We love Cascadia State Park and reserve a group side every year for my husband's birthday…read more The group sites are amazing and are situated close to the river. The river has plenty of shallow spots as well as some"rapids" which the kids enjoyed going down on their floaties with their parents. The group site is intended to have a maximum of 25 people six cars or two RVs and there is plenty of room for all of them. We had our main network of family members. and wanted to be far away from other sites to reduce risk of transmission of covid. We only had people we see regularly, family and neighbors who are in our everyday circle. But there was still plenty of room. Three people slept in hammocks, there were about 10 picnic tables, and there were seven other tents set up with so much room in between. There are only two group sites next to each other but still plenty of room. Those two sites share 2 pit toilets maintained twice a day throughout covid. And a short walk away are real toilets. We had plenty of space for a giant Jenga area, an area for all the floaties to live between water adventures, an area where we played Kubb, and an area for other tabletop games. There was also plenty of room for our dogs on their leads. there was enough space for three different camping stoves and the setup of food at each. The mosquitoes are brutal so I highly recommend a high-quality mosquito repellent. Also wear shoes because there are what I believe are Oregon banana slugs around the trees that you really don't want to step on barefoot. Highly recommend for a group outing where you can keep to yourselves and socially distance appropriately. The group rate is about $71 per night and we stayed two nights. We had so much fun on the river and there's so much space at this state park. The day use brought in a lot of people to the river that we didn't feel comfortable being around so we just waited until they left to enjoy the water. there is a large open field for off leash dog exercising and it is perfect for stargazing on a clear night. For those for whom this is important currently there is not signal unless you have Verizon. This will change within a few years. But you are only about 10 minutes drive to signal if there's some sort of emergency and the rangers make themselves available multiple times a day. We were warned that it had been about 10 days since there was a cougar sighting but we had no sightings ourselves.

Beautiful, quiet and well kept campground with very friendly hosts. Very reasonably priced. A few…read morepull through sites for RV's (dry camping only) Easy river access and a short drive to sweet home for supplies. Spent max allowable nights because we loved it so much. Picks up on the weekends but everyone seemed to mind the quiet hours. Only weird thing was the ranger lady with a leaf blower came though once. I suppose that's why it's so clean looking, but wasn't relaxing and left our vehicle needing a bath. Despite that we would definitely visit again.

I found Green Peter Reservoir on the map and decided to drive out to see what it was like. The…read moredrive out to Sweet Home and then out to Green Peter is beautiful. You drive through expansive green farm lands, past cute farm houses and then into the trees on a windy road out to the reservoir. Sweet Home is the last town you hit before you drive about 15-20 minutes to the reservoir. Since there was recently a big storm, there was still a lot of debris in the pull off areas and some of the trails down to it. We ended up parking next to a big bridge that people were fishing off of and making our own trail down to an area by the water. It was at an incline so not the best spot for kids but it was just fine for us. It was so quiet out there besides the sounds of boats every so often and a couple cars here and there. The was was gorgeous but still very cold. The sun was shining and the air was nice and crisp! I'm not sure what parks are around here, we did see one campground on the way there but wanted a spot more private. We saw a lot of cars pulled over in random spots so there must be a few secret spots around this reservoir. We didn't drive around the whole thing but it was a fun adventure and an absolutely beautiful place to go.

Very friendly, great relaxing place. Been back there 4…read moretimes every year for last 3 years Always a good tims.

Our 2nd stop in Oregon was at a clothing optional resort called The Willamettans ("The Willies" for…read moreshort). Even though it's clothing optional, most people were nude. It's the largest resort we've visited and reminded us the most of our home resort in Florida (Lake Como). There are many amenities including tennis, pickleball, shuffleboard and volleyball courts, the latter of which sadly aren't used. We've found it interesting that grass & sand volleyball aren't a popular activity out west like it is at mid-west and Eastern nudist resorts. Most hadn't even heard of "Super Bowl" (the large volleyball tournament in PA at White Thorn Lodge Nudist Resort each Labor Day...or the southern version at Lake Como in March). Actually, many hadn't even heard of Lake Como...it's been a wonderful journey telling people about the resorts in Florida and learning about all the well-known resorts out this way. The Willies boasts a large, pristine pool area with beautiful sunning decks. I love sunning and looking out at the fir trees and mountains...a common loveliness of these Pacific NW resorts! There is a nice little playground right outside the pool fence. The hot tub is enclosed and adjacent to the pool. Their large rec hall (which they call their Lodge) connects them all & offers enclosed showers & bathroom, though the outdoor pool showers were artistic & welcoming. The Lodge had the best stock of games & puzzles, a foosball & ping pong table, a coffee station, and a great array of comfy couches. This is one of a few central common areas in the resort. Another area just a little walk from the pool area houses their "Full Moon Saloon" bar & dance hall, an incredibly stocked craft room, a small merchandise store (The Bun), and a large, comfortable shower house. Plus, their cafe & snack shack are right across from the bar, offering a pretty nice fare on the weekends (there aren't snacks for sale or a community kitchen area during the week here, but there is a microwave and fridge for common use at the Lodge...and the rooms have small ones, too.) Other common areas include the dog park, trails, & sports area (as mentioned above). Near the office is their AANR-NW Library which is a treasure trove of photos, artifacts, and books about the resorts in this area. The Willies recently hosted the AANR-NW annual conference and built a really cool "Bridge to the Future" commemorating each resort or club in this region on a plaque (picture included). We had the pleasure of getting a tour from a couple of board members. They don't normally allow photos at this resort but they gave us permission & accompanied us, sharing so much about it. I was touched & impressed with their active involvement in not only their own resort, but also the greater community. They donate pounds of food every year and sponsor a local HS scholarship. The whole place is a volunteer-based co-op...everyone is asked to pitch in with the work and maintenance needed to keep the resort a premier place to live & visit. There were chore bulletin board that everyone uses to know what needs done. They were especially proud of a new project in the resort to be better stewards of the environment through a comprehensive recycling program. It is very obvious of the care and love they and the residents & members take here. You could feel it! Their landscaping was so pretty, flower beds are scattered across the grounds, and volunteers were seen working on repairs and maintenance. They have removed many old "bunkies" (cabins or RV rentals) and upgraded them. One particular one looked like a top-notch hotel room with modern decor and fresh paint & flooring. We love "rustic" but it's nice to see "well-kept rustic"! The RV spaces were the best we've seen...many have a nice patch of grass and they're all well laid out. Same with the tent spaces...each is nestled in a little wooded area of its own. We loved the social vibe of The Willies. They host an event once a month. There are lots of pictures of past events and it is apparent the fun had here. They do themed events where costumes are encouraged. Recent Alice in Wonderland and Roaring 20's party pictures were on display. We enjoyed the Wednesday night karaoke. We were on to our next resort before this weekend's Neon Glow 70's themed dance. Their biggest event is their annual Rennaissance Fair in September. We are sad we won't be in the area to participate in that. This is a place we will definitely revisit! I can see many summers spent here. The weather is perfection (not too dry, not too humid), the people were friendly, and the grounds & amenities were amazing.

Late December 2023, visiting Bend, OR, the lack of snow on the mountains had us decide that we…read moreshould check out the ocean so off to the Pacific we went. Driving along Hwy 20* or the Santiam Highway as this section is known, we came upon a sign about the "Hackleman Old Growth Grove". I've got a thing about big old trees so I pulled over to take a look. I saw that there were some relatively easy hiking trails/loops (less then a mile?) so we decided to stretch our legs. These sort of forests always amaze me for the following reasons: 1) No one ever checks these places out in December. 2) It is sooooo green!!!! 3) The silence/sounds of the forest is just....there. The moss growing on the trees. The size of the trees. The thickness of the bark on some of these. Wow. I was blown away. Honestly, I wanted to sit, not move, and just breathe it all in. And I'm not gonna lie, I was hoping to see some squatch tracks in the old snow but nada. I'm also guessing in a normal season you're going to need some snow shoes but we didn't on this trip. If you are on this drive and need a quick stretch of your legs, this is a good of spot as any. FYI: The parking lot has a "honey pot" so if need a bathroom cause nature is calling, you got a spot. * Fun fact about Highway 20 is that it is one of those old original highways that goes across the country more or less (some of it is now blended with other Highways). You can start in either Newport, OR, or in Boston, MA and you can make your way across the country. Perusing Google maps, I see I've been on sections of this road coming out of West Yellowstone, Eastern Oregon, Wyoming, and I've driven across it countless times where it crosses in Iowa and Hwy 35 and even on it in Dubuque. Either way, pretty cool.

Really cute well kept park. The bathroom is very clean. The playground looks new and clean and is…read morefun for the kids. The ground for the playground is turf which is really nice. There's also a large basketball court, covered picnic tables, and benches. There's 2 separate play areas for very young kids and then older kids . There's not a parking lot but there is plenty of parking on the curb.

Pretty and interesting well maintained little spot, across the dam. Covered picnic area, giant…read moretrout & sturgeon (in my dreams!!). Feed 'em for a quarter, walk around the hatching ponds. Noise is river not traffic, and sound of happy kids. Surprisingly nice "relaxing" spot - tall trees, level grass. Read a book, spread a blanket, even write a Yelp review?? Nearly gets 4 stars, probly should.

The hatchery is one of those things that I've driven by a thousand times and never stop. I finally…read moredid a few years ago and I'm so glad I did. No, it's not glamorous or exciting but it is kinda cool. They have some fairly large sturgeon (Google for some cool factoids!) and hatchery fish of all sizes. You can feed the fish and watch the little buggers swarm. Kids will get a kick out of it and some adults will too. It takes 15 or 20 minutes to wander around. It's worth a stop. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/leaburg_hatchery.asp

The new food menu this year is great. I havent tried anything I didn't like. I love that they offer…read moreBingo during the summer time. It's a lot of fun for the entire family. The 4th of July fireworks the past 2 years have been a great joy to watch.

Tee boxes are flat on every hole, greens are lightning fast and putt absolutely true. Amazing…read morecourse! Haven't played it in 33 years and it's even better than it was! Definitely will come back and play again multiple times!

We rented bikes to ride the famous McKenzie River Trail - my friends told me I had to ride this…read more Boy am I glad I did. They are a smaller shop with a limited selection, yet very nice bikes - mine looked like it was almost new. They we careful to make sure I had a trail map, repair kit and extra water for the ride (its a long ride- at least for me it is). I also got a shuttle from them up to the top of the trailhead. Their staff was very nice and knowledgeable.