ECOLA STATE PARK, OREGON

Oregon is a state filled with countless outdoor activities. And after doing some research, I got a good perspective as to how many activities are within a reasonable traveling distance from Portland. The other thing that I realized was that because Portland is located in the northern part of the state, the outdoor activities to the south were 3-4 hours way, and would probably require a 2 day trip. 

So while we were at Seaside, we decided to stop by Ecola State Park since its only15 minutes to the south. I was really amazed at the views from the photos that were posted online, and so I really wanted to experience them for myself.

Driving into the park, the narrow road climbs a few hundred feet of elevation. The road is so narrow that I was stunned how two cars actually fit. The tire tracks off the side of the road were a testimony that there were some close calls. Nevertheless, that road lead through a wooded area that had tall trees lining the road with lots of vegetation and overgrowth on both sides. 

Once at the large parking lot at the top, there was a short paved path that lead to the lookout spot. There were several photographers all lined up capturing the beautiful views on a gorgeous day. We came a couple hours before high tide and watched the waves progressively increasing in size and crashing against the rocky shore. 

In the photo below, the tall rock in the center is know as the "Haystack." It is best seen from Cannon Beach, which is another 10 minute drive to the south. 

After hanging out at the lookout spot, we decided to check out the park and see if offered any more nice views. So we followed a muddy trail to the west and came across another nice spot. We came across a couple hanging out at spot which was on top of a cliff. We probably crashed some romantic moment with 3 adults and 4 kids all cramming into a small spot on the ledge. It looked like a nice set up so we even snapped a few photos. 

It was a really nice clear day for a good view of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. 

On our way out we stopped by the small town of Ecola Creek and got some ice cream at The Picnic Basket. They had 32 flavors of hard ice cream. But they didn't have any soft serve yet during this time of the year. However, everyone enjoyed their choice of hard ice cream. 

SEASIDE, OREGON

Seaside is a cool little town in northwestern Oregon. It's about 1 hour and 45 minutes from downtown  Portland. Its known for its large beach and a places that caters well to tourists. 

We chose the best day of the week, which turned out to be really nice with temperatures in the low 60's and very light wind. 

I also really enjoyed driving on Route 26 from Portland because its a very windy road that goes over some hills ranging around 1000 ft above sea level. Prior to this trip I had never seen lumbar companies cutting down the forest and logging trucks everywhere along the highway. 

The simple directions call for 2 turns that leads you to Broadway St. that heads toward the beach and turnabout. At the turnabout there is a monument of Lewis and Clark, marking the "End of Trail" in their expedition. 

 The low tide was earlier in the day, at 1038 am, as we were making our way to the beach the higher tide was noticeable coming in. The kids had a great time running away from the ways but it kept the parents on their toes as the water continue to come closer and closer. They really enjoyed splashing in  the low tide pools and posing for some photos Lesya wanted to take.

After about an hour at the beach, we walked over to Norma's Seafood Restaurant. Both the adults and kids enjoyed their meals. The service was nice, although it did take longer that it should have been. Lesya and her sister really the Grilled Seafood Combo. While I had a Crab sandwich with some Tillamook cheese. 

After the hearty meal we decided to visit Ecola State Park. (Please see the next post)

MULTNOMAH FALLS, OREGON

Just a short drive outside of Portland, there are some beautiful falls to enjoy called Multnomah Falls. It sits along the Columbian Gorge, which in itself is very scenic with tall rocky mountains that have  several waterfalls coming off the sharp ledges along highway I-84.

The weather was cloudy in the high 40's with rain forcasted in the early afternoon. But we decided to go anyways and check out the views.

When reviews on Tripadvisor stated that the falls are "right off the highway" it literally means that the visitor parking lot is between the westbound and eastbound lanes. Then there is a walkway going under the highway.

At the base of the falls there is a gift store and a small muesum. The kids decided on coins as souvenirs.

At the base of the 620 ft falls the views are spectacular. 

There are several trails leading to higher elevations along a ridge trail. The distance was going to require much more time. 

The trail leading up to the overlooking bridge is paved and an easy ascent. The loss covered trees and fern covered slopes provide a rich green view. 

A STROLL THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, OREGON

Checking out beautiful Oregon started out by walking across the street to the Powell Butte Nature Park. The weather was in the low 50's and it was nice to get out of the house after dinner for an evening stroll in the neighborhood. The park itself has a series of trails that are used by the neighbors for walking their pets, jogging, and even mountain biking. In this wooded area we came across many places with beautiful ferns and mosses which are seen on anything made out of wood. We had 4 kids under the age of 6 so we opted out for shorter loop. Lesya also had the opportunity to shoot some very nice photos of the kids.

(moss on the trees)

As we walked out of the forest we came across a place that had a horse. My kids are fascinated with horses, especially Adrian and so it was difficult walking way. 

 (moss on the roof top)

It was a nice end to a busy day of travel. Both the kids and the adults got a lot of fresh air before turning in for the night. 

Thanks to my lovely wife, Lesya, for taking some awesome photos.