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.

I've visited multiple times, and my pro tip is to visit when the blacksmith shop is open. It's…read morestaffed by volunteers and they work on projects including parts for doors, etc for the fort as well as other NPS sites. It's cool to watch them work, but even better, if you ask them nicely, they might even give you a hand-forged nail to take home! The rest of the fort is nice to stroll around. Sometimes there are heath cooking demonstrations with fruit and vegetables from the nearby garden. Don't forget to check out the Pearson Air Museum. It's a free museum that houses many artifacts related to aviation history tied to Pearson Field and Vancouver Barracks. Quite interestingly, the museum discusses the Spruce Mill (which is located quite literally on the ground you're standing on) which produced lumber for planes during WWI. It ran 24/7. There's a small visitor center and gift shop if you want more guidance on what to do on your visit.

If you are anywhere near Vancouver and have even the slightest appreciation for history, do…read moreyourself a favor and walk the waterfront, then wander over to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and soak it all in. Right nearby sits Old Apple Tree Park, home to what was known as the oldest apple tree in the Pacific Northwest. I remember seeing the old tree standing there like some weathered pioneer that had witnessed centuries pass by. The original trunk finally died, but shoots from its living roots were replanted, and the tree lives on through its offspring. Considering apple trees were not native to this land and had to be brought across oceans and continents, there is something downright incredible about standing next to the very beginning of Northwest orchard history. Fort Vancouver itself is fascinating. Established by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1825, it became the center of trade, farming, and industry in the Pacific Northwest long before Washington or Oregon were even states. Back then this place was a bustling multicultural settlement with trappers, traders, farmers, blacksmiths, sailors, and families from all over the world. They cultivated massive gardens, orchards, and farmland here to feed thousands of people traveling through the region. It was essentially the headquarters of the Pacific Northwest during the fur trade era. Walking through the fort today feels like stepping into another century. Between the wooden palisades, parade grounds, river breeze, and views of the Columbia, you can almost imagine canoes arriving loaded with furs while smoke curled from fireplaces inside the fort walls. It is peaceful now, but this place once shaped the entire region. I honestly think one of the best afternoons you can have in Vancouver is to stroll the riverfront, grab a coffee, walk through the historic reserve, and end up here reflecting on how much history happened on this patch of ground. Relish it. So much of the Northwest rushes forward so fast that we forget where it all began. Fort Vancouver reminds you.

Wonderful world of impish dolls, artifacts art, and sculpture jewelry etc. This place has…read moreeverything, the name implies! If your in Vancouver WA stop by and see her Wonderfully quirky collection of every thing devilish you could imagine, Its not to be missed if your into wonderfully curated collectibles and art and devilish collectibles! Easy to access and contact and nake an appointment or follow in FACEBOOK. For more info Love this place!

This collection is absolutely amazing. So many rare and beautiful pieces, many youd not normally be…read moreable to see due to the ravages and sheer passing of time. Marion is passionate about her collection and really makes your visit something special and memorable, whether it be for a taste of absinthe or tea, beautiful settings and oh so elegant! Shes also an accomplished artist herself, you must take a look at her pottery creations and beaded artwork, really...Just stunning. The pottery pieces resemble some of the antique, classic artworks she showcases, the colors and glazes just beautiful. A tour of the museum takes you back in time, a time where everything is magical, a time where delight is abundant, so much joy and wonder there. I highly recommend a visit if youre going to be in the area, if youre a lover of antiques, art, and of course "Devilish Little Things"

Beautiful | wildlife | many photo ops…read more This is a beautiful little gem to visit if you're visiting Portland. It's like Hoyt Arboretum combined with the Japanese Tea Garden. We paid $9 for each adult and $6 for our 8yr old (our 23mo old was free). We stayed about an hour to explore with our kids. There is a little parking lot out front that was pretty full, but we were lucky to find one person leaving when we arrived. Across the street is Reed College, so I am unsure where there is extra parking for most visitors. A wedding was happening while we were visiting. This place is really a perfect venue for weddings just like Hoyt Arboretum. They closed off a portion of the park to host the wedding. There are restrooms open while the wedding was happening. What I loved about this park that sets it apart from Hoyt is the views of a lake and family waterfall. The walkway is nice so you can view the lake filled with ducks, herons, and beavers! I spotted some tadpoles and beautiful birds out and about. A special thing during our visit was seeing a bald eagle nesting in the tall tree with its baby. SO CUTE and SPECIAL! This park offers a lot of opportunities to wander and view some great scenery. It's well maintained and has plenty of shade throughout. Some areas are family friendly but I'd say to keep a close eye on your toddlers around the pond. Bring a camera. Lots of great views. Very peaceful. Would love to come back here again, especially during fall for vibrant colors.

We didn't have access to a large part of the park even though we were charged full price. This…read moreseems greedy and unprofessional. My girlfriend had to go to the restroom and I waited for her outside with our dog. This extremely rude employee named Milo came by and insisted that I move to another area because we were close to the event entrance. I told him that we were far enough behind the sign and he doubled down on being impolite and aggressive. Avoid this park as it is a waste of money and time. We came here on a Saturday after driving for about half an hour and should have gone elsewhere instead.

Very cool square. Ran into one of the people who lived there and she was very nice. We were invited…read moreto do the painting for the mural on the street that happens annually. It is a very cool project overall.

Meditation on a Hippy Corner…read more Tea stand, books, and a bulletin Drop my crap off and neighb's haul it in I sure won't hang out here But glad that I live near To observe this fine sharing shenanigan. Please see Kelly M's review for a more precise explanation of this painted street square, where I may have observed a public pet burial. Don't quote me on that one.

What everyone gets wrong about this Statue is its true Importance. Paul was built to ward off…read moreRaiding parties from the north trying to steal our Children and Cattle. He was also Constructed from the blood and flesh and then covered in a plaster shell to keep those meaty bits safe. Sort of like an M&M. His mortal enemy and true rival is Harvey the Bunny who stalks the backroads of Tualatin. After their battle back in 69 neither of them left without a few scars and decided to have a truce of sorts. Both agreeing to stay on their own side of the river and only collect sacrifices from amongst their own followers. The reason Pauls shirt is red is to hide the wounds he suffered that still weep blood. Remember, every third Saturday and 5th monday a sacrifice of flesh is required.

It was silly but I stopped to get this photo, though on a busy intersection. On our way to other…read moreesoteric places. Cute!

For me this was a great place to visit. As a child my father worked for the Union Pacific…read more Railroad and was often working out of Troutdale. I spent a lot of time in this depot and watching the trains from the platform.

Now long gone Lipmans was a major Portland department store for years. This building was built in…read more1912 as its flagship store. The exterior of the building is covered in white glazed terra cotta some tiles have garlands They were known, well at least by kids, for their holiday celebration featuring the "Cinnamon Bear" I can remember looking around for him wandering around the store handing out cinnamon cookies shaped like him. The building is across the street from Meier and Franks the stores competed with eachother for customers. The building was the first department store in Portland with an elevator. It is now home to Hotel Monico. It is fun to look around the building to see the few remaining touches of the store.