Portland,Or.

Our family, My husband and I and 5 teenagers (3 college, 2H.S.)

Are flying to portland for ten days! Never been to the Pacific Northwest! We would like to have a memorable vacation can you list the top things to do in the area. Perhaps somethings that are not too expensive since there are so many of us. Sightseeing ideas, places to stay, eat etc...

Appreciate any tips!

Portland,Or.

Hello and welcome to the travel forums! You may want to schedule some time on the Oregon Coast, it is about a 90 minute drive to Cannon Beach. A couple of nights in Cannon Beach or Seaside would be a lot of fun for the kids. www.seasideor.com is a nice website for this area.

Some time Washington Park would be fun, there is a great zoo in Portland you should plan to see. The Pittock Mansion, Chinese Classical Gardens, a ride on the aerial tram and some time around the waterfront area would be fun, also. Take the kids up to the Portland City Grill for a nice meal, you will have beautiful views of the city from here.

I would also take a drive out to the Columbia River Gorge where you can see the waterfalls, we love Mulnomah Falls. It would be an easy day trip from Portland. I hope you enjoy your travels! :)

Portland,Or.

In addition to the things mentioned by Syrahgirl, you can add Mt. St. Helens as a definite must see.

I am sure you won%26#39;t want to be in Portland the entire 10 days, so you might consider staying a few nights on the coast, maybe seeing Newport, Cape Perpetua, and the Sand Dunes in Florence. Depending on the time of your visit, you might also consider heading down to Crater Lake National Park and spending some time in Bend. Bend has the High Desert Museum, along with Newberry Crater. You might also enjoy incorporating Mt. Hood and the Timberline Lodge in a visit to the Columbia River Gorge. Finally, you could visit Silver Falls State Park outside Salem. There%26#39;s an 8 mile loop to hike where you can see some fantastic waterfalls. If you don%26#39;t feel like walking the 8 miles, you can cut it down.

You will have plenty to keep you busy for 10 days. Enjoy your visit!

just returned from 4 nights in Portland, agree with everything syrahgirl said. don%26#39;t miss city grill for the views--great happy hour prices on good food. canon beach was great, we did the wineries and the falls. portland has a hippy vibe, beware of all the homeless in the downtown area.

You%26#39;d best check the prices at Portland City Grill before you go - the other posters might have missed your statement about ';not too expensive';! Lunch will cost you $10-$18 each plus beverage; dinner is considerably more.

Happy hour prices are only available in the lounge, and your ';under 21%26#39;s'; cannot go in the lounge.

Once you settle on a rough itinerary, you can get lots of ideas for inexpensive meals.

When are you planning to visit? Just so you know, summer on the coast here is not hot and sunny and the water is cold. So tell the teens not to plan on laying out and getting a tan, LOL ;-)

Hi

What made you choose Portland?

Are you more interested in outdoor activities or mountains, beaches ?

Our first visit to Portland was for 10 days.

We stayed at the Monaco Hotel in downtown Portland .. this was good because it is right in the middle of town, easy access to the Streetcar which makes a big Loop through all of downtown and it is also a very easy city for walking everywhere..

We rented a car for a couple of days and spent one at the Coast .. Cannon Beach is about 90 minutes drive from downtown .. and one day we spent at the Gorge/Waterfalls.. which is about a 30-45 min drive from downtown.

We walked all over the city, seeing the Japanese Gardens, Classical Chinese Gardens, Pittock Mansion, seeing First Thursday in the Pearl District and eating in so many good restaurants.

There are a few nice museums and then there is the Eastside with charming neighborhoods full of old homes and funky boutiques.. and nice parks.

Then there is the shopping in the NW part of town, eating in the Pearl, going to galleries ...

There is Forest Park, a real forest right in the middle of the city where you can hike nice trails and see amazing views.. and Washington Park, the Zoo...

I have lists if you wish to browse websites of hotels, restaurants, the Streetcar, you can look at the map on their website and get an idea of where things are...

Have fun planning, we fell in love with Portland and moved there after our first visit :)

You can also go to Sauvie Island, 20-30 min from town ..

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i4984-Sauvie_Is鈥?/a>

Streetcar

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Gardens

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i966-Gardens_in鈥?/a>

Hotels

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i892-Sleeping_i鈥?/a>

I do hope that you venture out of the Portland area. With 10 days, you can see some real variety of our state. Portland itself is worthy of a day or two, but then add in the gorge, the coast and Bend. That is just scratching the surface of what OR has to offer, but it does hit some of the highlights.

As for in Portland...the Portland City Grill does have good views, however the lounge area as half-brit mentioned will not be accessible for some of your kids...and nevermind it is a meat market atmosphere. As for the tram...it was built to transport doctors, patients, etc from the waterfront area up to OHSU. It went way over budget, so now the city is trying to find ways to pay for it, so it has become a source for debate about whether or not it is appropriate for a fun ride when it was not meant for that. Personally, I couldn%26#39;t do it.

For fun things in Portland, lots of things have been mentioned, but Forest Park, the zoo, Japanese Gardens, Rose Gardens, Chinese Gardens, OMSI, Saturday Market (on Sundays also), and the Saturday Farmers Market at PSU are the usual hits.

The gorge can easily be done as a day trip from Portland. Also Mt. Hood...definitely stop in at Timberline Lodge.

Mt. St. Helens is in WA, but is a good daytrip from here as well. Very interesting, and definitely something you don%26#39;t have in Indiana;)

Cannon Beach is my preference on the north coast. The Surfsand Resort is great for families, and I can say that since we have stayed there many times:) There are lots of great places further down the coast as well, it just depends on how far you want to go. Newport has a lot to offer for your ages of kids as well.

I would take all hotel suggestions with a grain of salt. Be sure that recommendations are either from actual stays vs visits to the lobby, unless actually stated. Sometimes people like to infer that a hotel is nice because they have driven past it, but they won%26#39;t admit to that, unfortunately.

Bend and Crater Lake areas are a must see, IMO. So much to do in this area. We head over there several times a year and cannot get enough of it. Hiking, white water rafting, bike riding, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, lava butte, lava tube, high desert museum, etc. Truly, a fantastic area. And Crater Lake is only 90 minutes from Bend. We always stay at Sunriver Resort, which has lodging in all price ranges.

That is a start, and hopefully I didn%26#39;t overwhelm you:)

I just saw your post on the WA forums. You mention you are flying into Seattle for 10 days and ask for the same sort of recommendations. Are you doing a PNW trip or trying to decide on which city to visit?

Syrah--So how soon til you are in Seattle? How many years has it been? I am sure you will love all the new places and restaurants.

10 days in Seattle or 10 days in Portland ?

or a 20 day PNW vacation?

It would definitely be ';memorable'; if you all are able to spend that much time in both cities..

Perhaps you would clarify ?

Thanks for all the ideas so far.

We are flying into Portland

on July 21 and fly out of Seattle on July 30.

Renting a van and now I am trying to figure out what to do.

maybe even go up to Vancouver, BC Not sure just starting to

research but I find the best ideas have come from people like you all and then some tourist books. We are athletic and outdoorsy. Always dreamed of visiting this area because the

pictures of the environment were so beautiful.So far we are going to waterfalls/Gorge area. Maybe, Staying at Embasy

suites in Portland 3nights and then going north to Seattle and maybe Vancouver if there is time.. . . not sure.

Hey, Amy- thanks for the clarification of your plans.

So, you really will have 3 solid days based in Portland...hmmm. Making memories for older kids who like the outdoors shouldn%26#39;t be too much trouble!

I%26#39;m these are the things that I think would fit your bill-

Definitely go to Mt. Hood and Timberline Lodge. Take the ski lift up the mountain to the glacier and then walk back down. The breeze on the lift is quite cool, so be sure to have a jacket of some type. There, you can take pictures of your family in the snow in July. That can easily be incorporated into a day trip that includes the Columbia River Gorge where you can take the scenic highway and see the beautiful waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls, an iconic Oregon location. You could also include the town of Hood River in this and watch the windsurfers if the conditions are right. Other possibilities would be the Bonneville Lock and Dam, the fish hatchery and a short sternwheeler cruise on the river if you%26#39;re willing to make it a LOONG day. :)

Definitely a day trip to the coast- you will be awe-struck at the coast here and there are parks with great hiking possibilities all over the place. I think that you would enjoy Yaquina Head lighthouse- you can climb into the lighthouse and see amazing views and there are accessible tidepools there as well. It is best to plan your coastal travels heading south so that you don%26#39;t have to cross traffic to get to the scenic turnouts- that can be dicey on the curvy road.

Mt. St. Helens was mentioned and that is a great idea- you could do that enroute to your Seattle destination

Take your family to Voo Doo donut for a really quirky experience. Its downtown.

Go for a day trip toward Bend and take advantage of one of the river rafting tours, also see the High Desert Museum. Its not your typical museum- and I think your age group would still like it. Also in that neck of the woods is Smith Rock state park which is a very famous rock-climbing area.Some of my family took a kayaking trip with Waunderlust tours out of Bend and was very happy with them.

I think that the Oregon tourism bureaus do a great job of providing information for travellers, so I ususally suggest that folks get on the web and check out some of the tourism websites. www.TravelOregon.com is the Oregon Tourism commission website and they offer a helpful trip planner that suggests trips for specific time frames and locations. Its organized by region so I find it helpful with getting oriented and determining reasonable time allotments for travel. The Mile by Mile Guide to Hwy 101 is also helpful for planning your coastal travels- you know exactly where to look for the things that interest you. Their site is www.VisitTheOregon coast.com.

Happy planning.

face blush

best way to solve

Lehman HotSprings Resort

Hi ALl-

I know most dont get out to Lehman HotSprings, but I just had to post this since it really gets stuck in my craw. As much as I appricate people working hard in remote areas to create business and economy for the area but, operating the restort%26#39;s wastewater lagoons

without a permit since 2002 and leaking 21,000 gallons a day is just not good business...

eastoregonian.com/main.asp鈥?/a>

Lehman HotSprings Resort

Chinookgrrl--Eeewwww!!!!!! Definitely bad business, to say the least. I just don%26#39;t get people sometimes. We are headed that direction later this summer for backpacking. Still nailing down the particulars, but will keep an eye on this if we are nearby.

Lehman HotSprings Resort

Lehman HS has been family visit place for many years. Have pictures there from 1920s of my dad and others. I went here as a kid in 50s, took our kids in %26#39;70s. It has gone from bad to good and back again over the years. I am sorry to hear it is on a bad cycle.

It is in a good location if run properly

Has anyone used Oceanside Vacation Rentals in Seaside OR?

Hi All,

Has anyone heard of or used Oceanside Vacation Rentals to rent a cabin in Seaside OR?

I want to be sure that they are a credible, honest company before I send them my $$ (Deposit)

Thanks for all your help!

http://www.oceanside1.com/

Has anyone used Oceanside Vacation Rentals in Seaside OR?

I would recommend Beach Realty or beachhouse properties. I have been to many of their properties.

Has anyone used Oceanside Vacation Rentals in Seaside OR?

You can enter your text under ';Hotels';, Reviews, on this TA site and add your ratings.

The list of damaged property within the unit seems to me that either the owner or the property manager did not live up to their own contracts. I hope you prevail.

This is what they claim on their website:

oregonbeachvacations.com/oregonbeachvacation鈥?/a>

What condo was it Sand %26amp; Sea?

We just used Oceanside Vacation Rentals over Easter weekend and did not have good luck with these folks. The unit we stayed in was Prom 304, which is right next to Sand %26amp; Sea. While the unit we stayed in was recently remodeled and it was beautiful, there were many problems that started right when we walked in the door.

When we first checked into Prom 304, the TV was not working and so we called and they came right up but could not fix the problem with the TV. (It was a brand new off-brand flat TV). On Saturday, they came up and switched TVs around and took the TV from the master and put it in the living room. However, when they made the change, neither the DVD nor the VCR would work and the TV that they placed in the master did not have a remote. In addition to the problems with the TVs, the bath tub was not clean (sand in it); we realized on the last night that one of the lights next to the bed was missing a light bulb so you could not read in bed; there was no remote for the bedroom TV; the bed in the second bedroom was missing a leg and was propped up with a paint can and ceramic tiles, and the biggest issue was that there was a major leak under the sink. I put our Wii under the bathroom sink (stupid idea....I now realize) and the water poured out of the sink drain right into our Wii. We realized these other problems Saturday night and Sunday morning and since it was Easter Sunday and we were checking out, I called and left a message on Oceanside Vacation Rentals phone so that they could enjoy their Easter holiday.

While I realize that it was stupid to stick the our Wii under the sink, it is no different than if I had put my expensive Chi flat iron or hair dryer under the sink and having those items destroyed. The owner of Prom 304 said that he didn%26#39;t feel that he was responsible for the water damage. Oceanside Vacation Rentals was going to give us a $100 coupon to use for a future stay but they rescinded their offer when I told them that I was going to post my experience online and that I was going to dispute their charges on my credit card. Oceanside Vacation Rentals informed me that I signed their contract that said they were not liable for any damages; she also said that I was threatening her by telling her I was posting my review online and hung up on me.

We do not like to stay at chain hotels -- we really prefer to stay in condos and have NEVER ran into anything like this. I wasn%26#39;t going to let the inconveniences we experienced ruin our stay; however, when we saw just how much water was coming out of the sink, it was the last straw. I am also a firm believer in doing the right thing, and neither Oceanside Vacation Rentals nor the owner of Prom 304 subscribes to this belief.

Tomorrow it will be two weeks since we have stayed at Prom 304, and I still have not received the credit for my damage deposit. I requested a copy of the rental agreement 7 days ago and to date, have not received this either.

Word to the wise . . . renter BEWARE!

NOTE: I originally posted the above review, but had it removed after I realized I had used the incorrect name of company we rented Prom 304 from. I fixed the error and this is the corrected version. Sorry for inconvenience.

Sorry to hear that you did not have a positive experience. I have never used their services, guess I won%26#39;t either. LOL!

One question, why did you put your Wii under the sink?

When we were putting our stuff away, I noticed there was nothing under either of the 2 sinks in the main bathroom. We put our toiletry bags and hair dryer, flat iron, etc. under one sink, leaving the space under the other sink open. When we were having trouble with the TVs and it appeared that we wouldn%26#39;t be able to use the Wii, I just wanted it out of the way and to hide it and I remembered that there was the space under the sink that was easy to get to. Oceanside Vacation Rentals said they had found someone to come over on Saturday morning while we were gone to see if they could fix the TV. Since we weren%26#39;t going to be there, and we weren%26#39;t using the Wii, I figured that would be the perfect place for it. I now know that it is a crazy place to put something like that, but the space was empty and easy to get to. Will I ever put electronics under a sink in some place that we don%26#39;t own? In a word -- NO. But.....I don%26#39;t think we have EVER stayed in a place where the sink leaked, or we had any issues. Oh well....live and learn....what is so disappointing is that Oceanside Vacation Rentals or the owner of Prom 304 aren%26#39;t taking any responsibility. I believe that we were the first people to stay in the unit after their remodel, and when the put the sinks back in after redoing the tile, I think they forgot to reconnect the one sink.

We used Oceanside Vacation Rentals over easter weekend (check in date was April 10/check out April 12) and we JUST had our damage deposit refunded to our credit card on May 22nd! They told us that the damage deposit would be credited back within 7-10 days, but was actually 40 days after we checked out. We had a lot of problems with these folks!

need information about the campground

At Fort Rock, what should I expect if we stay overnight? What is the campground like?

need information about the campground

I did not know there was a cg in Fort Rock. Is it private?

need information about the campground

If this is it, there is no camping.

http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_40.php

Or are you referring to another campground, lucydebois?

On the State Park website, they said there is a new campground that is now open. I%26#39;m not sure how long the posting has been there- and in a book I am reading from 2006 it states ';if you need to overnight, head for Fort Rock State Park%26#39;s new camping area or the RV park and motels in Christmas Valley.'; Does that mean I need to go to Xmas valley to camp? If yes, how far and what should I expect?

If I wanted to camp and spend two days at Fort Rock monument, is there a campground nearby anyone can recommend?

LaPine State Park, just north of the town of LaPine is a REALLY nice campground, with the Dechutes River running through it. From there, it would take 45 minutes to an hour to get to Fort Rock, which is about 35 miles +/- SE.

2nd Trip: Suggestions Please!

We%26#39;re an active retired couple who will be arriving in Portland Aug 15 and leaving on the 23rd. 2nd trip. We were there the same week in 2007. Drove to Mount Hood, spent one night and then headed back the scenic route to the coast. Stayed in B%26amp;Bs in Mendecino (our favorite coastal town), Lincoln City and Newport and then back to Portland. Stayed at the McMenamin%26#39;s Edgefield Hotel (loved that too) the first night and the Bluebird Inn the last night (that was fun too). On the way to the coast we stopped at some winery in a wonderful dairy sort of town (don%26#39;t remember the name of it) Visited the Japances Gardens and a couple breweries...loved the whole trip.

Not sure where we want to go this time. Any ideas? Would the California Redwood Forest be reasonable or should we go North up the coast. We%26#39;re renting a car. We like b%26amp;bs or small unpretentious funky or historic inns.

Thanks in advance for any and all responses!

2nd Trip: Suggestions Please!

I%26#39;m a little confused--how did you get to Mendecino, that%26#39;s in Northern CA without driving thru to Coast Redwoods?

It sounds like you have seen the Southern OR coast, but have you traveled the Northern OR coast from Astoria to Lincoln City (although your %26#39;dairy sort of town%26#39; sounds like Tillamook.)

Have you been to the Columbia River Gorge to Hood River/The Dalles on the Historic Hwy or is that your Mt. Hood Scenic route?

Have you been to Mt. St. Helens, Bend OR or Crater Lake?

Please give us a little clearer idea of the routes you traveled before, then we can make some better suggestions.

2nd Trip: Suggestions Please!

Like Kitters, I am a bit unsure of just where you have spent time. But also like Kitters, my first suggestion would be to hit the Bend/Crater Lake area. So much to do and see around there and a week is a nice amount of time for a first visit there.

So sorry for the confusion! I meant Manzanita---not Mendecino. Here%26#39;s the route we took on our last trip: We arrived in Portland. Stayed one night at the Edgefield Hotel and then drove the scenic hwy to Mt. Hood (Hood River?) and then next morning drove to Lincoln City seeing lots of gorgeous scenery, waterfalls etc on the way and South as far as Yachats over the next few days...just kind of meanadered along. Saw several lighthouses, the Devils Churn. Then we went North as far as Cannon Beach and then back to Portland through that %26#39;little dairy sort of town%26#39; that I can%26#39;t remember the name of.

We%26#39;re talking about driving from Portland to Astoria and then we%26#39;re stuck..do you think we should go north? Again...any suggestions are greatly appreciated. We%26#39;re going to spend one night and then all the next day in Portland before we leave at 9:30 on Sat, Aug 22. The last day in Portland, we want to go to the Chinese Gardens (went to the Japanese Garden last time) and considering doing the Brunch or Cocktail cruise ... it says %26#39;live entertainment';. Do you know what sort of music they play? We like jazz or blues particularly if you know of anywhere we might find some along the way.

O.K., Manzanita makes more sense. You%26#39;ve seen a good share of the Oregon Coast and the Columbia Gorge.

Astoria is interesting--you could cross the river, drive out to Ilwaco and Cape Disappointment and up to Long Beach. I would not drive any further north than Oysterville. The Washington coastline is just not as outstanding as the Oregon coast. (and I live in WA :-) You could do this in a day trip, or spend the night at a B%26amp;B in Astoria or Long Beach.

Portland Spirit Cruises have a jet boat %26#39;Outrageous%26#39; that makes a cruise to Astoria and back on Tues, Thurs, and Saturdays with a 4 hour stopover in Astoria. We%26#39;ve often seen them go by when we%26#39;re out fishing on the Columbia River. Looks like fun!

www.portlandspirit.com

If you have not been to Mt. St. Helens, it really is a must see. You could make a loop from Astoria to see it, or a day trip from Portland.

However, unless you really want to spend most of the week near the ocean, I would highly recommend a loop trip to Bend and Crater Lake. By mid-August, McKenzie Pass might even be open.

Hi there, %26#39;Georgia. Sounds like you had a great trip last time. I think that Kitters has a good idea in suggesting that you try seeing ';the other Oregon'; this trip by heading toward Bend and then down to Crater Lake. It could be snowy again by that time, I guess, but I don%26#39;t think its too likely- is it locals?

Anyway, there is a publication called The Oregon Trip Planner which is online at www.TravelOregon.com which might be helpful to you in your planning. Its oriented by region and offers some trip ideas for varying amounts of time in each area. It includes maps and dining/lodging information as well.

As for yur question regarding the music on the dinner cruise, the last advertisement that I heard said it was jazz, but I don%26#39;t know if it changes with each cruise or not. The folks at Portland Spirit are very nice and I%26#39;m sure they can answer your question best.

If you do choose to head back to the coast, there is a funky sounding place, a B%26amp;B that is a literary-themed hotel- I think in either Lincoln city or Newport. All the rooms are based on literary themes, or authors, et al. For the life of me, I can%26#39;t think of the name at this moment, but it has gotten lots of good reviews. However, they do not have phones or tv%26#39;s in the rooms, so its really a book-lover%26#39;s retreat. I will try to find my guidebook with the info and pm you later.

It%26#39;s called the Sylvia Beach Hotel, in Newport. We haven%26#39;t stayed there but I would love to sometime. When you are in Astoria, try to schedule some time for the Maritime Museum, a ride on the riverfront trolley is also lots of fun, there are some nice places to wine taste in Astoria, also. Shallon, Cellar on 10th, The Flying Dutchman and the Silver Salmon Grille are a few of our favorites. www.oldoregon.com is a nice website for this area.

If you do go over the bridge to the WA coast, stop in the quaint little town of Seaview, 42nd Street Cafe or The Depot are nice choices for meals in this area. I hope you enjoy your trip! :)

If you drove the coast only as far south as Yachats, you missed a few sights/activities that might be of interest: Oregon dunes, a jetboat ride up the Rogue from Gold Beach, breathtaking scenery between Port Orford and Brookings.... Not to mention the chance to dip down into northern CA to see the redwoods.

Put that together with Crater Lake... maybe a couple days in Bend (or Ashland).... could be a nice trip!

Crater Lake also fits well with Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which (surprisingly) is one of the largest theatrical organizations of its sort, anywhere. It%26#39;s a very nice town, but August will of course be high season.

Nice that you did the Japanese Garden (I%26#39;m a fan). This time, try the Chinese Garden and look for the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. Late Aug. is the very worst time for gardens in Portland due to the dry summers, but Crystal Springs is deservedly beloved.

The Sylvia Beach Hotel is in Nye Beach, which I think is a neighborhood in Newport but feels like a totally different town. It%26#39;s a great little beach spot! The hotel is fabulous but you should reserve soon if you want to stay there in August. Have fun!

Swimming near Fossil?

We%26#39;re planning a visit to Fossil in August. We%26#39;ll be staying two nights. Any recommendations for:

1) Swimming (preferably in the river or a lake, if there are any lakes around there)

2) Hunting and gathering fossils and thundereggs

3) Anything else that%26#39;s fun to do there

We%26#39;re two adults and an 9-year-old.

Thanks!

Swimming near Fossil?

the fossil hunting is easy- right behind the Fossil high school football field. I think there is a $3 charge, just to keep the place running. They supply the hammers, lessons, etc. Very low key. Its really fun and you can find a fossil in about 10minutes- I think they let you keep three.

As far as swimming- I know there is a nice river front park in Spray, but I think its mostly used as a launch point for rafts.

Youll want to visit the John Day Fossil Beds and visitor center, if you arent doing so already.. http://www.nps.gov/joda/

They also have guided hikes and star gazing activities during the summer months.

Swimming near Fossil?

Oh more about swimming- I dont know of any real swiming holes, more just kind of wading... you might want to check out the JDR in picture gorge-there arent alot of public areas on the river, but in picture gorge there are good accesses. This is quite a distance from Fossil, but if you are going to the JDFB visitors center its not too far.

From the John Day Fossil Beds NPS site:

3. Where can we dig for fossils?

Answer: Digging for fossils is not allowed within the monument, but fossil collecting is available to the public in the town of Fossil, behind the high School. For more information, check the Wheeler County web site.

www.wheelercounty-oregon.com/fossils.html

By the way, August in that part of Oregon can turn you into a fossil yourself if you%26#39;re not covered from sunblock. It can get HOT!!!

When I lived in John Day there was a plce in the John Day River near Service Creek that was pretty good. But suggest you ask one of the locals before you make the 20 miles to Service Creek.

I have made the trip from Fossil through Clarno to Antelope several times but can%26#39;t remember how the John Day is at that crossing for swimming. It is real close to the Clarno Unit of the Fossil Beds.

Plus you might want to check BLM they manage the John Day river recreation. Pretty sure their is a boat launch at that crossing, so may be some swimming

Picture Gorge not good swimming area much of year. water can get a bit swift there. There may be a hole as you come out of gorge. I can not remember.

I don%26#39;t believe there is a regular poster from that area on TA. So you may need to use other methods. wait til you get there can work well. People are real helpful there

get into duck hunting

Mt Hood or Mt Bachelor from Coos Bay at Christmas

Hi,

We will be visiting our son and daughter in law during Christmas and would like to combine it with some skiing. It looks like Mt Bachelor is closer, but which mountain typically has better snow in December?

Also, what resorts and hotels do you recommend?

Thanks in advance!

Mt Hood or Mt Bachelor from Coos Bay at Christmas

Mt. Bachelor tends to have more dependable snow - and is more apt to be powder instead of ';cascade concrete.'; Some years there is not much snow in December - you may want to wait until closer to your trip to see which area has more snow and more runs open.

Mt Hood or Mt Bachelor from Coos Bay at Christmas

I agree, Mt. Bachelor has some pretty good skiing. Sunriver Resort is where we always stay. We go over several times a year and enjoy it in every season. During Christmas they have a lot of festivities which might interest you. Anyway, it is not too bad of a drive to Bachelor.

Thank you both for such quick responses! Do the resorts fill up quickly for the Christmas week like they do here in New England? How long should I wait before booking since there will be six of us and I%26#39;m trying to keep costs down?

Also, how long a drive is it to Mt. Bachelor and Mt. Hood from Coos Bay? From Eugene and Portland? I have googled alot of this, but it%26#39;s great to get first hand information from people who can give true answers. I%26#39;m still trying to figure out which airport to fly in and out of also. Our son %26amp; DL just moved to Coos Bay and are newbies to the area.

Thanks again!

I would book now. Sunriver doesn%26#39;t typically fill up, but to get the best option with a group your size you would be best off booking as soon as you find a place that you want. We usually book through Sunray as I like their policies better than Sunrivers (there are several property management places for Sunriver). We have also used Craigslist with good results.

As for distance, I have not driven Bend to Coos Bay, but I do know it is a shorter distance than going up to Mt. Hood...probably by a good hour or so. I would estimate Coos Bay to Bend at around 4 1/2 hours and Coos Bay up to Meadows to be at around 5 1/2, but this is with clear roads and in Dec. I wouldn%26#39;t bet on that at all.

For airports, Portland will most likely get you the best fares, but take a look at Eugene too. That is closer to Coos Bay and there might find something that works for you there.

If you can get a flight into Eugene it will save you two hours on the freeway from Portland. Medford is also slightly closer than Portland. But the vast majority of flights go into Portland, so you%26#39;ll probably just have to rent a car and drive the 4+ hours.

Christmas week it probably is a good idea to make reservations. SunRiver is a large resort with homes, condominiums, and a hotel. It would be an excellent place to stay. Otherwise the town of Bend has a variety of places to stay.

Now to play devil%26#39;s advocate. If it is just the two of you and you have to return to Portland anyway for your flight home, then Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood would also be an excellent option. You would be staying right on the mountain, rather than a 20 mile drive as from SunRiver or Bend.

Thanks again for such great information! I%26#39;m going to do a little more research to help narrow our choices down. There will be six of us though, so I think a house or condo probably makes the most amount of sense.

:)

rosacea