Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  We finally returned to The Stoneworks Gym in Beaverton, OR, and I’m happy to report that it’s still the same quality business that it was 3 years ago.  Super friendly, helpful, excellent instruction, unpretentious, and no attitude whatsoever from fellow climbers.  If your kids have never climbed before, Stoneworks Gym is an excellent place to learn the basics!  Matt Spohn, the gym manager and son of the owner, takes the family business seriously.  It’s obvious that his first priority is customer service, which translates into a pleasant environment.

     Email Post   Print Page    

A Portland Trail Blazer game is fun for the whole family! There are many packages and ticket options for families.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  On our ever continuing 2011 skatepark tour, we managed to find this gem in Vancouver, WA.  Ripzu has been open about a year and a half, but it seems like a brand new facility to me. Everything is in excellent condition with a superior riding surface and one of the nicest layouts for beginning riders in the Portland area.  

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love: Portland has some great burgers, and we’ve sampled many of them.  Is “Little Big Burger” Portland’s best?  I don’t know, but it’s currently my favorite spot to indulge in a burger and fries.  My kids love it too, and even though very cramped, it’s a kid-friendly spot (two locations).

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love: I feel rather ashamed that it has taken me so long to highlight our exceptional Portland Art Museum. It’s not like I haven’t taken my kids there in the past four years – I have…really! It’s just that with two young boys, a visit to an art museum is usually not high on the adventure list. I feel like you have to use this type of activity strategically; perhaps, visiting when there is an exhibit that appeals to children. That’s EXACTLY what is happening now at the Portland Art Museum!

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  The Mosier Tunnels are locate just outside Mosier, Oregon and are a couple of exits east of Hood River, Oregon.  Located high up on bluff, they are part of what used to be the old Columbia Gorge highway.  This roadway is now closed to cars for an impressive 4.7 miles, which will bring you all the way back to Hood River.  This is a perfect destination for a family bike ride, especially when combined with so many other destinations nearby. 

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  My band for kids and families (The Toy Trains) recently had a show at The Curious Comedy Theater with other local “Kindie” artists Johnny & Jason and Mo Phillips.  Check-out the video clips below in the text of the article.  I wanted to do a short write-up about this wonderful little (non-profit) theater that provides a wide variety of comedy shows and special shows just for kids and families.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love: I’m republishing this article because The Circuit now has a Northeast location (410 NE 17th Ave.) as well as their SW Macadam location (6050 SW Macadam Ave).  The NE location is EVEN BIGGER than their Macadam spot, which is hard to believe.  Also, the NE location has more kid-friendly climbing with a cool slide and bridge structure.  I’ve included some pictures and a video clip.

Over the years, The Circuit has been one of my absolute favorite indoor places to take my oldest son (now 7). We were going so often that I had to get a yearly membership, which can be paid monthly via automatic debit (nice!). This is an amazing experience for young children, and we started our first son here when he was around two years old. Bouldering is a form of climbing where there is no need for a rope due to the fact that you’re never very far off the ground. The emphasis is practicing and mastering hard sequences of moves.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  I have to confess – I’ve spent most of my 42 years not caring too much about soccer, and I still don’t know much about the game.  However, when the Portland Timbers joined the ranks of Major League Soccer and the old PGE Park was renovated (becoming Jeld-Wen Field), I found myself drawn into the Timbers’ incredible fan base.  I watched footage from the first game on YouTube and now find myself listening to the games on a little radio I purchased.  As I listened, my curiosity kept growing – I needed to know more about what was going on inside that stadium!  

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  ”Functional Fitness” is a trendy term these days.  What does it mean?  I’m sure I could gather many definitions from practicioners, teachers, and students.  To me, it means exercising in dynamic/non-linear ways like rolling, tumbling, climbing, twisting, turning, jumping, leaping, grasping, etc.  Most importantly, the movements have to be done with a mindful intent on the technique.  Oh yeah, it MUST be fun!  It’s the type of fitness that makes you feel like a kid again.  Revolution Parkour houses one of the first Parkour Academies in the country and after experiencing a course first-hand with my 7-year old son, I can certainly attest to the “having fun” aspect.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  The weather is getting nice!  If you’re looking for a relatively-flat, straight, paved, bike path for a nice family cruise, the Marine Drive section of Portland’s “40 Mile Loop Trail” is a good option.  The roughly 12+ miles of paved path parallels Marine Drive in North Portland, right alongside the Columbia River.  

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  Open just a couple of weeks now (Grand Opening on Tuesday, March 29th, 3PM to 9PM), we spent nearly 3-hours at John’s Incredible Pizza playing games, enjoying the rides, and eating.  This place is HUGE (46,000 square feet) with over 110 games, but it’s the little things that actually make John’s worth a visit.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  Love art at home but hate the mess and clean-up?  Simple solution – turn your kids loose inside the Art Factory of the Children’s Healing Art Project.  It’s sort of like being inside Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory but with paint, brushes, push carts, and colorful smocks.  Don’t be afraid to make a masterpiece or a mess.  All the while, know that your dollars are helping fund an innovative nonprofit that helps ailing children and their families.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  Playdate PDX features a 7500 square foot indoor play space for kids, which is certainly one of the nicest I’ve seen in the last three years of Portland Family Adventures.  The facility is perfect for parents who want to both interact with their kids and relax a bit.  The business model is another home run in a town that offers so many great opportunities for families.

     Email Post   Print Page    

Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve is just outside downtown Hillsboro, Oregon. It’s a nice location for hiking with younger children and viewing birds/wildlife. There is a beautiful Education Center with a gift shop and exhibit hall.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  Foster Burger hand-grinds local (Lexington, Oregon) beef into some of the best burgers we’ve had in Portland.  They are just ridiculously good.  If you don’t believe me, perhaps you’ll believe Bon Appetit Magazine who named Foster Burger as one of the Top 10 Best New Burger spots for 2010!  “Burgers here taste of local artisanal ingredients: house-ground beef from Lindsey Ranch, Beecher’s cheddar, and Rogue Creamery blue cheese.“ The buns are made in-house as well as pickled vegetables, hand-cut fries, and some very good coleslaw.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  File this under “MUST VISIT NOW!”  This place is AMAZING!  Even a week after the visit, our kids were still talking about it, and I’m trying to fully grasp and articulate our experience.  I cannot believe we hadn’t visited these incredible museums.  Out in what seems like the middle of nowhere, Portlanders have access to aviation and spaces museums that rival anything you’d see at Cape Canaveral or Washington D.C., or anywhere else for that matter.  These museums are squeaky clean, full of helpful volunteers, and will literally make you just stare around in awe.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  When we used to live in Northeast Portland, we’d frequent Fernhill Park with our dog.  As you can see, there is PLENTY of green space for romping, stomping, running, and jumping.  With the tall trees providing cover on the north end, this is a stunning park and the perfect destination if you feel like you need a little space.

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  Located just to the west (and below) Sellwood Park, Sellwood Riverfront Park often gets passed-up as bikers cruise the Springwater Corridor and cars zip by on the way to Oaks Amusement Park , Oaks Rollerskating Rink, or hiking in the nearby Wildlife Refuge.  Too bad!  Just like many inner southeast parks, this is one you don’t want to miss. 

     Email Post   Print Page    

What’s to Love:  North Portland – so many parks, so little time!  Yes, Columbia Park is awesome, and it has a pool.  Pier Park has a pool, an 18-hole disc golf course, and an amazing skatepark.  Of course, there is Peninsula Park, Smith & Bybee Wetlands,  Kelley Point Park, and many other little gems scattered across “the Gateway to Nature.”  How does Kenton Park rate?  Well, if they were to add a new playstructure, Kenton Park would be right on-par with the many beautiful parks in North Portland.  Chances are, if you don’t live in North Portland, Kenton Park isn’t even on your radar – until now!