for portable picnic to refuel after some serious bargain hunting.

Online: laurelhurstpdx.org or facebook.com/events

Eastmoreland
When: June 27 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and June 28 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

This sale is especially hopping on Saturday and, historically, has had more than 140 homes participating. Maps will be available bright and early Saturday morning. Bring a change of shoes and socks so you can head across Highway 99 to check out the new Westmoreland Nature Park (SE McLoughlin Blvd. & Bybee Blvd.). Your little naturalists can dig in sand and scoop water, climb around logs, and build structures out of natural materials. Or, head the other way, east up Woodstock, to Cloud City Ice Cream (4525 SE Woodstock Blvd.)  for innovative flavors that the whole family can get behind.

Online: eastmoreland.org

photo: John D. via Yelp 

Kenton
When: Sep. 12, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Kenton goes a little more high-tech, with a map of garage sale sites available for download the night before the sale opens, so you can plan your attack. The morning of the sale, low-tech garage sale aficionados can grab a map at Posie’s Cafe (8208 N Denver Ave.), a cool coffee shop with a kids’ play room. Score! You’ll know you’re in Kenton when you see the big statue of Paul Bunyan (8433 N. Interstate Ave.) Don’t forget to pay your respects to old Paul, who’s been overlooking the neighborhood and providing photo ops since 1959.

Online: kentongaragesale.com or facebook.com/kentongaragesale

Did we miss your neighborhood garage sale? Let us know in the comments!

—Kelley Gardiner

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Hit the Trails: Your Guide to Hiking Tiger Mountain with Kids

by Natalia Dotto

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of even the most hardened Seattle parent than winter in the Pacific Northwest. Long stretches of gray days and, good grief, that rain. Let’s be honest… there are only so many indoor play areas a mom can visit and keep her sanity. So on a day that is more gray than rainy, bundle up the wiggly wee ones and take a hike on Tiger Mountain.

The Scoop on Tiger Mountain:
Tiger Mountain in Issaquah is just under an hour’s drive from Seattle and if you can put up with the “are we there yet?” cries from the backseat, this outdoor adventure is sure to please everyone in your brood. Even on a gray Pacific Northwest day, the green of the old growth forest plus the long trails will tame your wildlings and help you get your nature on.

Where to Park
When you arrive at Tiger Mountain, don’t be put off by the number of cars parked along the frontage road. Tiger Mountain is a popular destination so its main parking lot fills up fast. If you have to park along the road, there is a trail that starts next to the Tiger Mountain Tradition Plateau entrance sign and leads to the parking lot at the High Point Trailhead so you and the kiddos won’t have to walk against traffic.

Which Trail to Choose?
Starting at the High Point Trailhead there are two hikes, perfectly suited for little legs and patient parents. With littles in tow, a not-too-taxing hike is the Bus Trail. It’s wide and flat with room for kiddos to run ahead and burn off some of that cooped up energy. Playing a couple of “I spy” games and a bit of wildlife spotting will keep kiddos engaged. This trail will take you past a hulking wreckage of an old bus, the perfect place for a photo opp, a little exploration and a quick break. From there it’s easy enough to turn around and head back to the trailhead.

A longer hike but still flat is the Around the Lake Trail. At the High Point Trailhead either take the Puget Power Trail or the Around the Lake Trail which will loop you around Tradition Lake. It’s about one and a half miles, but it is flat and surrounded by ferns and lush moss-covered trees, perfect for wildlife spotting and communing with nature.

For experienced hikers or for those moms and dads who regularly attend Crossfit, the West Tiger #3 hike offers spectacular views but keep in mind… on a really grey day there might be more clouds than skyline. Fair warning, the hike is more than six miles round trip and strenuous so you might want to bring along that baby backpack that’s been collecting dust all winter.

And while it’s not really a summit, older kids will get a kick out of being able to boast with likely a few giggles that they hiked to Poo Poo Point. From the trailhead take the Bus Trail, south on the Gas Line Trail and then southeast on the Poo Poo Point Trail.

Even if you and the kiddos don’t make it to the end of the trail, the good news is everyone will likely be tuckered out and it will be a peaceful ride home. For those youngsters who have worked up a ravenous appetite, downtown Issaquah is only 15 minutes from Tiger Mountain on the drive back to Seattle. Here, you will find several restaurants to choose from and even an old fashioned drive-in known for its root beer floats.

Helpful Hints:

1. To get to Tiger Mountain, drive east on I-90, take Exit 20, turn right and right again onto the frontage road.

2. To park in the main parking lot at the trailhead you will need a Discover Pass. If you plan on future hikes with the Littles it’s worth it to purchase an annual pass for $30 or you can just go with the one-day pass for $10. Discover Passes can be purchased online.

3. There is a map of the trails at the High Point Trailhead, but you can also download the map before you go.

4. Make sure to bundle the Littles in layers. It will likely be chilly when you get out of the car, but after hiking and running they will shed coats, hats, gloves, and scarves and you-know-who will end up carrying them.

For more information about hiking with kids and to learn how to make the hike easier on everyone involved, especially moms and dads, visit the Washington Trails Association website.

What is your family’s favorite winter hike to get the wiggles out? Let us know in a comment below. 

-Natalia Dotto, words and photos

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Tide Pool Adventures in Malibu

by Beth Shea

Parents often go out of their way to plan grandiose family trips with all the bells and whistles; but sometimes it’s the simplest, impromptu outings that create the fondest memories. Such is the case with a low-key trip to Malibu Lagoon State Beach, which promises to be a relaxing retreat into nature that the whole family will enjoy. This majestic backdrop offers the opportunity to ditch the lines and the admission fees at the local aquarium, and to observe and appreciate sea life in its natural habitat. In the tide pool, kids can discover plenty of crabs as they scamper by right next to their toes, or ooh and ahh over the bright orange hue of a real live sea star. Plus, there’s 22 acres of wetlands where you can spot an abundance of bird species who call the lagoon home.

Getting There & Parking: Malibu Lagoon State Beach is located at 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265. Look for the entrance for parking and the nature area at Cross Creek Road off the Pacific Coast Highway. This is directly across from the famed Malibu Country Mart, where you can pick up a picnic to go (see below). The state beach parking lot is located on the west side of the Malibu Creek Bridge. Parking costs $12. Be sure to pay the fee, as the area is heavily patrolled!

Picnic to Go: En route to the beach, stop and pick up food at John’s Garden at the Malibu Country Mart. They offer an extensive sandwich and salad menu, as well as smoothies, milk shakes and snacks that are all easy to tote on the go. While you wait for your food to be prepared, the kiddos can blow off some steam from the drive at the fun playground located just outside the order pick-up window.


Parking 411:After you park, you’ll have a beautifully scenic, yet somewhat lengthy stroll along a wildflower lined dirt path to the beach — so be mindful of how much you need to lug with you to set up shop.

Fun in the tide pool: A tide pool offers an adventurous departure from a smooth sandy shore. Swap out the lounging and building of sand castles for the fun of exploring! At Malibu Lagoon State Beach, you’ll find a rocky, shallow pool of water that’s teeming with ocean life peeking out from the crevices and creeping among the rocks. Expect to see black crabs scurrying by and perhaps a starfish or two basking in its natural habitat. Bring your camera because there will be many photo-worthy moments of your kids’ delight in this amazing backdrop.

Tide Pool Exploration Tip: Outfit your kiddos in water shoes because they’ll be climbing around in rocky terrain, and you’ll want to protect their fragile tootsies from sharp edges and maybe even a crab’s claw or two.

Surf’s Up: This setting is also a great place to watch surfers hang ten, as it is home to Surfrider Beach, a world-famous locale that’s a popular destination for catching waves, and one of the birthplaces of SoCal surfing culture.

Bird’s Eye View: Malibu Lagoon is an amazing place to go bird watching. Here you’ll find a large assortment of birds to behold. For a glimpse at some of the beautiful feathered creatures, you may be lucky enough to spy, visit this page of the Santa Monica Bay Audobon Society’s website. Don’t forget to pack binoculars for your little bird watchers in training!

Online: parks.ca.gov/malibulagoon

—Beth Shea

 

All photos courtesy of Beth Shea

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