Stopped by when it wasn't icy and dangerous to work your way down. The falls were rushing nicely,…read morewith a fabulous long-reaching cool spray. Short, easy trail down...although it could be a tad steep for some. Otherwise there's a decent amount of parking, and it's such a short walk to see the falls, definitely worth checking out.

We were looking for a quick little getaway of a hike and this certainly fit the bill. Clickity…read moreclack on the interwebs, a plug into the GPS, and we were off. It's not too far off of the main road at all, and the hike down to the water is short and sweet, and only steep in one tiny section. This looks like it gets plenty of traffic in warmer months and there are lots of pools where you could take a dip. I wouldn't be surprised if the teen crowd parties here (read: I saw a few beer cans) but on my later spring visit it was cool and only one other group--a family-- was there at the falls. The falls are gorgeous, misty, and pretty straightforward in mass. We turned it into an impromptu photo shoot which was about my favorite part of the trip, and they made a nice backdrop. There's not much else here, and not much nearby. So bring your picnics, park, and come down to the pools or water and spend an hour watching the hypnotic tumbling.

Gorgeous 300 year-old tree, and if you're a hugger like me...well then it's a must see. Ok,…read moreenough Seuss. It's an easy walk to see Cathedral. You could get to it via the column, but we opted to take the trailhead below. The trailhead is easy to find and signed well, with parking for a few cars. It's a slight uphill on your way to the tree, and although it's a short walk, with a partially icy trail and an ice packed boardwalk, it took a bit longer on Jan 1st than we'd expected. There are a couple of benches around the tree should you desire to take rest. The Cathedral Tree is gorgeous. Although it doesn't really stand out in height or girth amongst PNW trees, it's special to see for a tree lover and neat to read its history. You can squeeze right under and through in to the other side...which I did a few times. We didn't opt to continue on the trail up to the column, but it's a pretty and quick walk up to see the tree nonetheless. Stop by and give it some love!

It's a beautiful hike!! I didn't necessarily see the cathedral tree though, I don't even know if…read moreit's labeled or not. But that's the only issue. I wouldn't recommend bringing younger children because it is extremely muddy and slick. A beautiful experience for adventure seekers!!!

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.

I saw a tiktok about this place and it just so happened to be on route when I was driving back to…read morePortland. Parking was scary because there is only one spot and it felt like we were going to fall off the edge of the woods, so beware! lol It was very easy to find on both Apple Maps and in general due to the colorful appearance of the trolls. I thought it was really cool and random which is exactly what I wanted to experience. Overall, totally recommend if you happen to be in these neck of the woods. Not sure if it is worth going out of your way to visit, but it totally cures some boredom if you want something to do right outside of the city.

It's different - nothing to go out your way for but if you wanting to explore then go a head. It's…read morestill there. If you use the coordinates from here please note you'll need to go a little pass the called out spot because at first I don't I missed it. Only two vehicles can successfully park on the side. Happy traveling!!!

On the Eastside Esplanade by the river is this lovely, large ship. This reminds me of one of the…read moreships from a child's story book in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series by C. S. Lewis. Very unique. This is just north of the Morrison bridge on the walking/ running/ bike path on the East Bank of the Willamette. It is one of the highlights of the walk, in my opinion.

Bright and clean!…read more It's hard to find pet friendly motels that aren't run down and borderline filthy. I was pleasantly surprised. Comfortable beds, flat screen TV, outdoor pool, and clean rooms. Only a couple cons: No microwave or mini fridge. Terrible water pressure. Best economy motel I've ever stayed at!

Easy walk from road, including a cool bridge over the wetland near Lake Quinault. The photos don't…read moregive you a sense of size. You've got to see it for yourself.

I was staying in Quinault Valley and was finishing up my week exploring Olympic National Park. I…read moredid a few hikes earlier in the day and went for a walk around Lake Quinault. I came across a sign that pointed to a trail that leads to a giant Sitka spruce tree. I had some time to spare and enjoyed the short walk to it. A couple years ago, I spent some time in Redwoods National Park and got to see some of the tallest trees in the world. Quinault Valley is also home to some very tall trees because of the average rainfall that this region gets. Lake Quinault is nicknamed the "Valley of the Rain Forest Giants" and this Big Spruce Tree is one of them. The sign in front of the spruce tree boasts that this is the largest spruce tree in the world. It stands 191 feet tall and measures more than 55 feet in circumference. It is quite a sight to see in person. If you are in this area and have some time, take 30 minutes and check this tree out. It is over a thousand years old. The trail is located across the street from Rain Forest Resort Village.

Never Say Die…read more Astoria And The Goonies. Is this heaven? No? K. Lots of maritime history here. This town has a lot of historical places. The Astoria Bridge is a site all to it's own. Towering over the city like a monolith. The Elks Lodge is it's own historical museum. The building itself dates back to the early 1900's. Never mind all the history that was made inside the building. Places to see? Uhh. Goonie House! The current owner is cool and doesn't mind all the attention. Please be mindful that you are in a residential neighborhood and this is someone's home. Please also look for the donation box. It helps pay for vandalism and theft. The porch lights are the most common thing stolen. The Goonies Museum. Don't forget to look for the jeep in the parking lot full of "Easter Eggs." While there, look at the surrounding houses. My favorite is the 3 story Victorian House on the corner, beautiful. The Maritime Museum is an adventure. Hearing about all the shipwrecks is ominous. The ocean is to be respected and even then, she can be merciless. The Maritime Museum is a great time for all ages. The riverfront area is great just for people watching. There is the Old Train Station and plenty of green space for relaxing or use the jogging path, many people were out walking, jogging and riding bikes on the path. The views are amazing with the cargo ships anchored off shore. Maybe check out "The Tower" and don't forget to buy some planes to throw off "The Tower." Never mind the view's from "The Tower." Astoria looks like a big sleepy little town. It's not! It can be kinda slow at times but Astoria is a sea port. Cruise Ships dock in the Port of Astoria and the city of Astoria can get a rush of tourists up to 10,000 people at a time. Could you imagine working a slow night at the bar then, "BAM," standing room only. Cray, cray. We love Astoria, we love exploring the city and wish we could visit more often.

The city of Astoria, Oregon will forever be linked to the classic 1980's movie, The Goonies. It was…read morehere in this coastal port city where many of the scenes were filmed. So if you are a fan of The Goonies, here are places around Astoria that are worthwhile for visiting.... Check out the Oregon Film Museum. It's $6 entry and a quick 30 minute stop. Outside the museum is the front facade of the jail cell where the Fratelli's brother escaped at the start of the movie. And...you'll notice the black Jeep Cherokee parked outside the museum which was the actual model they used in the film. So cool! The museum is out of date and a preservation of history and the 300+ films made in Oregon. Don't expect much out of the experience. It's a mom and pop type of museum, but still very worthwhile if you're a Goonie. Right beside the Oregon Film Museum is the Flavel House Museum. This is where Mikey's father worked as the museum's curator. When the boys were riding their bicycles down the street readying to search for One Eyed Willie's fortunes, they say hello to Mikey's dad as he's raising the American flag here at the Flavel Museum. You can take a tour inside, but I just took a photo outside of it. Next, drive a few miles down the road to Mikey and Brandon Walsh's actual home from the movie. Granted, it's not accessible inside as it's a real residential home in a real neighborhood. Still, they allow you to walk up to the house for photos and possibly do the "truffle shuffle" if you're daring, lol. The address is... 368 38th Street Astoria, OR 97103 Btw...they ask you to park a little bit away from the house and be respectful of the properties when walking through the neighborhood. Although the house has recently been painted, you could definitely sense it being the same home to the actual one from the film. This has no connection to The Goonies film, but going to the summit of Astoria at the Astoria Column is a nice way to spend some time. You can climb to the top of the 126 foot column for views from high above. It showcases scenic surroundings of the Columbia River and the bridge connecting Washington and Oregon. It's just a $5 entrance fee. You can spend an hour or two here. For me, getting a photo with the Welcome to Astoria sign was something interesting. For my first visit to town, I wanted to make sure that it was official and in the record books, lol. There are two signs at both ends of town. They can't be missed if you drive a little towards the outskirts of the downtown area. Astoria isn't a big city and just a few miles total in length. Finally, in the heart of the downtown walking area you could visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum or simply stroll around Astoria and take in the sights along the waterfront. More Goonies stops 30 miles outside Astoria... - Cannon Beach - the ending scene of the movie where One Eyed Willie's pirate ship sails away in the distance. - Ecola State Park - scene where the Fratelli's hideout was located. It was called the Lighthouse Lounge. It was built for the film, but taken down afterwards. Overall, I had a wonderful time getting to relive my Goonies childhood here in Astoria, Oregon. The flashbacks were surreal. It was a great escape away from reality and back to simpler times. Of course I had to rewatch the film when I returned home. Thank you Astoria, Oregon for preserving the history of The Goonies.

Perhaps it's just me being sentimental because I'm currently reading a fantastic book series about…read moresailors, but visiting the grave of this unknown soul moved me with its simplicity and sincerity. Whomever this lost spirit once was, "known only to God" as the epitath states, I hope that he himself, as well as his family, friends and relatives, have all found peace in the wake of his passing. Rest in peace, sailor.