My first post of the year! This will be the first of a three parter. My favorite memory from 2016 was our Oregon road trip. I talked about planning it in an earlier post. The thought was to do something really great and memorable for B and I since we turned 40! So we took up Travel Oregon’s list of the Seven Wonders of Oregon and planned a 10 day road trip.Here is part one:
First day of any trip is always equal parts stress and joy. I am the packer/organizer so the whole morning before we leave(lets be real the whole week before) is my mind going over lists and double checking EVERYTHING while simultaneously barking orders at the boys. Every trip I think I will do all this the night before so I can be a peaceful, happy person in the morning. NEVER HAPPENS. Needless to say we all made it in the car along with most of what we needed(something always gets left).
This trip called for easy places to stay. We were making stops at around 20 locations in Oregon and covering around 1200 miles in just ten days. So we chose to stay at places where shelter and bathrooms were provided. The first day we drove to the coast stopping in Corvallis for a food and coffee break. One of the moms I first met when we started going to Door of Hope owns a wonderful shop in this wonderful little town. They are their own roasters and the coffee was perfect. Anytime you are nearby check them out at Tried and True.
After we made it to the Oregon coast(#1 on the seven wonders) we stopped at the aquarium at Newport. This is a must see if you have a sea loving child like Henry. He spent the whole time running from tank to tank and yelling “oh my word, look at this”. That night we stayed at one of the cabins at the Waldport KOA. They have a great little path that leads down to a beach on the Alsea Bay with a view of the historic bridge.
Next morning we packed and headed south with our first stop at Cape Perpetua. This spot has loads of trails and includes the highest point on the Oregon coast. Henry loves the tide pools and watching the waves hit the massive rocks at the churns and spouting horn. We earned ourselves a nice hearty lunch before making our way back inland towards Diamond Lake.
On the drive to Diamond Lake there make sure you stop at Toketee Falls. It is all downhill on the way to the falls so save some energy for the way back up. The falls are gorgeous and carve out a massive wall of basalt. I could have spent more time here were we not on a schedule. We ended day two at Diamond Lake Resort, a cute resort with loads of lodging options right on the lake. They have a restaurant where you can eat all your meals and boats to rent if you like to fish or just want to cruise about. Our main reason for staying here this time was it’s proximity to Crater Lake(#2 on the Seven Wonders). Crater Lake National Park has limited access in the winter time and no lodging until summer season so we were glad to find this wonderful place.
Day three started with a hearty breakfast and loads of sunshine on the drive up to Crater Lake. I was so excited to take Henry here as it is my favorite place I have visited so far. There is something so magical about it and seeing it covered with snow was an added bonus. After layering up, we headed for the rim. The view was amazing and did not disappoint. We had a nice family snowball fight and I built Henry a BB8 snowman.
Little fact about me, I love talking to strangers at places like this and hearing their stories. This day was no different and of course I befriended the cute old man in Wrangler jeans named Joe. He took a couple of shots for us so we did not have rely on the selfie stick(no jokes-it is the only way I make it in any of the pics with my family). He has been passionate about photography since he was a teenager and it was fun to hear his stories.
After a bit, we headed in to the Lodge building and got some hot cocoa. We all watched a film about Crater Lake and how it formed out of a volcano. Of course this was Henry’s favorite part. Once we arrived back at Diamond Lake we had a nice rest on the shore and enjoyed a sunset together while eating some dinner. Three days in and seven to go. Part Two will be posted tomorrow.
Blakes On The Road 