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Families Travel: Oregon Coast’s Astoria with Kids
Last year, in August 2009, Seattle-based photographer Alex Nguyen and her husband took their two boys (then 1 years and 4 years old) to Astoria, Ore. Here’s what they enjoyed about this oceanside city founded back in 1810 – shortly after Lewis and Clark spent a winter at the nearby Fort Clatsop. All photos are provided by Alex — and were taken by her as well. Q. Was Astoria, Oregon very family-friendly? Overall the town of Astoria was very kid-friendly. It was walkable, there were some great hikes just a short drive away (we ended up driving back across the Washington for some hikes), and there was a cute children’s museum in…
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Aquariums to Volcanoes: 25 spring break ideas
So, what are you doing for spring break? A whole week — and me without plans. So I came up with a list of 25 great ways to spend your family time, from half-day museum visits to multi-day resort experiences. 1. Go tidepooling at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach, Ore, Shi Shi Beach, Wash., or Botanical Beach in Port Renfrew, BC. 2. You’ve done 3D – now go for the 4D experience at the Vancouver Aquarium in Vancouver, BC. 3. Spend the night on an active volcano — sleep at the National Park Inn on Mt. Rainier. 4. Skip the petting zoo and go on a farm stay. 5. Park your…
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10 Tips for Enjoying Farmers Markets with Kids
Wherever our family travels in Washington, Oregon and BC, we always visit a produce market. Almost every destination offers a farmers’ market, whether the big-city Pike Place Market or the tiny, thriving Cannon Beach Farmers’ Market. In fact, we find farmers’ markets so fun that we sought them out in Paris (mmm, stanky cheese!), Provence (chickpea crepes) and Italy (fresh tomatoes). Here are my tips for enjoying farmers’ markets with kids: Check the market’s website before you head out the door. Use the site to pull together a scavenger hunt for in-season produce, print out maps, look for coupons or find out when a children’s performer will be on the…
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Packing Checklist for NW and BC Vacations
Our weather is unpredictable but our climate is mild. We dress in layers, and prep for rain and sun. The Cascadia uniform: T-shirt, hoodie, rain-proof jacket, jeans, water-repellent shoes. The Pacific Northwest dress code is casual and natural. We wear a lot of dark and vibrant colors. White, not so much. In the cities, women don’t typically wear much make up. We wear jeans to fine restaurants and yoga pants pretty much everywhere else (I’ve shown up to pick up my kids from school in my pajamas, and no one even noticed — or maybe they were just too Seattle-nice to say anything to my face). If you look in…
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10 Things to Do with Kids in Vancouver in the Rain
Vancouver is one of my favorite cities in the entire world, especially with kids. There's so much to do -- whether the winds are warm or wintery. Here are my top 10 picks for cool-weather visitors.
