We recently had our anniversary celebration at The Covington House and it was pretty great. We're…read morebig fans of historical places and each year on our anniversary we go to an historic home. This way we were able to do that and have our friends join us for dinner & a nice celebration. They've done a nice job of setting this building up for an intimate gathering during bad weather and I imagine during good weather you could really spread out and make it a beautiful location for an outdoor wedding or event. The big fireplace made for a beautiful backdrop to the autumn theme we had and kept the place nice and toasty, too! The people we worked with to coordinate the rental were friendly and supportive. There was a lady that met us there right before and right after the event to help make sure we'd remembered all the clean up items we needed to wrap up to get our deposit back. They had a nice kitchen to work with and, while we brought most of our stuff prepared--we appreciated that they had serving utensils, coffee pots, and other supplies to use in the kitchen if we needed them. I think the only challenge we bumped into was enough refrigerator space, but that was a minimal issue and partially our fault. We were going to bring a cooler and forgot to. How can you go wrong having dinner in the same room where Ulysses S. Grant dined with the family that ran the school that resided in this building back in the day? How cool is that? We definitely will consider using this location again. If you are considering renting it, I recommend you set up a time to go visit the building and check it out. That way you can take some pictures and do some planning and just enjoy the ambiance of the house.

This is an awesome historical landmark right in a busy part of Vancouver. It's also now a group of…read more3 Poke Stops if that is important to you. Unfortunately you can't actually go inside the house, but you can walk around it. Looks to be holding up in good condition after 150+ years.

This is another good view point to see the Columbia river banks. The parking lot is adjacent. But…read morethe area is severely under maintained. The trees and bushes are high and all over, that blocks the view a lot. Other than the natural site and some historical plaques, there's not much to see or do here.

Beautiful view! There was plenty of parking. Gorgeous viewpoint of the Columbia River Gorge in…read moreCorbett, OR. You can see the Vista House and the gorge. So glad I stopped by here to capture such a nice viewpoint. Loved that it wasn't packed so I didn't have to find parking & didn't feel rushed to enjoy this viewpoint

The original building was once a hotel due to the popularity of the area. Estacada still retains…read morethat popularity as a great destination point for tourists, week-enders, cyclist, fishing, dining, boaters, it is all here and more. Very easy to get to. Please check our online calendar for events.

Excellent paved path for pedestrians bridging over Hwy 14 connecting the Columbia River side of…read moreVancouver to Fort Vancouver. It's clean & well maintained, with a flat paved path. There is a gentle sloping incline at each end, since it is a bridge, but they've made it so it's not steep and very manageable for a variety of people's abilities & ages. There are a few art pieces along the way, and informational signs about the areas history & vegetation. There are also some benches at a few spots if you want to rest.

Perfect for a leisurely stroll and exploration of some historical sites, this location offers a…read moregradual incline over the highway, making it suitable for all kinds of visitors.

Stunning views of the Columbia here. Park at Red Lion, walk short distance to the river and follow…read morethe path east. It's a short round trip walk-maybe a mile, and it's filled with interesting river sights--sail boats, barges, and kayakers. Great Mt. Hood views on most days, too. There are longer walks on the Washington side of the river, but this short jaunt offers better views.

The Sellwood Bridge at the edge of Sellwood Park is one of those quiet starting points that feels…read morelike the beginning of an adventure. If you've been following along, today was a bridge loop and this is where it kicked off. Easy parking, clean walkways, and options in every direction. The Springwater Corridor runs off to the right, or you cross over and let the day unfold from there. Simple. Perfect. The bridge itself is something special. The current span opened in 2016, replacing the original 1925 crossing, and it's Portland's only steel deck-arch bridge. That rugged steel underneath paired with the smooth concrete above it's got grit and polish all at once. And those arches? Clean, bold, and built to be admired. Catch it at night and it really comes alive. The arches glow, the river reflects it back, and suddenly it's not just a bridge it's a whole scene. Not the main attraction... but the perfect place to begin.

I like the sellwood bridge (the old one was -1 star). It's neither ugly nor beautiful but is…read morefunctional. The 5pm traffic can get a little interesting at times. This is a great bridge to walk/bike/run as it feels safe and there's room from motor vehicles!

"The Gateway to the Gorge," Troutdale is near the confluence of the Sandy and Columbia rivers, 17…read moremiles from downtown Portland to the west and 14 miles to iconic Multnomah Falls to the east. if you head south, you are on your way up to Mt. Hood. Troutdale is in the center of it all! Whenever I drive to the Columbia Gorge, which is frequently, I can feel my breathing relax as I pass through Troutdale and the immense beauty of the Columbia River and basalt cliffs of the Gorge immediately unfolds and surrounds me. I'm in my happy place! But there is more to Troutdale than passing through! The quaint town whose first settlers arrived in 1850, still has some of the historical buildings. There are several antique shops, art galleries, boutiques, restaurants, pubs and coffee shops. The town hosts an art walk on the first Friday from May through September and has several other festivals throughout the year. The tree lighting in December brings all the residents together. Glenn Otto Park, a 6.38 acre park off the East Columbia Highway, is super popular. With riverfront access, the warm months are filled with lots of activities: swimming, rafting, picnicking and walking the trails. There is a playground, a covered picnic area and restrooms. The Sam Cox Great Room and the covered picnic areas can be reserved for parties & picnics. Important to note - no pets or alcohol allowed at the Park. While at the park or in Troutdale, stop at the Sugarpine Drive-In, a popular restaurant and ice cream shop with a drive through and walk up window. The newly opened Troutdale Station is a huge food cart pod that has indoor seating with air conditioning and heat. You can enjoy a variety of food from the dozens of food carts, most a branch of popular food carts in Portland, and adult beverages from the huge bar that lines the back wall. The Columbia Gore Outlets are right off the exit and while it's a pale shadow of its former self, there is a drive through Starbucks, a Coach outlet, Eddie Bauer, Levi's, Rocky Mountain Chocolate, Lane Bryant, Torrid, Rue21, Jockey, Fashion Footware and several others still in business. And of course, you can and should drive the scenic highway From Troutdale up to Crown Point for sweeping 180 degree views of the Columbia River then back down along the row of 7 waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls. it's a spectacular ride in all seasons. Troutdale is the gateway to the Gorge and also a destination!

As a resident here for 6 years, I'm very pleased with the changes in the downtown area. The variety…read moreand quality of restaurants is improving and although parking is becoming more of a problem, I always can find a spot somewhere. Glen Otto park is a delightful spot in the summer (and next to SugarPine!) and LoLo's pizza is the best! City Hall has been responsive to my questions, and my specific neighborhood (near Kane and Sunrise Park) is safe, with friendly neighbors, and well managed landscaping. Being so close to the hospital, Safeway, and I-84 are also pluses.

They've been abusing us for 5 years now fly at academy flies over our house over and over again at…read morelow speeds almost hitting our trees and we've complained a few times to him but they just don't seem to take any action

With walking and picking trails along the Columbia River, there are magnificent views of Mt. Hood…read morestanding tall all along the way. I love the water so being able to walk on a nice paved path and take in these views energizes my soul. As you make your way, there are kiosks and touch and learn signage to educate in the birds, wildlife and history of this area. So many to spot along the way including blue heron, osprey, eagles and more. For those that want to kayak or canoe, there are non motorized launch areas, too. Views from down on the water give a different, equally beatitular vantage point. Along the way is the Natural Play Area, designed to blend in and represent nature with a hillside slide, log balancing beams, a boulder maze and of course, a Sasquatch named Egan. With a few picnic table scattered around, even some in the shade, it's a great place to take a walk, bike ride, kayak and then picnic.