Road Trip!

Oregon's share of Interstate 5 runs neatly down the length of the state, from the south side of the Columbia River all the way to the California border. It's mostly straight, mostly flat, and you can drive its 308 miles in just under five hours. But why would you want to?

I-5 is packed full of family fun, most of it close enough to be visible from the freeway. From theme parks to animal parks, fish ladders to fairy tales-it's all just an exit away. So buckle in as we count down the miles, heading south from Portland.

Exit 283, Wilsonville
It's no accident that the Family Fun Center's brightly colored miniature golf course, pennants flying from a teeny-tiny castle, is placed invitingly next to the freeway. The golf may be the reason to stop, but guaranteed-it's just one of the reasons to stay. The six-acre complex includes go-karts, bumper boats and batting cages outside, and Bullwinkle's restaurant and two-story arcade inside. We kept busy indoors. My teenage travelers chose a rousing game of laser tag, while I checked out the more sedate play land for the little kids.

Exit 253, Salem
On the banks of the Willamette River under the Marion Street Bridge awaits a two-for-one treat for visitors that could easily take up your entire day: Riverfront Park and A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village. After arriving at the park, my group immediately headed for the enclosed Riverfront Carousel, where we went round and round for almost an hour. After taking reluctant leave of the enchanting horses, we headed over to A.C. Gilbert children's museum, a collection of historic buildings housing interactive exhibits and anchored by an amazing playground, complete with the world's largest Erector-set tower.

Exit 248, Turner
If fairy tales could come to life, they would be played out in the Enchanted Forest, a magical place of cottages and gingerbread houses nestled on the side of a mountain. The 20-acre theme park is a labor of love for the local Tofte family, which has been steadily adding attractions since the park opened in 1971. The original attraction is still the favorite-Storybook Lane, where kids can crawl through Alice in Wonderland's rabbit hole and stagger through the crooked house (where the crooked man lives). The park is also home to a Western town, an English village, a roller coaster, bumper cars and the Big Timber Log Ride. Bring your lunch-the management encourages picnicking.

Exit 216, Brownsville
It's worth the four-mile journey to see the old railroad town of Brownsville, which houses the Linn County Historical Museum in an old train depot and adjacent boxcars. Volunteers also guide tours of the 1881 Moyer House.

Exit 194B, Springfield
You can really work those driving kinks out on a pair of roller skates, and Springfield Skate World is happy to help you out with that. The atmosphere is family classic, with both quad and inline skates available.

Exit 148, Rice Hill
Popularly known up and down the West Coast as "that ice cream place on I-5," K&R Drive-In stays busy all day serving freeway motorists. There are no bathrooms and no indoor seating, but the travelers lined up for burgers and local Umpqua ice cream don't seem to care. We ate towering ice cream cones under the classic and curiously generic drive-in sign while waiting for our burgers and fat steak fries. Huckleberry swirl with hazelnuts (ask for "Oregon's 150") won our flavor contest.

Exit 129, Roseburg
The Winchester Fish Ladder is definitely under the tourist radar, but it's one of the most fun--and free--things you can do off I-5. As we started the climb down from the parking lot above the North Umpqua River to the Winchester Dam, we passed two dads lugging a toddler each. "Lots of fish today, big fish," one said in passing, as his daughter vigorously nodded her head. "Big fish," she echoed with a grin. And that's what we found after descending several steep sets of stairs-lots of big winter steelhead on the other side of the plexiglass-enclosed viewing area.

Exit 119, Winston
Wildlife Safari is a favorite destination for I-5 travelers and local residents alike. Here, there be lions-and tigers and bears, and cheetahs, camels and giraffes, too. You can see all of them on a leisurely 4.5-mile drive through the compound. Or park the car and visit Safari Village's free petting zoo (beware of the llama-she spits), or take a ride on the Safari Train. Be sure to check out the activities board; the elephants are known to throw a car wash every once in a while.

Exit 76, Wolf Creek
In Oregon's olden days, the Wolf Creek Inn welcomed weary stagecoach passengers traveling the California-Oregon Stage Road. It still serves trans-state passengers today, even if their mode of commute is a little more mechanized. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, which owns the inn (along with the nearby ghost town of Golden), completely restored the nine guest rooms to their former glory. Don't count on checking e-mail-rooms have no Internet access, phones or televisions, all the better to immerse visitors in the past.

Exit 45b, Gold Hill
You can go online down the road at Valley of the Rogue State Park, courtesy of state-sponsored wireless Internet. The park, which lies along the Applegate Trail route, has three miles of shaded frontage on the famous Rogue River. I like to stretch my road-weary legs on the River's Edge Trail, which leads to a salmon and wildlife-viewing platform. Camping opportunities abound, including six rental yurts.

Exit 43, Gold hill
A trip through Southern Oregon would simply not be complete without visiting one of the state's more quirky attractions-the Oregon Vortex, a house of crazy angles that has been baffling visitors since it opened to the public in 1930. The tour guide tells visitors that a "spherical field of force" causes the dizzying phenomenon, but I think seeing a golf ball roll uphill defies all explanation.

Exit 14, Ashland
Ashland's ScienceWorks is my favorite kind of museum--the "please touch the exhibits" variety. The hands-on museum has activities (including a pedal-power railroad) for all ages; there's even an area exclusively for the 3-and-under set. After leaving Ashland, there are only a few miles of Oregon road left, most of it going straight up. On the other side of the Siskiyou Summit, you'll find the "Welcome to California" sign. Then it's time to stop, reset the trip meter and turn around. Road trip, part two!

WHAT'S MORE…
(For more I-5 stops, please visit www.TravelOregon.com)

Exit 300, Portland
OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry)
1945 S.E. Water Ave., Portland
800.955.OMSI (6674)
www.Omsi.edu

Exit 283, Wilsonville
Family Fun Center & Bullwinkle's Restaurant
29111 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville
503.685.5000
www.Fun-Center.com

Exit 278, Aurora
Berry Empire
13193 Arndt Road N.E., Aurora
503.705.9076
www.BerriesInAJar.com

Exit 271, Woodburn
Woodburn Company stores
1001 Arney Road, Ste. 508, Woodburn
888.664.SHOP
www.WoodburnCompanyStores.com

Exit 263, Brooks
Antique Powerland Museum
3995 Brooklake Road N.E., Brooks
503.393.2424
www.AntiquePowerland.com
Closed November-February

Exit 256, Salem
A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village
116 Marion St. N.E., Salem
800.208.9514
www.ACGilbert.org

Exit 248, Turner
Enchanted Forest
8462 Enchanted Way S.E., Turner
503.371.4242
www.EnchantedForest.com
Closed October-February

Exit 216, Brownsville
Linn County Historical
Museum & Moyer House
101 Park Ave., Brownsville
541.466.3390
www.co.linn.or.us/museum

Exit 194, Springfield
Springfield Skate World
3188 Gateway Loop, Springfield
541.746.8424
www.spfdSkateWorld.com
Closed Thursdays

Exit 148, Rice Hill
K&R Drive-Inn
201 John Long Road, Oakland
541.849.2570

Exit 129, Roseburg
Winchester Fish Ladder
N.E. Stephens St., Winchester
www.VisitRoseburg.com/
attractions/natural.php

Exit 119, Winston
Wildlife Safari
1790 Safari Road, Winston
541.679.6761
www.WildlifeSafari.org

Exit 86, Azalea
Heaven on Earth Restaurant & Bakery
703 Quines Creek, Azalea
800.557.5451
www.HeavenOnEarthRestaurant.com

Exit 76, Wolf Creek
Wolf Creek Inn
100 Front St., Wolf Creek
541.866.2474
www.TheWolfCreekInn.com

Exit 71, Sunny Valley
Applegate Trail Interpretive Center
500 Sunny Valley Loop, Sunny Valley
888.411.1846
www.RogueWeb.com/interpretive

Exit 45B, Gold Hill
Valley of the Rogue State Park
3792 N. River Road, Gold Hill
541.582.3128
www.OregonStateParks.org

Exit 43, Gold Hill
Oregon Vortex
4303 Sardine Creek "L" Fork Road, Gold Hill
541.855.1543
www.OregonVortex.com

Exit 14, Ashland
Ashland Science Works
1500 E. Main St., Ashland
541.482.6767
www.ScienceWorksMuseum.org
Open Wednesday-Saturday