I wish I would have re-read this post from Debbie at DeliciousBaby the night before we went. We had a little trouble getting started at OMSI. Not getting there, we asked the front desk staff and our hotel and got good walking directions, but once we got there.
When we paid our $40 (!!!!) admission (not including any of the additional items like the submarine), they did not give us a map. So we just headed up the escalator and ended up in the Life Sciences room. We spent about 15 minutes there but clearly everything was targeted at an older crowd than we had (our boys are 6 and almost 4). I knew I had heard there were hands on activities for little ones and left the family in there to scope it out.
Sure enough, right next door was the Science Playground which is geared towards 6 year olds and younger. It was pretty crowded but our kids did not care at all. They loved it. There were so many activities they enjoyed. They spent almost 1 hour solely in the sand area and eventually we decided to move them along to something else. Is it possible they could have played there all day? They spent about 30 minutes at the amazing water table and got totally soaked, even in the smocks provided. Definitely wear the smock and the boots and BRING A CHANGE OF CLOTHES. I knew it had been suggested to do that, but my kids don't usually get wet in water tables. Bring the change of clothes - they were DRENCHED!
There are also art projects, a grocere store, buckets that go up and down on a pulley and so many other fun things for younger kids to do. After several hours in the Science Playground, we moved downstairs to the Turbine Hall. This is the most amazing part of the museum. If we would have understood the layout of the place, we would have headed straight here when we arrived.
The hands-on activities here are suited for bigger kids or younger kids with their parents assistance. There were so many interesting things here that my kids really loved. Our favorites were probably the ball room (I don't even know how to explain it - it was just totally cool. Go and see it!) or the bottle rockets. We also did actual chemistry labs together and built buildings to withstand earthquakes.
We spent the entire day there. We got there a few minutes after they opened at 9:30 and left right at 5pm as they were closing. We went on a Friday and there were lot of people there but it wasn't so bad we could not do everything we wanted. I imagine it might be harder on the weekends. It was a great day that we all enjoyed even if it totally wore us all out.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Portland with Kids : Chinese Garden
We had a beautiful sunny (but somewhat cool) afternoon to spend in Portland so after hitting the Portland Saturday Market (by the Skidmore Fountain) we walked a few blocks over to the Classical Chinese Garden.
In addition to a self-guided tour guide, the volunteer staff was nice enough to give us a children's scavenger hunt packet which was a laminated booklet of pictures of things to search for in the garden. This was a great addition as it gave the kids something to do while we walked around. The gardens and buildings are beautiful and the area is so serene and restful. (Would have been more so had we not had kids with us that I was worried would fall right into the easily accessible water)
The admission charge was about $24 and we were probably there about 1-1.5 hours.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
In addition to a self-guided tour guide, the volunteer staff was nice enough to give us a children's scavenger hunt packet which was a laminated booklet of pictures of things to search for in the garden. This was a great addition as it gave the kids something to do while we walked around. The gardens and buildings are beautiful and the area is so serene and restful. (Would have been more so had we not had kids with us that I was worried would fall right into the easily accessible water)
The admission charge was about $24 and we were probably there about 1-1.5 hours.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Portland with Kids : Pearl District
The Jameson Square fountain is so neat and fun. The weather wasn't even all that good when we were there so we weren't able to get wet but it was still lots of fun. There are rocks to stand on and stay dry while the area fills up all around you, and you can always run from the filling fountain like you would the tides at the beach. We had a really fun time playing around and watching the water cycles.
We did not have a lot of time in the Pearl District as we needed to catch our train, but we also checked out Powell's Bookstore and the Pearl Bakery (yummy croissants!) We will definitely check it out again next time we are in Portland. We also went to the Whole Foods right near Powell's to pick up some lunch for the train and use the restroom facilities.
To get there, we took the streetcar and got off at the last stop before leaving fareless square (10th and Glisan)
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
We did not have a lot of time in the Pearl District as we needed to catch our train, but we also checked out Powell's Bookstore and the Pearl Bakery (yummy croissants!) We will definitely check it out again next time we are in Portland. We also went to the Whole Foods right near Powell's to pick up some lunch for the train and use the restroom facilities.
To get there, we took the streetcar and got off at the last stop before leaving fareless square (10th and Glisan)
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Portland with Kids : World Forestry Center
The World Forestry Center is located right by the Portland Zoo. It is very easily accessible via the light rail line heading west out of downtown.
We spent about 1.5 hours working our way through the exhibits. They had some really neat hands on exhibits which appealed to our young kids. It is not a huge place but it seems very nice and new. It was almost deserted which was a big plus for us as we were able to enjoy everything at our own speed. For example, our kids spent quite a while at the pretend tree planting station.
Since this is an indoor activity, one idea would be to spend some time here before heading to the zoo right next door once the day warms up. Instead, we headed over to the Chinese Garden for the afternoon.
Our family of two adults and two children paid $26 admission. As I said, we enjoyed our 1.5 hours there and are glad we got a chance to check it out.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
We spent about 1.5 hours working our way through the exhibits. They had some really neat hands on exhibits which appealed to our young kids. It is not a huge place but it seems very nice and new. It was almost deserted which was a big plus for us as we were able to enjoy everything at our own speed. For example, our kids spent quite a while at the pretend tree planting station.
Since this is an indoor activity, one idea would be to spend some time here before heading to the zoo right next door once the day warms up. Instead, we headed over to the Chinese Garden for the afternoon.
Our family of two adults and two children paid $26 admission. As I said, we enjoyed our 1.5 hours there and are glad we got a chance to check it out.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Portland with Kids: Dining Choices
Well, we did not have that great a food experience on this trip. Meaning - it was fine but we did not get to try any of the interesting places I had researched before we went.
We were all tired by dinner time and did not feel like sitting in a restaurant. Frequently when we travel, I bring a lot of food, which would have worked on this trip since our hotel room had a kitchen. But since we took the train and were traveling lightly, I did not bring much, just some snack food and lunch for the train.
Our hotel provided an extensive breakfast each morning. One day we ate at OMSI for lunch. The cafe there was actually quite good and had some healthy options. One day we ate at the Portland Saturday Market. For our dinners, we ended up ordering delivery two nights - once Hot Lips Pizza and once Chinese food. The other night we stopped off and picked up some sandwiches and sushi and a little place we happened to pass on the way back to our hotel.
Near the end of our visit, I noticed there is a Safeway right on the streetcar line (1030 SW Jefferson). If we would have realized sooner, we could have used it instead of some of the dinner deliveries.
One fun place we got to check out was the Pearl Bakery. The croissants we had were really good. We also stopped at the Whole Food right by Powells Books to get some food for the train ride home.
Maybe next time we will get to try some more of the cool sounding places Portland has to offer....
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
We were all tired by dinner time and did not feel like sitting in a restaurant. Frequently when we travel, I bring a lot of food, which would have worked on this trip since our hotel room had a kitchen. But since we took the train and were traveling lightly, I did not bring much, just some snack food and lunch for the train.
Our hotel provided an extensive breakfast each morning. One day we ate at OMSI for lunch. The cafe there was actually quite good and had some healthy options. One day we ate at the Portland Saturday Market. For our dinners, we ended up ordering delivery two nights - once Hot Lips Pizza and once Chinese food. The other night we stopped off and picked up some sandwiches and sushi and a little place we happened to pass on the way back to our hotel.
Near the end of our visit, I noticed there is a Safeway right on the streetcar line (1030 SW Jefferson). If we would have realized sooner, we could have used it instead of some of the dinner deliveries.
One fun place we got to check out was the Pearl Bakery. The croissants we had were really good. We also stopped at the Whole Food right by Powells Books to get some food for the train ride home.
Maybe next time we will get to try some more of the cool sounding places Portland has to offer....
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Portland with Kids : Hotel Choice
We were very happy with our hotel choice - the Residence Inn - Portland Downtown/Riverplace. It is right on the streetcar line and right beside the last stop before you leave the fareless square on the south end of the line. There is a nice Riverwalk area heading north from there all the way up through Tom McCall waterfront park clear up to Chinatown.
We were able to easily walk over to OMSI which is in a sort of out of the way place not on the light rail or streetcar line. The streetcar crosses the light rail line, so it was super easy to get to anywhere else we wanted to go.
Our room was actually 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with a separate sitting area and full kitchen. There was actually a full refrigerator and a full dishwasher. There was even a table for 4 which really came in handy. It was very comfortable. The hotel had a very nice hot breakfast buffet that is included with the room which got our day off to a great start.
They also have a little grab-and-go area where you can pick up some things you need - like to address a late night ice cream craving! Another plus was the free wifi in the room. One of our favorite features was the pool which was never crowded and a great place to use a little time between activities or to make sure we used up all the kids energy before bedtime.
Our room was on the freeway side of the building and although the sounds did not really bother us, I would likely ask for a room on the other side next time. Something to consider if you are sensitive to sounds while sleeping. Besides that, this hotel is in such a quiet area, you don't get any of the city noises like you would closer to downtown.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
We were able to easily walk over to OMSI which is in a sort of out of the way place not on the light rail or streetcar line. The streetcar crosses the light rail line, so it was super easy to get to anywhere else we wanted to go.
Our room was actually 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms with a separate sitting area and full kitchen. There was actually a full refrigerator and a full dishwasher. There was even a table for 4 which really came in handy. It was very comfortable. The hotel had a very nice hot breakfast buffet that is included with the room which got our day off to a great start.
They also have a little grab-and-go area where you can pick up some things you need - like to address a late night ice cream craving! Another plus was the free wifi in the room. One of our favorite features was the pool which was never crowded and a great place to use a little time between activities or to make sure we used up all the kids energy before bedtime.
Our room was on the freeway side of the building and although the sounds did not really bother us, I would likely ask for a room on the other side next time. Something to consider if you are sensitive to sounds while sleeping. Besides that, this hotel is in such a quiet area, you don't get any of the city noises like you would closer to downtown.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Thursday, April 02, 2009
Riding the Train (Seattle to Portland)
Wow! How cool it is to ride the train. I could not get over how much more relaxing it is than flying or driving. Even though the train was full, there were no crowds or waiting except for the unfortunate seating assignment situation. There is no security process like when you fly and all the personnel I talked with were very kind. It probably helped I started every question with a big smile and, "This is our first time on the train..."
How to Get Tickets
I bought my tickets online at the Amtrak website. When you buy them, you print out a confirmation page with a barcode on it and take it when you go to the train station. I imagine you could check-in at the counter (where there was never a line) or you can do like I did and scan your barcode at the kiosk and get your tickets printed. You sign your tickets and then hang onto them until seating assignments are made (see below)
Checking Baggage
Check the Amtrak site for info on weight and size limts. If you get to the station in time (30 minutes before departure they say), you can check your bags. Ours were small enough that we could have carried them on but we went ahead and checked them so we would not have to deal with them. There was no line there either and it was very quick, you just show your tickets and they tag your bags for your destination. We put our small bags in the bins above our seats so we could get things out during the ride. But only small backpacks or briefcases really fit up there. Anything else you carry-on goes in the bins at the end of the car, and those bins looked pretty full. We had no trouble picking up our bags very quickly after we got off the train.
So you can buy your ticket in advance online, but you cannot get your seating assignments until you are at the station. Look around for the sign that says seating assigments. This is where people will line up and the train conductors with pass out the assignments. Note that only one member of the party has to stand in the line. I did that with the tickets while my husband was entertaining the kids in the station.
They start assigning them about 30 minutes before the departure time, but you may want to line up sooner. In Portland, we were there 15 minutes before that time, and the line was already quite long, so long that we did not get the kind of seats we wanted. Next time, I will plan to be there to line up 45-60 minutes before departure because I want to have my choice of seats (see below)
Where to sit
From Seattle to Portland we sat in 4 seats around a table (so 2 seats were backwards) It was so awesome. It was perfect for our family. Eating the lunch we brought from home was so convenient with the table and if we would have gotten a chance it would have been great for playing cards. The kids did a lot of drawing and coloring with the items they packed in their carry-ons and it was so nice to have the hard surface. If your kids are littler than mine (3.5 and 6), you may prefer the 4 facing seats without the table. Then they can climb in and out of your lap etc without the table in the way. The four seats together was so nice because both parents were able to engage with the kids and one did not get stuck with the kids while the other focused on driving.
From Portland to Seattle we set in two adjacent rows facing the same direction. That was not nearly as nice as it was hard to communicate and pass things over the high seat backs. Of course, you are not confined to your seat so it wasn't so hard to move around and get the things we needed. Next time, I would ask for 2 seats with the other 2 across the aisle instead of behind. I think that would be easier.
Just make a request when you get to the front of the line, they did seem to want to accommodate if possible.
Length of Ride
Our train trip was scheduled for 3 hours and 40 minutes. There was some variation depending on which train you scheduled to take. On the way down to Portland, we had to stop several times for maintenance on the tracks, so it took an additional 45 minutes. On the way back, we ran pretty much right on time. Even so, I don't think it takes quite that long to drive it.
Plus we walked about 30 minutes (fairly slow as the kids were on foot) to the bus stop and then took the bus about 20 minutes to the train station. So if you add up our transit time from home to hotel, it was quite a bit longer than driving.
Scenery
The views from the train were breathtaking. I could have spent the whole time looking out the windows at the mountains and water, other trains, trucks, cranes and all sorts of things. The kids attention span wasn't so long but they did enjoy the barges and tugs and trains we saw.
Food
We packed our own lunches for the train. On the way there, we brought it from home and on the way back we picked some things up at Whole Foods and a bakery. There is food available on the train but it is all prepackaged stuff and did not look particularly appealing. We did notice there was a bit of a line right at lunch time but it did die down a bit later.
Our train trip was scheduled for 3 hours and 40 minutes. There was some variation depending on which train you scheduled to take. On the way down to Portland, we had to stop several times for maintenance on the tracks, so it took an additional 45 minutes. On the way back, we ran pretty much right on time. Even so, I don't think it takes quite that long to drive it.
Plus we walked about 30 minutes (fairly slow as the kids were on foot) to the bus stop and then took the bus about 20 minutes to the train station. So if you add up our transit time from home to hotel, it was quite a bit longer than driving.
Scenery
The views from the train were breathtaking. I could have spent the whole time looking out the windows at the mountains and water, other trains, trucks, cranes and all sorts of things. The kids attention span wasn't so long but they did enjoy the barges and tugs and trains we saw.
Food
We packed our own lunches for the train. On the way there, we brought it from home and on the way back we picked some things up at Whole Foods and a bakery. There is food available on the train but it is all prepackaged stuff and did not look particularly appealing. We did notice there was a bit of a line right at lunch time but it did die down a bit later.
Comfort on the Ride
We thought the seats were very comfortable and enjoyed the ride. You could definitely feel the train moving, especially when you were walking around or trying to use the bathroom. The kids enjoyed exploring the train but did have a little trouble walking around as the train rocks and bumps a bit. I was a bit concerned before we went, but we did not have any trouble with motion sickness. The air felt a lot fresher than on an airplane and I did not feel as confined either.
We thought the seats were very comfortable and enjoyed the ride. You could definitely feel the train moving, especially when you were walking around or trying to use the bathroom. The kids enjoyed exploring the train but did have a little trouble walking around as the train rocks and bumps a bit. I was a bit concerned before we went, but we did not have any trouble with motion sickness. The air felt a lot fresher than on an airplane and I did not feel as confined either.
Bathrooms
Well, every parent wants to know the bathroom situation. The good news is that the bathrooms were plentiful on the train. There is one bathroom in each car (I think about 36 passengers per car). So there were no lines for the bathrooms. You could always walk to the next car if yours was occupied. Plus you are never confined to your seat so you can go whenever you need to with no pesky seatbelt signs! The bad news is that the bathrooms were tiny, just like airplane bathrooms. Not the most fun to try to squeeze into with a little one, but definitely do-able. My tip is don't back up to the sink to try to allow your preschooler to squeeze in as well or you may possibly get the back of your pants wet from the sink. Just a thought ;-)
Getting to and from the Station
The bus stop (5th and Jackson, or 4th and Jackson) is very close to the King Street Station in Seattle so it was totally easy to transfer from the bus to the train, even in the rain! We did not look into the bus routes in Portland, so we walked several blocks to the streetcar stop at 11th and Glisan and took it down to our hotel. Alternately, you could probably walk to the light rail too. You are in the fareless square at that point so you can just hop on either without buying a ticket.
Please let me know if you have any questions about riding the train.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Our Plan for Dining in Portland
When we travel, I generally pack as much as I can with us. Since we will be taking the bus and train down to Portland from the Seattle area, I will be somewhat limited in what I can take. I am planning to pack lunch to eat on the train on the way there.
Our hotel is supposed to serve a hot breakfast so I am hoping we will eat that each morning. I will supplement that with muffins and also bring other snacky items if we need something between meals. We will be eating lunch at our destinations, like the cafe at OMSI. Dinner we will try to hit some of the places that I have heard good things about.
I printed off this cool info sheet on the Pearl District and it lists several yummy sounding dinner options:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/usa/or/portland/itinerary/pearl-kids/
We might stop in somewhere that is not on my list, but I would much rather have some ideas before we go. I hate being hungry (or having hungry kids) and having trouble finding somewhere to eat.
I'd like to stop by Whole Foods before we leave and pack a picnic for the train ride home, or we may dine on the train. My general experience is that food is not good in that kind of setting but I have not ridden Amtrak before.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Our hotel is supposed to serve a hot breakfast so I am hoping we will eat that each morning. I will supplement that with muffins and also bring other snacky items if we need something between meals. We will be eating lunch at our destinations, like the cafe at OMSI. Dinner we will try to hit some of the places that I have heard good things about.
I printed off this cool info sheet on the Pearl District and it lists several yummy sounding dinner options:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/usa/or/portland/itinerary/pearl-kids/
We might stop in somewhere that is not on my list, but I would much rather have some ideas before we go. I hate being hungry (or having hungry kids) and having trouble finding somewhere to eat.
I'd like to stop by Whole Foods before we leave and pack a picnic for the train ride home, or we may dine on the train. My general experience is that food is not good in that kind of setting but I have not ridden Amtrak before.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Portland Trip with Kids Plan - Spring 2009
Well, I basically have a plan for our Portland weekend. I have sifted through tons of information about activities in Portland and basically listed them in priority order. Then I take a look at our calendar and try to piece them in like a puzzle. Some of the lower priority items are listed as optional depending on how our days is going. Some possibilities are that the kids are exhausted and need to relax some, or an activity is not as interesting as we had hoped and we have to move on. I am the kind of person that has to have a plan, but I also know I have to be flexible and adapt as we go.
Unfortunately, we ended up shaving one day from our trip, and the train ride is eating up a bit more of our day than we realized so we don't have a ton of time. (My mind has already started wandering to when we might go again!) So here is my list....
Top Priorities:
OMSI
World Forestry Center
Optional:
Zoo or Children's Museum (Weather?)
Chinese Garden
Powells
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Unfortunately, we ended up shaving one day from our trip, and the train ride is eating up a bit more of our day than we realized so we don't have a ton of time. (My mind has already started wandering to when we might go again!) So here is my list....
Top Priorities:
OMSI
World Forestry Center
Optional:
Zoo or Children's Museum (Weather?)
Chinese Garden
Powells
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Choosing a Hotel in Portland
I have finally decided on a hotel to stay at in Portland when we travel down there with the kids next month. There are so many factors to consider that it took me a while to sort through the options and figure out what our priorities are.
If price or location were the top priority, we would have gone with one of the smaller hotels right in downtown or the Pearl district, but many of the rooms seemed quite small with 2 double beds very close together.
We came very close to choosing the Embassy Suites hotel. It is just two blocks from the light rail line and pretty close in. I was liking it because of the separate bedroom and sitting room, the hot breakfast included and the pool.
In the end, we decided to go with the Residence Inn - Portland Downtown/Riverplace. This is the reason why. The #1 reason that we do not travel more is sleep. My kids are fabulous sleepers at home but usually we have some sort of trouble when traveling, especially with falling asleep. If my husband and I do not get our sleep at night, we are very tired and have a hard time enjoying our vacation.
At this point, it is mainly the younger one, so I am hoping in a few years this will not be as big a factor. So for now, the lure of a 2 bedroom suite was too much to resist. There are actually 2 separate bedrooms and a sitting room so we will have plenty of space and the sleeping experience will be much more similar to home. And if someone has trouble, we have a much better chance for most everyone else to stay asleep. With all that space it is not the cheapest option but it turned out to be cheaper than the 1 bedroom suites at the Embassy Suites.
(The weekday rate is astronomical but the weekend AAA rate is quite affordable.)
The Residence Inn also has a pool and a hot breakfast included plus a bonus of high speed internet. So really the only factor I was concerned about is location. It is not as close in to downtown as the other hotels I was looking at. But it is right at a streetcar stop so we can take it up to the light rail line or very close to the train station. Also we are devoting one full day to OMSI and we can just walk there from the hotel.
(Side note: This is a popular way to get to OMSI anyway if you don't have a car... take the streetcar to the same stop and then walk over the Hawthorne Bridge. If we had picked the Embassy Suites, then I was going to look into bus routes but we might possibly have taken the same walk)
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
If price or location were the top priority, we would have gone with one of the smaller hotels right in downtown or the Pearl district, but many of the rooms seemed quite small with 2 double beds very close together.
We came very close to choosing the Embassy Suites hotel. It is just two blocks from the light rail line and pretty close in. I was liking it because of the separate bedroom and sitting room, the hot breakfast included and the pool.
In the end, we decided to go with the Residence Inn - Portland Downtown/Riverplace. This is the reason why. The #1 reason that we do not travel more is sleep. My kids are fabulous sleepers at home but usually we have some sort of trouble when traveling, especially with falling asleep. If my husband and I do not get our sleep at night, we are very tired and have a hard time enjoying our vacation.
At this point, it is mainly the younger one, so I am hoping in a few years this will not be as big a factor. So for now, the lure of a 2 bedroom suite was too much to resist. There are actually 2 separate bedrooms and a sitting room so we will have plenty of space and the sleeping experience will be much more similar to home. And if someone has trouble, we have a much better chance for most everyone else to stay asleep. With all that space it is not the cheapest option but it turned out to be cheaper than the 1 bedroom suites at the Embassy Suites.
(The weekday rate is astronomical but the weekend AAA rate is quite affordable.)
The Residence Inn also has a pool and a hot breakfast included plus a bonus of high speed internet. So really the only factor I was concerned about is location. It is not as close in to downtown as the other hotels I was looking at. But it is right at a streetcar stop so we can take it up to the light rail line or very close to the train station. Also we are devoting one full day to OMSI and we can just walk there from the hotel.
(Side note: This is a popular way to get to OMSI anyway if you don't have a car... take the streetcar to the same stop and then walk over the Hawthorne Bridge. If we had picked the Embassy Suites, then I was going to look into bus routes but we might possibly have taken the same walk)
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Traveling from Seattle to Portland by Train
We are super excited about going down to Portland in a month or so. I just love the idea of going somewhere close and fairly simple and enjoying a little bit of adventure.
The simplest way to go is by car for sure and that is what we have done in the past. The best thing about that is the schedule flexibility. Plus it is even faster to drive than to take the train. Even without adding in the time it will take us to ride the bus to the train station. So why on earth are we trying the train this time?
Adventure - this is way more exciting than driving the old family car down
that boring stretch of I-5
Train enthusiasm - my kids love trains and all things transportation related
Environmental - one less car on the road
I would have loved to add Economics to the list but the big question is --
Is it cheaper to take the train?
I don't think so.
There are many hotel deals that you can swing and not have to pay for parking, but if you don't find one of those then you will pay $20/day to park if you drive there. (So this depends somewhat on how long you are staying.) And of course if we drive there, we will have to pay for gas. Gas prices are pretty reasonable right now so I don't think that would be more than $50.
So we are saving $110 by taking the train and the train is going to cost around $150.
We'll let you know how it goes and if we recommend taking the train from Seattle to Portland.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
The simplest way to go is by car for sure and that is what we have done in the past. The best thing about that is the schedule flexibility. Plus it is even faster to drive than to take the train. Even without adding in the time it will take us to ride the bus to the train station. So why on earth are we trying the train this time?
Adventure - this is way more exciting than driving the old family car down
that boring stretch of I-5
Train enthusiasm - my kids love trains and all things transportation related
Environmental - one less car on the road
I would have loved to add Economics to the list but the big question is --
Is it cheaper to take the train?
I don't think so.
There are many hotel deals that you can swing and not have to pay for parking, but if you don't find one of those then you will pay $20/day to park if you drive there. (So this depends somewhat on how long you are staying.) And of course if we drive there, we will have to pay for gas. Gas prices are pretty reasonable right now so I don't think that would be more than $50.
So we are saving $110 by taking the train and the train is going to cost around $150.
We'll let you know how it goes and if we recommend taking the train from Seattle to Portland.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Hiking In Portland
When we decided to visit Portland, I requested a pile of books from our local library. I am loving looking through them all, even if it is a bit overkill for such a short trip. I just like to know what my options are and also just enjoying looking at travel books.
The ones I am looking through today are Portland Forest Hikes and Portland City Walks.
Our family really enjoys "hiking." I put it in quotes because some people may call what we do "walking" with 2 young children. But we really enjoy doing active things and like to have some options on vacations that do not involve crowds and spending money. So that is why I requested these two books - one on walking in the city and one with nearby nature hikes.
Portland City Walks looks like it has a lot of good information in it. But dragging the kids along city streets for several miles has the potential to go poorly. I am going to hang onto this book so we can maybe do sections of walks that correspond with where we will be walking anyway.
Portland Forest Hikes also looks like a really handy guide. I quickly sifted through the hikes and came up with 2 options (there are 20 in the book) that meet my requirements for length, elevation gain and ability to get there via public transit. (More on how we will not have our car later!) The two hikes I found (#1 and #5) are 3 miles or less and reachable via TriMet bus.
I'll have to add these ideas to my growing list of possibilities which I will need to narrow down at some point.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
The ones I am looking through today are Portland Forest Hikes and Portland City Walks.
Our family really enjoys "hiking." I put it in quotes because some people may call what we do "walking" with 2 young children. But we really enjoy doing active things and like to have some options on vacations that do not involve crowds and spending money. So that is why I requested these two books - one on walking in the city and one with nearby nature hikes.
Portland City Walks looks like it has a lot of good information in it. But dragging the kids along city streets for several miles has the potential to go poorly. I am going to hang onto this book so we can maybe do sections of walks that correspond with where we will be walking anyway.
Portland Forest Hikes also looks like a really handy guide. I quickly sifted through the hikes and came up with 2 options (there are 20 in the book) that meet my requirements for length, elevation gain and ability to get there via public transit. (More on how we will not have our car later!) The two hikes I found (#1 and #5) are 3 miles or less and reachable via TriMet bus.
I'll have to add these ideas to my growing list of possibilities which I will need to narrow down at some point.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Ideas for Portland, OR trip
I think this trip to Portland is going to be a lot of fun. There seem to be so many places to visit. Right now I am trying to list all the places we might want to go, and then see how many days we need.
I noticed they have an Attractions Pass available which seems like it could be a good deal, depending of course on how many of the places you were planning on going.
Here are the ideas I have so far:
I noticed they have an Attractions Pass available which seems like it could be a good deal, depending of course on how many of the places you were planning on going.
Here are the ideas I have so far:
- Farmers Market- Sat or Sunday
- Waterfront Park and Maritime Museum
- OMSI
- Washington Park - Zoo, Children's Museum, World Forestry Center Discovery Museum
- Hoyt Arboretum
- Downtown Fountains
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Resources for Portland Activities with Kids
Here are a few internet resources to take a look at to get ideas of things to do with the kids in Portland.
www.metro-parent.com - This is a local parent magazine. You can view the current issue online which includes a calendar of events for the month. Right now the Jan issue is up but I am going to check back closer to our trip and see what is going on the week we will be there. I already learned a few neat things, like OMSI has a cheap admission fee the first Sunday of the month.
They also have the results up from their reader survey of family favorites for all sorts of categories here.
There is another local magazine - Portland Family - that also allows you to view the issue online and check out their event calendar.
This blog - http://www.pdxfamilyadventures.com/ - looks cool too. It goes into lots of details about each attraction it mentions. I love that so I can feel really prepared. It reviews favorably several attractions like the Forestry Center that I was curious about but had never talked to anyone who had been before. Looks like a great resource!
I think at this point I have way too many ideas of what to do on our trip. It is amazing how much information is out there!
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
www.metro-parent.com - This is a local parent magazine. You can view the current issue online which includes a calendar of events for the month. Right now the Jan issue is up but I am going to check back closer to our trip and see what is going on the week we will be there. I already learned a few neat things, like OMSI has a cheap admission fee the first Sunday of the month.
They also have the results up from their reader survey of family favorites for all sorts of categories here.
There is another local magazine - Portland Family - that also allows you to view the issue online and check out their event calendar.
This blog - http://www.pdxfamilyadventures.com/ - looks cool too. It goes into lots of details about each attraction it mentions. I love that so I can feel really prepared. It reviews favorably several attractions like the Forestry Center that I was curious about but had never talked to anyone who had been before. Looks like a great resource!
I think at this point I have way too many ideas of what to do on our trip. It is amazing how much information is out there!
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Portland Oregon with Kids in December 2007
As we plan a trip for this Spring to Portland with the kids, I am trying to think back on the details of our last trip to Portland. We had a really great visit and have been planning on heading back down there ever since.
Our last trip was quite different than this one, as it was completely spur of the moment. We had a big windstorm and lost our power and decided to take a road trip down to Portland where we would have electricity (it was mainly HEAT we wanted.)
We stayed in Vancouver that time and drove a short distance to a park-n-ride at a light rail station and headed into downtown Portland . That first place we hit was the visitors center at Pioneer Courthouse Square and talked to an incredibly helpful lady. This was so crucial since we had not had time to plan in advance.
Our last trip was quite different than this one, as it was completely spur of the moment. We had a big windstorm and lost our power and decided to take a road trip down to Portland where we would have electricity (it was mainly HEAT we wanted.)
We stayed in Vancouver that time and drove a short distance to a park-n-ride at a light rail station and headed into downtown Portland . That first place we hit was the visitors center at Pioneer Courthouse Square and talked to an incredibly helpful lady. This was so crucial since we had not had time to plan in advance.
Location: 701 S.W. Sixth Ave. at Morrison St.
Open Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.;
Closed Sun. November - April.
Call 503.275.8355 or toll-free 1.87.PORTLAND (1.877.678.5263).
I don't remember the details but I do remember lots of public transportation which was a treat for the kids. We enjoyed riding the light rail and the street car. The Children's Museum was a big hit. The big downer of the trip was it was FREEZING outside. Literally the highs were in the low 30s and it was so windy. We just bundled up and made the best of it but it did put a damper on the activities we could do.
It was a pretty short trip but this time we will have more time AND hopefully the weather will be significantly warmer! We are looking forward to seeing what else there is to see there.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Traveling to Portland , Oregon with Kids
We are super excited to be heading back to Portland for a family vacation this Spring. We live in the Seattle area so it is not too far away but is a really fun city to visit.
I am right in the midst of the early stages of planning. I went to the library website and requested some very recent travel books for the Portland area. I am excited to see what kind of fun activities I will run across in those. I also did some looking around on the internet.
These links were especially helpful:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/usa/or/portland/
(There are also lots of other blog entries here on visiting Portland with kids, not just this really useful looking City Guide)
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9801E2D81E31F935A25750C0A9619C8B63
http://www.travelportland.com/
I plan on adding more posts on this as we make decisions about how we are getting there and where we will stay and what activities we will try to fit in.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
I am right in the midst of the early stages of planning. I went to the library website and requested some very recent travel books for the Portland area. I am excited to see what kind of fun activities I will run across in those. I also did some looking around on the internet.
These links were especially helpful:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/travel/usa/or/portland/
(There are also lots of other blog entries here on visiting Portland with kids, not just this really useful looking City Guide)
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9801E2D81E31F935A25750C0A9619C8B63
http://www.travelportland.com/
I plan on adding more posts on this as we make decisions about how we are getting there and where we will stay and what activities we will try to fit in.
*Note: I have written a bunch of posts about Portland so if you want to read more, click on the Portland Label at the end of the post, and you will see all the Portland entries.
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