Eric’s parents and sister came to visit us in Portland for Labor Day weekend. They live in Southern California, so we only get to see them a few times each year. Luckily, they arrived just in time for a delightfully autumnal weekend (no more 90 degrees! no more 90 degrees!), so we spent the weekend visiting as many parks as we could handle and playing Monopoly Deal.
Here’s a little rundown of our tour of Portland with the Ringers:
Portland International Rose Test Garden– We never got to see Mount Hood, but we did get rainbows, beautiful roses, and delightful aromas. And if you’re obsessed with gorgeous houses, drive around the neighborhood in the hills around the gardens. Swoon.
Moulton Falls Park– Eric and I visited in the spring and knew we had to make this a destination for guests. It’s so gorgeous, with clear water, a reflected bridge, and those perfect Pacific Northwest pines. The park is about 45 minutes from Portland, but the drive is beautiful and reminds us so much of the winding roads of home.
Mt. Tabor Park– We stopped here for a view of the sunset over the city. Always lovely. And conveniently close enough to Staccato Gelato to pick up doughnuts for dessert.
Hoyt Arboretum– There are so many lovely little trails through different areas of trees with labels on everything for those of us who aren’t quite botanists.
OHSU Tram– A lovely way to get a view of the city (and the mountains, if you luck out with the weather).
Cathedral Park– I’m forever obsessed with the St. John’s Bridge. There’s not really much to do here, but the trees are lovely in the fall, and it’s a great place to lounge on a blanket and read.
The Grotto– This was a new one for us, but it turned out to be quite lovely! Lots of gardens, trees, and views.
Thanks for visiting us, Ringer clan!
You can check out past family visits to Oregon with any of these links:
Around Eugene:
November 2012– Blue Pool
August 2013– Sweet Cheeks Winery, Spencer Butte
July 2014– blueberry picking, Sweet Cheeks Winery, Mount Pisgah
Around Bend:
August 2013– Sahalie Falls, Proxy Falls, McKenzie Pass
July 2014– Sahalie Falls, McKenzie Pass, floating the Deschutes River
Along the Coast:
November 2012– Devil’s Elbow State Park, Seal Rock, Newport
August 2013– Sweet Creek Falls, sand dunes
July 2014– sand dunes, Devil’s Elbow State Park, Seal Rock
Around Portland:
July 2014– Pittock Mansion, Peninsula Park and Rose Garden
September 2015– Columbia River Gorge, Swan Island Dahlia Festival, Pittock Mansion
October 2015– Salmonberry River Trail hike
October 2015– apple picking, Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge
-Ally
Betsy Ringer says
Mmmmm….always GREAT being with you!! Thanks for showing us all the beautiful sights and including us in exploring the yummy places to eat! And what YOU made for us was delectable too!! I loved experiencing the beauty of Portland. All the parks are AMAZING – so beautiful and they can be enjoyed in “bite sized” chunks. The weather was perfect – cool and a nice mix of sun and clouds! AND…playing Deal Monopoly was soooo much fun!!
Kay Cooper says
Sounds like you had a good visit with Eric’s family.. It seems like we got to speed part of the Christmas holidays with you last year because Asa was a new born. Does that mean you will be spending holiday with Eric’s family this year? We didn’t get to see Amanda & Adam last year because of their church responsibilities. It has been many years since I have been able to be with my son, Tony, and his Family since they are currently living in Chile, South America.
Asa is really growing . He is pulling himself up to a table or a couch now. Aubree is attending preschool.
Jakita is healing from her hip surgery. She has had a huge blood clot which has slowed things down, but hopefully things will soon improve.