The Experience: I love getting out of town with my family, but don’t like the long, tension-filled car rides that often go with it. Luckily, there are lots of family-friendly places to go just a short trip from the city. McMenamin’s Edgefield in Troutdale, just a 20-minute drive from downtown Portland, is once such oasis. More…

The Experience: Also known as Thousand Acres, this park located at the west end of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is a great place for kids to romp, stomp, run and play. Although it’s described by many as a dog’s paradise, because dogs are allowed to run off-leash in most of the park, with 1400 acres there’s room for everyone. It never feels overrun by canines, or people for that matter. More…

Just a short drive away lies the Columbia River Gorge, rich with awe-inspiring scenery and regional history. Below are a few gorge icons to get you started. You can find ideas for family-friendly hikes at www.gorgefriends.org.

Located in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, the dam spans the Columbia River.
Cascade Locks; 541-374-8820; www.nwp.usace.army.mil/op/b/home.asp.

Interactive exhibits about the formation of the gorge.
5000 Discovery Dr., The Dalles; 541-296-8600; www.gorgediscovery.org.

Home to the world’s largest collection of antique carousel art. (Still in the process of relocating at press time; check Web site for reopening date and new location information.)
Hood River; 541-387-4622; www.carouselmuseum.com.

Special events include Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine each summer, Pumpkin Patch Express in October, and Fruit Blossom Special in April.
110 Railroad Ave., Hood River; 800-872-4661; www.mthoodrr.com.

Triple-decker paddle wheeler rides introduce the history of Lewis and Clark.
Cascade Locks; 503-224-3900; 800-224-3901; www.portlandspirit.com/sternwheeler.php.

39 miles east of Portland off Highway 26, near Welches; 503-622-3696; www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/. This multi-faceted area is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and includes hiking trails, picnic facilities, interpretive plaques and a cut-out “underwater” river viewing area. Open May through fall.