Sellwood Pool
By admin | July 5, 2008
What’s to Love: I hope people who live near the pool don’t hate me for writing this article. Why would they hate me? It’s simple - they don’t want the best outdoor pool in Portland any more crowded than it already is! Actually, to think the Sellwood Pool is some top secret location known only to insiders is a bit naive. Everything you’ve heard (if it’s tremendously positive) is most likely true. We all know Sellwood Park is gorgeous, and the pool is the perfect extension for summer fun.
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Peninsula Park
By admin | June 22, 2008
What’s to Love: A stunning park in north Portland, Peninsula Park offers the whole family something to do with both indoor and outdoor activities. The rose garden is certainly on-par with the rose garden at Washington Park. This is my favorite park in north Portland, and it’s definitely worth a drive or bike ride to get there. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Fountains, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Powell Butte - Mountain Biking
By admin | June 13, 2008
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What’s to Love: I moved to Portland from one of the best mountain biking cities in the country - Durango, Colorado. I used to ride endless single-track right from my doorstep, and I lived just blocks from downtown. I miss the Durango sunshine, but I miss the epic mountain bike rides the most. Within the city limits of Portland, Powell Butte is the best cure for “single track fever.” Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biking, Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | 3 Comments »
Memorial Park - Wilsonville
By admin | June 9, 2008
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What’s to Love: I visited this park twice with my son in June, 2008, and I know we’ll be back again soon. I was looking for a park with plenty of open green-space to launch our model rocket (see video below). I noticed that Memorial Park looked like the biggest park in the Wilsonville area, so we headed over to check it out. I don’t think I’ve ever been so shocked by the quality and design of a park. I highly recommend visiting this park! Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biking, Fountains, Parks Playgrounds Pools, Wilsonville | No Comments »
Brooklyn Park
By admin | June 4, 2008
What’s to Love: Brooklyn park is a (relatively) small neighborhood park in inner-southeast Portland. Mostly, this is your basic Portland Park with somewhat outdated play structures, slides, water feature, picnic benches, swings, merry-go-round, etc. However, there are a couple of interesting points to make about Brooklyn Park that might make you want to go out of your way for a visit. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Cedar Hills Park
By admin | May 30, 2008
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What’s to Love: Cedar Hills Park is a quaint little park right off the very busy “Cedar Hills Boulevard” close to Beaverton. While the actual playground equipment is somewhat sparse, the park does have a few nice features that make it worth a visit. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools, SW Cities | No Comments »
Salmon Creek Park/Trail
By admin | May 26, 2008
What’s to Love: When we moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1999, we couldn’t find affordable rent in Portland, so we ended-up in Vancouver. After hanging out in Portland, we realized that it was a much better match for us. Thus, we left Vancouver after about 3-4 months with a pretty unfavorable impression of the area. Indeed, Vancouver (the ‘couv’) takes quite a bit of punishment from Portlanders. However, in terms of outdoor recreation (specifically bicycling on paved-paths), Vancouver has many opportunities that mirror Portland’s excellent reputation as a “biking town.” Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Fishing, Fishing Spots, Fountains, Parks Playgrounds Pools, Vancouver | 2 Comments »
Commonwealth Lake Park
By admin | May 18, 2008
What’s to Love: What’s to love? How about my first “highlight video!” Wooohooo! I can’t believe I actually got this up and running finally. You’ll see most of my new posts with a short video clip. Anyway…Commonwealth Lake Park…hmmmm…weird place, I must admit. However, I don’t mean that in a negative way. As far as parks go, let’s just say it’s somewhat unique. Basically, it’s a man-made lake surrounded by an upper-middle-class neighborhood.
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Topics: Fishing, Fishing Spots, Parks Playgrounds Pools, Wildlife Viewing | 5 Comments »
George Rogers Park
By admin | May 6, 2008
What’s to Love: George Rogers Park is located on the south side of downtown Lake Oswego. If you live in Portland, it’s worth the drive. This is definitely a “destination park” featuring hiking and biking trails, an easy-to-find Letterbox, an interesting historical past, a decent beach, tennis courts, big baseball field, and some of the nicest picnic benches and grills you’ll find in a park setting. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biking, Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Sewallcrest Park
By admin | April 28, 2008
What’s to Love: Another “pesticide-free” park in Portland! While that is an attractive feature at Sewallcrest Park, for my son it’s all about the “corkscrew slide.” Sometimes, he calls it the “curly slide.” Whatever your kids may call it, they will certainly be amazed by this old relic. When my son first saw this slide, he just looked at me and said, “Whoa!” Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Mt. Tabor Park
By admin | April 27, 2008
What’s to Love: Mt. Tabor Park is another showpiece destination within Portland city limits. This park has it all - including stellar hikes, mountain biking, road biking, closed-roads on certain days/times, beautiful views, and at times…serenity. We have been going to Mt. Tabor park for years, and we still seem to find new nooks and crannies to explore. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Wilshire Park
By admin | April 26, 2008
What’s to Love: Wilshire Park is a quaint (NE) neighborhood park. It has a trail that rings the outside where people like to jog and walk their dogs. It’s also one of the friendlier dog-parks in Portland. We used to live in the Beaumont Village area of Portland and this was our local park. It’s probably not worth a trip from outer-southeast Portland, but if you’re in the northeast, bring the family by for some fun. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Rose Garden Children’s Park
By admin | April 25, 2008
What’s to Love: This is arguably the best outdoor play structure in Portland. Although a bit dated in some spots, this incredible maze of ramps, slides, swings, seated rockers, etc…will keep you and your kids endlessly entertained. We’ve been taking my son to this spot for about 4 years now, and he still loves it when we’re there, and hates it when we leave. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Lair Hill Park
By admin | April 20, 2008
What’s to Love: As you’ll see, I have plenty of caveats for this park. However, there is a BIG plus to this park - the grounds are totally pesticide-free! This is pretty impressive, because I could only find two other parks in all of “environmentally friendly” Portland that can carry that same title. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Willamette Park
By admin | April 19, 2008
What’s to Love: Willamette Park sports a healthy variety of activities for the whole family. I found the entire area to be well-kept and clean. Recently, park personnel installed a new play structure, which was badly needed. As you can see in one of the pictures, it has a low-to-the-ground set of monkey bars, which is a nice find in Portland. However, For those of you who like old-school-playground-equipment (e.g., metal slides, teeter-totters, merry-go-rounds, etc.), don’t worry, they kept the old playground equipment down at the south end of the park. The new structure isn’t very big, but it’s adequate.
Topics: Biking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Waluga Park, East
By admin | March 8, 2008
What’s to Love: Waluga park (east off Quarry Rd.) has a quaint little playground designed specifically for kids 6 and younger. The playground has a structure for older kids, and one for younger toddlers. We just sort of stumbled onto this property by accident, and it’s worth a stop if you’re in the area. There is plenty of shade, a drinking fountain with really good water, a covered picnic area, and a paved biking path. Because it’s tucked into a wooded neighborhood, this park feels like it’s out in the country.
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools, SW Cities | No Comments »
Springbrook Park/Uplands Elementary
By admin | March 8, 2008
What’s to Love: My son and I stumbled upon this little gem while touring (outer) SW parks and playgrounds. We were headed to see “Springbrook Park,” but ended up pulling into Uplands Elementary School. We were pleasantly surprised by the awesome playground structures (see pictures). Lucky for us, there were two trailheads at opposite ends of the playground that led directly into Springbrook Park.
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools, SW Cities, Wildlife Viewing | No Comments »
Laurelhurst Park
By admin | February 29, 2008
What’s to Love: If Sellwood park is the crown jewel of outer-southeast Portland, then Laurelhurst park is the crown jewel of inner-southeast Portland. Sellwood park is our family favorite, but Laurelhurst is probably the most beautiful park in Portland. There is plenty of green space for frisbee or frisbee golf, large trees for shading a gigantic picnic area, ducks in a serene pond, a paved walking path that rings the entire park, a community-events center, a small water feature, tennis courts, and a playground for the kids.
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | 2 Comments »
Westmoreland Park
By admin | February 19, 2008
What’s to Love: This park has a little bit of everything you’re looking for in a family park. There is enough room for flying a kite, a game of volleyball, kickball, basketball, soccer or baseball. A flowing stream with bridges and large ponds attracts an abundance of birds, and there are some nice grassy areas under massive cedar trees for kicking back and relaxing. The casting pond was designed for sailing remote-model ships. It’s fun just watching these small sailboats drift in the wind.
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
North Clackamas Aquatic Park
By admin | January 16, 2008
What’s to Love: Simply stated, this is the nicest facility for swimming and water-fun in the Portland area. The biggest attraction is probably the wave pool, which generates some pretty nice cruising waves. Their water slides are gigantic (one is a fully enclosed tube), the under 5 area has the best kiddie-slide, there is a rock climbing wall with an auto-belay feature, and the changing/public areas are clean and well kept. The design of this aquatic park will keep the whole family busy.
Topics: Indoor Activities, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Hoyt Arboretum - Loop Hike
By admin | January 6, 2008
What’s to Love: The Hoyt Arboretum is one of our favorite hiking locations. If you haven’t visited the Hoyt, you’re family is missing out on some great fun. The trails are well marked and maintained, there are plenty of opportunities for various loop-hikes, and it’s located right near the Zoo, Children’s Museum, World Forestry Center, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden and Washington Park. The Arboretum is the showpiece for the entire Washington Park area. What more could you ask for in a destination?
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | 3 Comments »
Grant Park
By admin | December 11, 2007
What’s to Love: Grant Park is a fine neighborhood park that doesn’t get overrun with too many kids. Overall, it has some nice features; however, I don’t think it’s in the same league as Sellwood Park or Laurelhurst Park. If you’re in the area though, it’s worth a stop - it does have an outdoor swimming pool, which is open to the public in warmer months. The pool has a 25 yard shallow area for kids with a kiddie slide. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | 2 Comments »
Portland Waldorf School
By admin | December 3, 2007
What’s to Love: I will admit my bias right off the bat - I love Waldorf education, and the Portland Waldorf classrooms are incredibly warm and charming. If you’re thinking of Waldorf edcation, touring this school in Milwaukie is absolutely mandatory! It’s really something to behold.
My goal here is not to sell you on Waldorf education or this particular school. I do want to sell you on the quality of the playground! Wow! If you haven’t been there yet with your kids, you should definitely make a trip over during a summer evening. All the equipment is practically brand new, there is plenty of room for frisbee or a soccer game, and they have a stream with a bridge leading to some areas for toddlers and kindergarten/pre-k kids. The grounds are well maintained, and it’s obvious that the someone is doing a lot of work to keep this place in tip-top-shape. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Sellwood Park
By admin | December 1, 2007
What’s to Love: As far as I’m concerned, this is the crown jewel of far-southeast Portland. We ride our bikes to this park all the time, and it’s my son’s favorite park. I love many Portland parks, but Sellwood is my favorite as well. This park has an one of the nicest public swimming pools with a great section for toddlers and beginning swimmers. The play structures at the park are practically in new condition with a nice structure for early walkers. There are plenty of monkey bars, swings and slides to keep big kids interested. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Oaks Amusement Park
By admin | November 28, 2007
What’s to Love: In 2005, Oaks celebrated its 100th consecutive year in operation making it the oldest amusement park in the country (source)! While impressive, that’s not the reason to bring you kids here. The reason to bring your kids here is that it’s a great time! Your money supports a local Portland institution, AND the park has perfect rides for every age group. For a small amusement park, they have a decent variety of rides. Read the rest of this entry »
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Abernethy - Playground
By admin | November 20, 2007
What’s to Love: This is the playground of Abernethy school, which is located in the heart of Ladd’s Addition. This is a very nice, family friendly place in Portland. Although the houses are out of range for most people, the neighborhood has a good, down-to-earth vibe. There are two very nice play structures - one for toddlers and a second for older kids. Both offer some excellent options to improve motor skills, sharpen footwork, and build strong bodies. They are very clean, safe (relatively speaking) and well kept. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Biking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | No Comments »
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - Hiking Loop
By admin | November 14, 2007
What’s to Love: A great 2 mile loop-hike right in the heart of the Westmoreland area, and right in the heart of a beautiful Wildlife Refuge. Many hard-working people have transformed this entire wetland into a wonderful destination for hiking, biking, bird watching and exploring. For the most part, it is now very clean and safe. Historically, that has not always been the case (see Caveats). Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools, Wildlife Viewing | 1 Comment »
Tryon Creek State Park
By admin | November 11, 2007
What’s to Love: The fact that
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools, State Parks | 2 Comments »
Cannon Trail - Forest Park
By admin | November 7, 2007
What’s to Love: Cannon Trail is a new trail in the Forest Park trail system. In my opinion, building this trail was very smart. The building of Cannon Trail helped eliminate the need to use many existing, rogue trails that cut through sensitive areas on a steep hillside. The trailhead is located off Germantown road either at Leif Erickson or the Wildwood parking lots. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Hiking, Parks Playgrounds Pools | 1 Comment »