Summer Family Getaway Ideas
We’ve got four really fun vacation ideas for you and your family. This summer, get the kids away from the TV, computer and video games. Take them on a boat trip around Crater Lake, help them learn about ancient fossils, visit a ghost town, experience the Oregon State Fair, or build the world’s best-ever sandcastle.
1.
Hang gliders and camping in Southeast Oregon
Take the family on a road trip around beautiful Southern Oregon. First, visit North America’s deepest lake at Crater Lake National Park. Take a boat tour to Wizard Island, and hike the area’s many trails before calling it a night at Crater Lake Lodge.
Next, drive south about 30 miles to Upper Klamath Lake, the largest freshwater body west of the Rocky Mountains. Here you can rent a cabin, guest room, RV or tent sites at Rocky Point Resort. Paddle the amazing 9.5-mile canoe trail to see wildlife and scenic areas. Take the kids trout fishing, or just relax lakeside while the kids splash around.
Another option is family friendly Lake of the Woods Resort, which is less than 20 miles west of Upper Klamath Lake and sits on the shores of, yup, Lake of the Woods. The resort has 26 charming cabins, 27 RV sites, a newly remodeled marina, dockside dining at the Marina Grill, and the beautiful Summer Lodge Restaurant & Bar, which overlooks the Lake.
Finally, head east about 80 miles to Lakeview, a.k.a. the “Hang Gliding Capital of the West.” This year, Lakeview will host the 2007 National Paragliding Competition (June 23 to 29, 2007). Then it hosts its very own Umpteenth Annual Festival of Free Flight (June 30 to July 4, 2007), where some of the country’s very best hang gliders and paragliders set sail over Lakeview’s sky. Watch ‘em in action!
2.
Reconnect at the Oregon State Fair
What’s better than corn dogs, tilt-a-whirls, baby pigs and big-name concerts? This August 24 through September 3, take the kids to the Oregon State Fair in our capital city of Salem.
This year’s theme is “Wonder of Oregon”, which means you’ll be able to explore and enjoy Oregon’s food (artisan cheese, fresh seafood, organic fruits), products (handmade jewelry, crafts, and art), as well as wonderful Oregon craft wine and beer. Bring the whole family for some good old-fashioned fun.
3.
Ancient Fossils and Ghost Towns
Take the kids to the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center in the Sheep Rock Unit of the John Day Fossil Beds. Here, they can earn a Junior Ranger badge while learning about early cousins of rhinoceros and elephants, who used to live in this part of Eastern Oregon.
While you’re here, take a detour to visit one of Oregon’s ghost towns. Shaniko, once the “Wool Capital of the World” in 1903, is now home to ghosts, abandoned Old West-themed buildings and a wonderfully creepy jail. Shhh…did you hear that?
For lodging in the area, explore places to stay in Eastern Oregon.
4.
Building Sandcastles at the Oregon Coast
So, what do we do with 363 miles of beautiful, wide-open coastline and long stretches of sandy beaches? We make sand castles with moats, draw bridges and princesses, of course! We sculpt sand Ferraris, and flying dragons with wings and eyes made out of seashells and sand dollars. Don’t you?
This summer, head to the Oregon Coast to get your hands in the sand. Many of our hotels and inns will lend you buckets and shovels to help you sculpt your best piece yet!