The Experience: Visiting Powell’s City of Books, the downtown flagship store of the Portland-based company, is pure magic for any book lover. I find the smell of both the old and new volumes intoxicating; and I feel an immediate kinship with the hundreds of other bibliophiles present in the store on any given day. If you start bringing your kids when they’re young, they too may come to count Powell’s as one of their favorite destinations in Portland. More…

The Experience: This gorgeous hike takes you through old-growth forest and along the middle section of the Salmon River, where kids can float sticks, skip stones and dip their toes. And because there’s almost no elevation gain, even younger trekkers can enjoy the walk. More…

The Experience: If your kids are tired of the neighborhood swimming pool and would like an end of summer adventure that’s close to home, take a drive to Kelley Point Park. The sprawling public park is located at the very tip of Marine Drive, at the confluence of the Willamette and the Columbia Rivers. More…

The Experience: My son and I were just finishing up a hike at Latourell Falls in the Gorge the other day when he spotted a rock wall that looked perfect for climbing.

Perfect to him means terrifying to me. I let him scamper up about four feet before I called him back down.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” I said, trying to sound calm while scanning the vertical wall above me.

Thanks goodness for The Circuit Bouldering Gym in Southwest Portland, where Sam can clamber to his heart’s content, and I can breathe easy. More…

The Experience: Our city looks more beautiful than ever from the height of the Portland Tram. I was fortunate to ride the tram with my son and his friend on a recent sunny afternoon, and the views of downtown, the east side, and the distant mountains were crystal clear. More…