Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Favorite long weekend destination??
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April 30, 2010 at 7:57 pm #594675
mlfryeMemberDaydreaming on a Friday afternoon…
We’re looking to plan 3-4 days away somewhere in the NW. Has to be semi-kid friendly (1-year old) and within 4-5 hour max drive. Willamette Valley, Columbia Valley, BC, other? Where are your favs? Suggestions please!
April 30, 2010 at 9:01 pm #693627
jwwsParticipantMoclips, Ocean Shores and Long Beach are some of our favorites.
April 30, 2010 at 9:56 pm #693628
maplesyrupParticipantFor me it’s easily the San Juans.
April 30, 2010 at 10:16 pm #693629
furryfacesParticipantMay 1, 2010 at 12:12 am #693630
herongrrrlParticipantIf you want a good “base camp” from which to have lots of options for activities and exploring, try Forks. In-town accommodations are cheap (if you aren’t booking the “Twilight Suites”) but decent and from there you’re close to ocean beaches, rain forest hiking trails, cultural sites, etc.
If you want a place to go hang out in nicely appointed accommodations and you’re not too worried about extra activities, check out WellSpring Spa in Ashford (Nisqually entrance to Mt. Rainier) http://www.wellspringspa.com/. The “Three Bears” cabin would be perfect for you and your little one.
Sol Duc Hot Springs (between Port Angeles and
Forks on the peninsula) is sort of a combination of the two I mentioned above, and definitely feels like you’re getting far away from it all.
May 1, 2010 at 12:20 am #693631
ToddinWestwoodMemberLeavenworth. German food, family food, beer gardens that are family friendly, the river park, hiking, drive to Wenatchee, big pool right in the center of town, stopping at Stevens to play in the snow on the way up or home, ect et ect.
May 1, 2010 at 12:44 am #693632
Genesee HillParticipantColumbia River Gorge, from John Day Dam, west to Portland…upriver from John Day Dam is also great…
The tours of the “great dams” on the Columbia are worth a visit, although I sometimes feel they should never have been built..
May 1, 2010 at 12:58 am #693633
aunteesocialParticipantSan Juan Islands!
May 1, 2010 at 8:57 am #693634
WSBKeymasterSeaside, Oregon. Classic Northwest flat beach like the ones in our state BUT is more pedestrian (or maybe for you, stroller-pushing) friendly … has a great beachfront concrete “boardwalk” that runs for more than a mile, much of the lodging is convenient to it and it’ll take you to the classic cheesy little main drag with restaurants and shops … We didn’t go there for MANY years because when we first arrived in the NW 19 years ago, a co-worker in TV told me it was megatacky and I believed her. Bad move. Also has a great public swimming center a little ways inland, and for exploring is not far from the fabled Tillamook Cheese factory. Sigh, haven’t been there in WAY too long.
May 1, 2010 at 3:52 pm #693635
JoMemberI also love the northern Oregon Coast.
WSB is right, Seaside is very stroller-friendly with it’s boardwalk and funky main street.
But, Cannon Beach (just south of Seaside) is my favorite. It also has a ‘main-street’ with easy access to the not-as crowded beach.
Oh, I wanna go NOW!
May 1, 2010 at 10:30 pm #693636
yumpearsParticipantAnderson Island
May 2, 2010 at 1:22 am #693637
RainyDay1235MemberMay 2, 2010 at 5:59 am #693638
ellenaterMemberI third Seaside and Cannon Beach. I grew up in Oregon and spent every Spring Break there. Also got married in front of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach. Both towns are fun to bum around in and the beaches are fantastic. The aquarium at Seaside will totally delight your little person. You can feed the seals and there is a nice little “petting area” where you can touch starfish and sea anemones.
May 2, 2010 at 6:05 pm #693639
bunnypugMemberFun!
I love both Orcas and San Juan Island. The Oregon Coast is also really great. Cannon Beach is more romantic and upscale, while Lincoln City is more geared toward families. I also love the Oly Peninsula, especially Port Townsend.
May 2, 2010 at 6:58 pm #693640
HunterGParticipantYachats Oregon is my fav!
May 2, 2010 at 8:47 pm #693641
JoMemberOh, yikes, I almost forgot the Olympia Peninsula.
•Quinault Lodge – beautiful lodge, restaurant, grocery store, other accommodations.
•Loooooove Kalaloch along the coast. There are cabins, the lodge with restaurant, a grocery store, almost private beach. And really close to great beaches (heading north).
•Further north – the Ho River Rain Forest – fascinating, primitive, huge Banana slugs. A beautiful area.
•Also, out of Forks is La Push – inexpensive lodging, great beaches, Native American fishing/crabbing which you can buy.
•Around top of peninsula, beautiful Crescent Lake – reminds of Scandinavian fjords. Crystal clear, deep, deep lake, beautiful lodge with restaurant, Roosevelt Cabins for rent (one of the Roosevelt presidents visited, hence the name). I’ve always wanted to stay there, but haven’t yet.
Oh, I want to go to all these places again now.
Wherever you go – and as you can see from the above posts, there are lots of choices here in God’s Country – you’ll have a great time.
May 2, 2010 at 9:41 pm #693642
JanSParticipantHunterG…I was just thinking of Yachats. Wonderful beaches,storms, solitude when you want it… and if you have kids, just a short drive to Florence and riding the sand dunes. Fun!
May 3, 2010 at 12:09 am #693643
clark5080ParticipantWe are heading to Port Angeles next weekend. Staying there as a base camp then hitting the Rain Forrest and the ocean beaches and some waterfalls
May 3, 2010 at 3:11 am #693644
HunterGParticipantWe took our wedding photos at the Dunes in Florence (behind the Fred Meyer actually, LOL). Such an awesome place!!
Also another great sleepy place is Port Ludlow and Port Hadlock.
May 3, 2010 at 5:40 pm #693645
JoBParticipanti just came back from a week in Rockaway.. about 15 miles north of Tillamook. We rented an ocean front dog friendly house there for a little over a hundred a night (off season rates)and spent the week watching the waves roll in.. walking the dogs.. and doing little tours. Look for rentals in Nedonna beach (Beach Breeze or Northcoast rentals).. their lodging tax is only 1% saving a minimum of 9% over other alternatives.
We went north as far a Seaside and south as far as pacific city and still managed house time every day for afternoon naps… and there are plenty of tacky and not so tacky beach pastimes in Rockaway.. including an oceanside train that advertised a mother’s day dinner.
May 4, 2010 at 3:32 am #693646
acemotelParticipantLake Chelan, a three-hour drive and a world away. Nice hot sun (usually) and wide open spaces, room to breathe, beautiful mountains and deep waters in the Chelan Valley. Small-town living. It’s not crowded this time of year.
February 16, 2017 at 11:39 pm #874582
HelenLorenzoParticipantMine favorite is On Orcas Island, SeaTac and many other islands.
February 17, 2017 at 3:38 am #874592
ledgeschaParticipantThe Hamptons and Buffalo is my favourite
February 17, 2017 at 8:30 am #874608
newnativeParticipantI second (or third) the Olympic Peninsula. We stayed at Lake Quinault over Thanksgiving weekend and it was really nice. The marked trails are a lot of fun. I personally would not go east at this point due to the landslides going on. Go West!
February 17, 2017 at 8:39 am #874610
DaveBParticipantPort Townsend.
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