Summer vacations are in full swing, and whether you’re looking for a week-long or weekend getaway, or even a staycation, these are some of our summer faves for the whole family.
U-Pick
Nothing says summer more than fruit-stained fingers. An interactive and affordable way to get your fix is by heading straight to the source with an afternoon at u-pick farms. Strawberry and raspberry season is here, and prime season for blackberries, blueberries, cherries and peaches is about to begin.
- Hoffman Farms Store is especially kid-friendly with a barrel train ride and play structures. It’s hard to not “u-pick” a handmade pie from the farm store, too.
- Smith Berry Barn grows multiple varieties of berries during the summer months (and apples in the fall). In addition to the u-pick farm, Smith Berry Barn also has a garden market and specialty nursery, gourmet gift shop and espresso and milkshake bar.
- West Union Gardens offers berries, vegetables and flowers for u-pick or are already picked and available in the farm stand.
Ziplining
In the summer heat, create your own breeze with a zip-lining adventure at Tree to Tree Adventure Park, an aerial ropes course and zip-line park. Additionally, Pumpkin Ridge Zip Tours offers a 2.5-hour zip tour with sweeping views over the beautiful Brunswick Canyon.
Cycling
Pinpointing a long ride that is also kid-friendly can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack. No matter your age or cycling level, Chehalem Nature Park and the Banks-Vernonia State Trail are great car-free paths for pedaling.
Kid-Friendly Hotels
Every hotel in Tualatin Valley welcomes families. Aloft Hillsboro-Beaverton ups the game with a fantastic indoor pool and room service cookies. These are two amenities we encourage adults to embrace, too. The wildly painted hallways, secret passageways, and funky movie theater of the McMenamins Grand Lodge also make for a great family retreat.
Want to “rough it”? Then, camp under the stars at a campground, RV park or in a rustic cabin. If you plan to set up camp in the outdoors near the Oregon Coast, the Tillamook State Forest, L.L. Stub Stewart State Park and urban RV parks can be part of that plan.