Central Washington & Mountains
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Last-Minute Kid-friendly Winter Escapes in Washington & Oregon
It’s not too late to go somewhere for winter vacation. Here’s a quick rundown (and a few opinions) on Destination Resorts’ getaway options in our area. SUNRIVER RESORT Web: Sunriver Resort Location: Central Oregon Phone: 541-593-1000 Sunriver Resort is my favorite property in our region. This winter, Sunriver is offering over 100 workshops, camps and childcare options through “Traditions.” Among the offerings: sleigh rides, snowshoe and caving tours, magic shows and Fort Funnigan (both of my kids gave the Fort their approval). I love the new indoor pool, generously sized condos, solid dining options and all the great options in Bend. It’s close to Mt. Bachelor, too, for the fresh-powder fans. Sample…
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Hotel Review: Suncadia with kids
I’ve often cast a covetous eye at friends’ photos of Suncadia Resort, a lodge-style, kid-friendly stay just east of the Cascade Mountain range. About 90 minutes from Seattle, this resort offers houses, condos, suite-style rooms and hotel rooms on 6,400 acres of pine-spiked landscape. Obviously, it’s time for a review. We stayed in the Lodge One Bedroom, a 870-square-foot suite-style option in the main 254-room Lodge at Suncadia. The kitchen was marble-trimmed, with real wood cabinetry and stainless steel fridge, dishwasher and range. The high-ceiling living room featured a gas fireplace and stunning views of the Cascade range. The bathroom was so big I could drive my Honda inside. The bedroom…
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Leavenworth: Washington’s Bavaria
Recently, I went on an article-scouting trip to Leavenworth, Washington with the family. We had a wonderful time. So wonderful that by Saturday evening, I began picking up real estate fliers. Here’s a (very brief!) introduction to the little town, located about two hours northeast of Seattle. I’ll write up a guide to Leavenworth with kids soon, I promise. I took all of these photos with the Hipstamatic App for the iPhone. I recommend it! To see more photos of family travel, check out DeliciousBaby’s Photo Friday.
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Northern Exposure: Kid-friendly picks in Roslyn, Washington
Drive 90 minutes east of Seattle along I-90, and you’re transported into another era. In Roslyn, Washington, two blocks of false-front wooden storefronts stand shakily across the street from one another, like cowboys frozen in a standoff since the early 1900s. Docile, fat dogs wander through town, begging for scraps from restaurants. Shacks – once houses – look like they’re ready to collapse into the earth’s embrace. Chill winds race down the mountain and wipe the smile off of your face. To live in Roslyn, Washington, you have to be a little tough. And that is awesome. But these few blocks also yield a wine store, a natural foods shop,…
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Who’s Petrified Now? Washington’s Gingko Forest
The forest wasn’t petrified. I was petrified. You know you’re not in Western Washington any more when you see this sign like this one… Today (March 19, 2010), the Gingko Petrified Forest State Park in Vantage, Washington reopens after a winter hiatus. In contrast to Western Washington’s rainy, temperate climate, Vantage’s climate reflects its Central Washington location, just east of the towering Cascade Mountain Range. It’s darn dry here. Millions of years ago, this area was lush and damp, a swamp-filled rainforest dripping with tropical-looking plants and giant gingko trees. Then volcanic eruptions and massive floods tore through the region, burying artifacts in soil and stone. Today, the Gingko Petrified Forest’s…
