The Experience:
There’s a month of Sundays (and Saturdays) left of summer vacation – seize the great weather and the weekend with a whitewater rafting trip on the Deschutes River from the tiny town of Maupin.

Maupin is about two hours from Portland, 90 minutes from Bend and an hour from Hood River. Most of the year, it’s a sleepy little town with about 500 residents. But in summer, it explodes with More…

The Experience: When our grandparents and parents were little, they may have spent summer days catching frogs, digging in the dirt and playing outside using little more than their imaginations and whatever they found on the ground. They didn’t need skateboards, TV, or sidewalk chalk. They got sunshine and fresh air, they reinforced their More…

The Experience: The Portland Art Museum’s summer headline show, The Allure of the Automobile, lives up to its name with stunning cars (when you see them you’ll understand why they’re considered art) that are much more interesting than those high-end vintage vehicles you may be used to. It’s truly a must-see for adults and older kids. Lively placards with period photographs describe the car and its historical context, and you can rent an audio tour for $5 or download it for free on your iPhone. More…

The Experience: The best thing about Sunriver, other than 300 sunny days a year on average, is that there’s so much to do for all tastes and styles. It’s one-stop outdoorsy vacationing. Low-key sorts could while away days just relaxing in a hot tub, exploring the Village and playing games in the evening. But if you’re looking for family-friendly action, you have loads of choices:

* Frolic in one of three swimming pools, one with a 50-foot slide. (A new outdoor aquatic center and amphitheatre will open in 2012.)
* Rent a canoe, kayak raft or stand-up paddle-board at the marina and spend the day playing on some of the Deschutes’ mellower waters.
* Sign up for mini tennis clinics ($12-$15 per kid; $35 adults) and then have a family tournament on one of the many public courts ($20/hour).
* If tennis is too highbrow, rent pickleball equipment at Fort Rock Park or reserve the park’s sand volleyball, basketball, softball horseshoe, bocce ball or picnic facilities. The park also has a large playground.
* Walk, run or bike 35 miles of paths that weave throughout Sunriver. (Most rental homes include bikes; Bike Barn rents them.)
* Hoof it over to Sunriver Stables for trail rides (7 and up) or pony rides.
* Sign your kids up for weekly summer camps (ages 3-12) that include tennis or swimming instruction, playtime at the South swimming pool, weekly field trips and other enrichment.

Inside information: Lodging ranges from rooms and suites at Sunriver Resort Lodge to condos or homes you can rent from the resort or directly from owners. Check Sunriver-resort.com, VRBO.com or any number of other sites available if you Google “inexpensive Sunriver lodging.” You can also camp nearby; a private campground called Thousand Trails rents campsites, yurts and cabins only 4 miles from Sunriver. One note: if you’re planning on swimming, check that your lodging includes free passes to the pools (which aren’t cheap).

The 411

Seasons: Sunriver is open year-round. In winter, you can ski at nearby Mt. Bachelor, snowshoe, go ice-skating or even enjoy sleigh rides. Check Sunriver’s online calendar of events. Cost: Rates for a stay in Sunriver range from the low hundreds to several hundreds for either a lodge room or a rental home. Check for lodging specials. Camping or sharing a larger home with friends is often the most economical way to stay. Location: About 15 miles south of Bend on Highway 97.
Contact information: 800-801-8765, sunriver-resort.com.

— Sarah Pagliasotti

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I like it, too, because it feels quaint and old-timey – and safe. All of the rides for younger children are clustered on one side of the midway, while the thrill rides for older kids are on the other.
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The Experience: I love the Oregon Coast because my family can play on the beach AND hike in the mountains – the best of both worlds!

One of our favorite places to stay is Manzanita, a quiet town without the hustle and bustle of Seaside or Cannon Beach. On the first day of a visit there, we head straight to the ocean for beachcombing, walking, kite-flying and wading. By day two, we can usually coax the kids away from the water for a walk in the woods.
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Tillamook Forest Center
The Experience: Next time you and your family are headed to the coast, or if you’re just in the mood for a day trip, check out the Tillamook Forest Center. About an hour from Portland on Highway 6, the Forest Center is beautifully situated right on the Wilson River, in the middle of the Tillamook State Forest.
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