I Need a Vacation!!

Seaside Oregon is a great little city! Port Townsend and Port Gamble are both nice little cities in Washington.

Instead of getting away completely and adding that stress you could try being a tourist in your own city, I see you live in Seattle which has so much to do, have you ever done any of it? Get a hotel room downtown and see the sights. I wouldn't worry too much about entertaining kids at the ages they are. Have you been to the aquarium, zoo, Pacific Science center, space needle, rode the Duck, Pike's Place Market, gone to a game? Get some of those brochures in your place of work and plan it out. If you don't want to stay here then head over to Spokane, down to Portland, oh and the Pendleton Roundup will be happening next month in eastern Oregon if you are into rodeos. The Puyallup Fair is happening soon in September as well. Of course the coast is always good if you like beaches and antique shopping. Do you go to the Farmer's Markets, they can be fun or a street fair. Oh and if you haven't ever ridden the fairy you need to do that and you can walk on and go to Bremerton or Bainbridge and go shopping for part of the day and walk on back to Seattle, it is free one way for walk on passengers, I can't remember which direction though. If you do stay around here though treat it as though you weren't around and let your daily life go so you can enjoy it. At least you won't be looking into a long drive.

have you though of going to the beach?? SeaSide OR is purdy nice and purdy cheap and tons of stuff to do if you have never been there before. or look into camping grounds. Hope this helps
T.

Hi, we have 2 boys ages 2 and 9 mo, we went to great wolf lodge, and they had a blast. The rooms are a little more, but there is tons of fun for all ages. I would suggest getting the basic room, or getting a deluxe room that could sleep more than 1 family and go with friends or family. One night was enough though since you can get into the park so early and can stay until closing the next. Hope you get your vacation soon, I know how it feels to just need a break from same old.

Hi K.,

We enjoy taking our 3 kids (6, 4, 2) to Leavenworth. The hotels are a decent price (and ask if they give discounts for being a Costco member) and there is a lot to do. They have a community swimming pool that is absolutely clean and a lot of fun and doesn't cost much. There is mini-golfing, a small arcade, movies, shopping, ice cream...or the pool at the hotel. It's probably about 2 1/2 hours from Seattle but it's a beautiful drive and doesn't feel like it. Whatever you choose, have fun :)

There is a really great lodge called Anderson Lodge, not far, in Amboy, Wa...just outside Woodland. They have accomodations on a hilltop overlooking the valley...they are really nice, cozy little family size cabins, with kitchen/bathroom and all, and you can do hiking on their property, and you are really close to Mt. St. Helens and the Ape caves....plus Lake Merwin is also really close. You can check them out at: www.andersonlodge.com. Have fun whatever you do!

I just went to a high school reunion in Leavenworth, Washington. It is about 2 and a half hours west of Seattle. It is a little German (Bavarian) town with a lot to do for families. My 8 and 10 year olds and I went horseback riding, tubing on the Wenachee River, and shopped at the farmer's market. There is a public pool, hiking trails, shops, restaurants, and you will feel like you have visited Europe without leaving the States! We had a great time and I highly recommend it.

Check out Skamania Lodge in the Columbia River Gorge! Beautiful scenery, a very family friendly place, lots to do and relaxing pace. The Lodge is beautiful, has an indoor pool, spa, hiking trails with lakes, and wildlife viewing stations, you can see turtles sunbathing and more, the town of Stevenson has lots to offer, with a really good community events and recreation program, if you go a bit further East, the towns of White Salmon, Wa and Hood River, Or have alot of options. The Gorge is so incredible, and while you seem to be in the mountains alongside the river, you are still close to metro areas, with Portland being a 45 minute drive. When you call for reservations, ask about any type of discounts and if you are persistant and let them know you wont spend alot on your room, they can find a good deal, I am sure. The food is outstanding, the service super friendly and sure to make a good memory.

Hey Kels!
It's been a long time since we had a mini-get-away, so I don't have recommendations on where to stay, but two of my favorite places to 'get-away' to are Ocean Shores and Leavinworth. I'm not sure if there is much 'kid stuff' to do in Leavinworth, but there is lots of good fun for the family on the beach in Ocean Shores. Hope you find something fun!!
~J.

http://www.greatwolf.com/grandmound/waterpark sometimes there are some great deals. I figure the price includes the hotel and themepark attached to the hotel. Makes it great to take kids up for a nap. If you took a teenager with you, then they could entertain the kids in the kiddie pool while you and hubby go hot tub, etc. There is a spa there, plenty of restraunts in the hotel. It's a great mini vacation and all the fun happens without even leaving the hotel.

Our two favorite places to go for vacation in the NW are Leavenworth, WA and Cannon Beach, OR.
Leavenworth is a fun, German style town with lots of shops, great food, and if you're into outdoorsy stuff, there is tons of hiking and river sports.
Cannon Beach is on the Oregon Coast, and it's a bit of a drive, but it's our favorite beach spot. Again, fun shops, great food, and of course, the beach to explore.

What about the Great Wolf Lodge in Chehalis,WA? I personally haven't been there but have heard from friends that have, with small kids, and really liked it.

Portland has a lot to offer for a family for a weekend.

You can find an inexpensive hotel for a night or two, and for family fun things to do, you have:

OMSI: http://www.omsi.edu/

Children's Museum: http://www.portlandcm.org/

Rose Garden: http://www.rosegardenstore.org/

Enchanted Forest( about an hours drive south of Portland:

http://www.enchantedforest.com/enchanted_forest.html

And of course, the farmer's market in Portland is something to be experienced. There are so many ecclectic thing to see and try.

Good Luck and I hope you enjoy your weekend getaway regardless of where you decide to go... ;-)

A couple of summers ago we rented a tiny cabin over on the wa coast near Longbeach. It was awesome. While windy, the sun was warm and we read (our own!) books napped and explored the beaches and nearby villages. It was unbelievably relaxing since we didn't try too hard at "sightseeing"-- we just hung out. The kids were 3 and 6 mo. Kites are great over there this time of year.

Hi, K.;
I haven't written any one elses responses so I'm not sure if anyone has suggested Leavenworth yet. There are some nice places there that aren't too expensive and lots for kids to do. I won't list them all here but if you google leavenworth wa you should see some good stuff. We were just there this weekend and it is breathtaking! Good luck.
R.