The Perpetual Tourist

Multnomah Falls, like Mount Hood, is just a short drive from Portland, Oregon. You could visit both in the same day if you really wanted to, but I don’t recommend it. In fact, we visited Mount Hood and Multnomah Falls on back to back days, and I don’t recommend that, either. That’s a lot of walking uphill.

The falls are actually visible from the parking lot at the bottom, so of course, you don’t have to do any walking if you don’t want to — but when there’s a hiking trail to the top of the falls, why not take it?

My friends and I visited Multnomah Falls late on a Saturday morning. In my mind, waterfalls are secluded, peaceful places you have to walk through the woods to find. Not Multnomah Falls. On a nice weekend day, this place was Tourist Central. Why wouldn’t it be? The falls are easily accessible (hiking to the top is optional, of course) and right in the middle of the larger tourist attraction that is the Columbia River Gorge.

Near the parking lot, there’s a gift shop, restaurant, and a bridge over Multnomah Creek, where everyone stops to take pictures of the 620-foot waterfall. I felt like I couldn’t possibly walk across the bridge without interrupting or ruining someone’s photograph — it was that crowded. So the hike up to the top was a welcome way to escape the masses, or so I thought.

It’s a one-mile hike to the lookout point at the top of the falls. That’s not a long walk, but it’s a lot of hill climbing. In fact, it felt like one of the more difficult miles I’ve ever walked, but that’s probably mostly because we’d hiked at Mount Hood the day before. Judging by the number of senior citizens we met on the trail, it’s probably not too bad for someone in reasonable shape and not already sore all over. Unfortunately, the crowds didn’t get much smaller on the way to the top.

View of the Columbia River Gorge from the Multnomah Falls trail

The view of the gorge from points on the trail and from the top is absolutely breathtaking, but I’d warn against this hike if you are afraid of heights. Most of the edges don’t have guard rails of any kind blocking the very steep drop over the side, and there were several points on the walk that made me pretty nervous (but okay, I am a wimp). If you take kids, I really recommend one of those humiliating leashes to keep them away from the sides.

Multnomah Falls in Winter

If you’re not going to do the hike, Multnomah Falls can be a quick stop on a driving tour of the Columbia River Gorge. If you do decide to walk to the top, plan for a couple of hours at the falls. If you can go on a weekday, all the better — you’ll avoid the massive crowds. If you go in the winter, you might find the falls frozen over. I’ve never seen them like this, but judging from postcard pictures, it’s a spectacular sight.

On my latest visit to Portland, Mount Hood was my favorite day trip, but Multnomah Falls was a worthy destination as well. I definitely recommend visits to both, just use more sense than I did and space out your trips a little better if you can. It took a long time for my legs to recover from that weekend.

I never thought I’d want to live anywhere but Virginia. I get around the country a lot, but it’s always nice to return home, even if it is only a short stay before I’m off again. My husband and I have been in Oregon for the past couple of weeks, and I have to admit, I’m not homesick at all. Sorry, Mom.

Some friends of mine from the Old Dominion were in Portland for a long weekend, so we joined up and did some exploring. Friday was a gorgeous day for a hike, so we packed up our car and drove out to Mount Hood, about an hour east of the city. I spend most of my time in Oregon staring at the mountains, but I’ve never actually been very close to any of the big ones, so this was a huge treat for me.

We picked up some trail maps and descriptions at an information center on the way. We had decided to park at the Timberline Lodge and take one of the trails from there up the mountain a bit. None of us are real mountaineers, so we settled on the 2-mile hike up the Silcox Trail. This would prove more difficult than we expected.

Today's view from the Timberline Lodge

The view of the mountain from the Timberline Lodge is incredible. As its name suggests, the lodge is at the tree line, about 6000 feet up the 11,235-foot mountain. Some glaciers remained on the mountain, but the first autumn snows hadn’t come yet, so most of the mountain was just rocky. With no trees for perspective, it almost feels like the top of the mountain is right within reach. In reality, the summit is still a mile above us, and several hours of treacherous climbing — not something we were going to try.

With our trail map and description in hand, we set off for the Silcox Trail to the Silcox Hut at 7000 feet. Only, we couldn’t find the trail. There are dozens of trails forking out from the Timberline Lodge, and none of them are particularly well labeled. Even those that are labeled have more forks as you venture higher up the mountain, and those forks don’t tell you which trail is which. We asked a lodge employee for help finding the right trail, but even with his description, we took a wrong fork very early in our hike.

Not to worry. In the early fall, with no snow on the ground, and a clear view of the lodge below us, we weren’t really in any danger of getting lost. We just weren’t really sure how far we were hiking or where we were going. We just took whatever trails were available to us, climbed on whatever rocks we came to, and took pictures of the mountain from every angle. If Mount Hood were a man, it would dominate People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive issue year after year. It’s stunning.

I’m glad I’ve been working out a lot lately, because this hike was up, up, up. Coming down such steep slopes wasn’t exactly easy on the joints, either, so be sure to wear supportive shoes if you embark on one of these hikes. We eventually came to a point where we could see a little hut on the side of the mountain. It was Silcox Hut, no doubt, only the trails we’d taken had put us on the other side of a glacier from it, and snowboarders were coming down that glacier.

Mt. Jefferson as seen from the ski slopes of Mt. Hood

We tested the ice. Strong, not too slippery. Walkable, probably. So we waited for the snowboarders to pass and we crossed the glacier to the Silcox Hut, which appeared to have several trails leading to it. Which one is the true Silcox Trail? We’ll probably never know. What was estimated as a moderately difficult 2-mile hike on the trail guide turned out to be about a 4 mile walk, in our estimations, which took us most of the afternoon. I’m not complaining about this — the hike was invigorating and the views were stunning. From most points on the path we took, we had lovely views of Trillium Lake below and Mount Jefferson’s peak about 40 miles away.

All in all, this hike was worth every bit of excitement in me leading up to it. I was even jealous of the gas station attendant who filled us up, because he gets to work every day with that beautiful backdrop. I can’t believe I’ve spent so much time in Oregon without ever getting to Mount Hood before last weekend. You can bet that I’ll keep going back, as long as my legs will carry me.

This Saturday, 1000 gorillas will run through the streets of London, in what is quite possibly the coolest charity race ever.  Great Gorillas is a non-profit organization working to protect all species of gorilla from the looming threat of extinction.

Starting in London in 2003, there have been Great Gorilla Runs each year — 7km races where every participant wears a gorilla costume.  It’s a funny, light-hearted event for a very serious cause.  This year, there will be more runners in the London race than there are mountain gorillas in the entire world (720).

Money raised in the Great Gorilla races — over £1 million  to date — goes to help the impoverished people of West and Central Africa so they don’t have to mine and farm in gorilla habitats to earn a living.

The Great Gorilla Run expanded to San Francisco in 2007, and future runs are planned for New York, Amsterdam, and China.  The 7km London run is an annual event that takes runners through some of the city’s most famous landmarks.  I wonder if those stoic guards at Buckingham Palace can keep a straight face when 1000 people dressed as gorillas come jogging by.

In addition to the races, the charity offers a trip called The Great Gorilla Adventure.  The 10-day itinerary gets you up close with gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda, and the proceeds benefit conservation efforts.

It’s not too late to register for this weekend’s run.  If you’re already in London, click here to sign up.  They’ll even provide your gorilla suit!

www.flippin-seaman.com

Maybe it’s just the excessive heat, but this summer has felt longer than most.  Nothing against summer, but I’m ready for autumn.  Football and fall foliage are some of my favorite things, but I’m especially looking forward to my annual apple-picking trips.

It’s not quite apple season here in Virginia, but farms all across the country are geared up for the start of pick-your-own season.  As the crops come in, farms will open their gates to visitors who will come from near and far to pick their favorite fruits fresh off trees and vines.  It’s a great excursion for families, groups of friends, and culinary artists looking to get a deal on their jam-making supplies.

I usually make a weekend out of it with friends.  We go down to Nelson County, Virginia, to pick apples at my family farm, which is also open to the general public for pick-your-own apple days throughout the season.  We then pitch our tents on the farm and spend the night eating apples and drinking spiked cider by the campfire.  The next day, the more skilled among us (not me - I’m an eater, not a cook) take their remaining apples home and create delicious things like apple butter and apple pie to share with those of us who wish we were talented enough to make these things ourselves.

www.flippin-seaman.com

Apple season is coming soon, but right now there are blueberries, peaches, and blackberries (in the northern US).  Pick-your-own excursions are great fun for kids, and then you can take your load home with you for cooking projects with your family.  Then later in the fall will be pumpkin season — get your Halloween jack-o-lanterns direct from the patch.

In addition to having a fun day outdoors with your friends and/or family, you can save a lot of money on fresh produce when you buy directly from a farm.  To find a pick-your-own site near you, visit this website.  You’ll also find great recipes for what to do with all the fruit you’re going to bring home.

If you find you can’t possibly eat all the goodies you picked (that’s often my problem), be a hero and bring them into your office to share, or have your kids take them to their friends at school.

With the way all of our cities are rapidly morphing into concrete jungles, I think time on a farm is valuable for everyone, but especially kids.  A pick-your-own farm trip is a great excuse to get some of your extended family together for some fun on the farm and a celebratory feast.

National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD

I have to admit that I don’t love Baltimore, Maryland.  It’s only a few hours away from my hometown, and I’ve visited many times, but it will never be my favorite place to go.  It’s difficult to get around, really expensive, and generally intimidating.  But there are redeeming qualities — reasons to go in spite of all this.  Number one is the National Aquarium.

When you visit the aquarium, you’ll want to leave the whole day open, because it will take hours to see everything, including special shows and various exhibits.  The exhibits at the aquarium are home to more than 16,500 animals.  I used to go on school field trips here as a kid, and I still love the place as an adult — it’s ideal for an educational family excursion.

The aquarium isn’t all fish, all the time.  There are reptile, bird, amphibian, and mammal exhibits to check out, along with the thousands of fish you’ll see.

Australian Frilled Lizard

One of the featured exhibits right now is Animal Planet Australia:  Wild Extremes.  Many Australian species evolved on the island continent isolated from other similar species, and represent the closest living connection to prehistoric animals on Earth.

Another exhibit your family will love is Frogs! A Chorus Of Colors.  You’ll get up close with all different shapes, sizes, and colors of frog, and experience their music in the making.  Check out frog mp3s here.

Some exhibits are hands-on, allowing you to touch animals that you’d never get close to in the wild.  Kids especially love this experience.

As with all good museums, the National Aquarium has a large theater called the 4D Immersion Theater.  Currently showing is Planet Earth: Shallow Seas™ 4-D Experience, a film that explores life in coastal waters and coral reefs.  The film is 3D, while smells and other sensory special effects combine for the fourth “D.”

My favorite part of the aquarium experience, both as a child and now as an adult, is always the dolphin show.  You have to purchase a separate ticket for this, but it’s a must see.  Dolphins are fascinating animals, and I always leave the show wishing I’d worked harder toward a dolphin-training career path.

Dolphins Perform at the National Aquarium

As I mentioned before, Baltimore is pricey — tickets to the aquarium start at $21.95 for adults, but a day here is well worth the price of admission.

Our quest for the best place on Earth to spend the night started in the Netherlands, and now takes us to the Chilean rain forest. Nestled in the Huilo Huilo Reserve in Southern Chile, we find the Magic Mountain Hotel, a fairytale style building with 13 private rooms and an additional 11 cabins elsewhere on the grounds.

www.ayrhoteles.cl

This unique building even has its own waterfall cascading down one side. Each of the rooms looks out into the beautiful natural setting, with condors and eagles flying by and pumas and other native animals wandering the forest floor below.

A snowboarder enjoys the Choshuenco volcano

More than a two hour drive from the nearest airport (Pichol airport in Valdivia, Chile), the Magic Mountain Hotel seems a bit out of the way, perhaps in the middle of nowhere. But there’s plenty to do, even without a big city close by. There is an aerial walkway through the reserve as high as 90m up at some points. You can take in the scenery from the treetops, above cliffs and over valleys. Hunting and fishing are popular summer pastimes (remember that this is the Southern hemisphere, so summer is January-March), and expert skiers enjoy the challenging slopes of the nearby Choshuenco volcano. This is not a ski resort with lifts and trails, but the hotel provides transportation and snow cats for skiers. Other activities offered by the hotel include whitewater rafting and horseback riding.

www.allsouthernchile.com

After a long day of busy sightseeing, there’s no better place to relax than in the tree trunk hot tubs on the hotel deck with a glass of fine Chilean wine — and Magic Mountain has the finest!

Room rates at the Magic Mountain range from approximately $150-$250USD, and the hotel accepts Visa and Mastercard payments. For reservations or further information, call +56 63 1972681.

Also check out the newly constructed Baobab Hotel, located in the same area as Magic Mountain.

Baobab Hotel

This whole area is an architecture-lover’s dreamland, and a haven for any naturalist.

I love flying in and out of Portland International Airport. The airport itself is very cool, but the real appeal is getting a bird’s eye view of all the major peaks of the Cascade Range. Even though it’s a few hundred miles away from Portland, Mount Rainier in Washington is one of the most imposing sights on the skyline.

Whenever I see people with window seats on the plane not staring out at the mountains, I am convinced they have no soul. My husband says it’s just that they grew up in the area and the mountains are an everyday sight for them. Whatever — the mountains of the Pacific Northwest are just as stunning to me now as they were the first time I saw them, and if I could see them all the time, I’d never look at anything else.

If you think the view from the sky is stunning, just wait until you see Mount Rainier from its own slopes. Mount Rainier National Park is open all year, but the most popular time to visit is mid- to late summer, when more of the mountain is accessible. Summertime can be crowded at Rainier, so mid-week is the best time to visit if you come during this peak season.

In the spring, you’ll find waterfalls created by melting snow, or later in the year you can take in the vibrant colors of the fall, but remember that weather conditions will dictate how much of the mountain you’ll be able to visit. Don’t expect to get anywhere by car if you come in the winter!

Non-motorized boating and fishing are permitted in most of the park’s lakes, but keep in mind that they are only ice-free for a short window, usually from July to October.

As you might expect, there are plenty of hiking trails around Rainier. If you plan to camp overnight, you must obtain a permit, available at any of the park’s ranger stations. Never hike alone, and always inform someone else of your plans so that they can notify authorities if you do not return when expected. Check the latest wilderness alerts before leaving for a hike or climb.

Snow starts falling each year in late October, making Rainier a great place to enjoy snow sports like skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, showshoeing, and sledding. Conditions can get hazardous, so stick to the designated areas for these activities, and never go out alone.

For accommodations at Mount Rainier, there’s no better place to be than Paradise, an appropriately named area on the south slope of the mountain. The historic Paradise Inn has just reopened following two years of renovations. Paradise is the park’s main winter-use area, and also home to its main visitor center, the Jackson Visitor Center. Roads in and out of Paradise are kept plowed throughout the winter.

For more information about accommodations and things to do at Mount Rainier, visit the national park website here.

Yellowstone National Park is one of those places everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. It was the first national park in the US, and it is certainly one of the grandest, surrounded by the towering Rocky Mountains and featuring more wildlife than most zoos and geysers unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. But there’s something you probably haven’t heard about this place: it smells horrible.

Trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas leak out through cracks in the ground, especially around the geysers in the park, which makes the place smell like rotten eggs. I’m not trying to sell timeshares in Wyoming, so I’ll be honest with you: the smell is damn near unbearable at times. I would have enjoyed my trip to Yellowstone much more if I’d had a decent sinus infection.

The odor is a definite bummer, but it is by no means a reason to avoid the park. Yellowstone is one of the most lovely places I’ve ever been, and I guess that unless you want to dress like Michael Jackson (a lot more acceptable in the 80’s), there’s no real way to prepare for the stench. Still, I think it’s only fair that visitors be warned so they can at least brace themselves…

The nearest major airport to Yellowstone is Salt Lake City, about five hours away, but I’d recommend flying into Jackson Hole if you can find a good deal. It’s more convenient to the park, and the drive to Yellowstone from Jackson Hole, Wyoming takes you through Grand Teton National Park. You might as well make it a twofer when you visit this area, because both parks are really gorgeous — and Grand Teton smells like regular fresh air!

The climate in this area (northwest Wyoming) is one of cold winters and mild summers, which makes it a popular summer vacation destination. Expect crowds if you come in the peak season. When you visit in winter, you can take advantage of better hotel prices and guided snowmobile tours. It sounds like a lot of fun, and it would be nice to avoid great masses of people, but I still think summer is the best time to see Yellowstone.

For one thing, the weather is pretty nice (as opposed to bitterly cold), and even though there won’t be any snowmobiling, you have many more options in the summer, like camping, hiking, boating, and fishing.

Of course you’ll have to visit Old Faithful. So named because it is one of the few geysers in the world that actually erupts on a predictable schedule, Old Faithful shoots boiling water up to 184 feet in the air approximately every 90 minutes. Be patient, though, because the schedule isn’t entirely precise. Sometimes smaller eruptions precede the real deal, and when I visited the geyser, it started gurgling a few minutes after a crowd started to assemble. It burped up some smelly water for a little while, maybe five or six feet high, then settled down. Everyone was pretty bummed. “That’s it?!” Most of the crowd left to explore other parts of the park, so my folks and I were some of the only witnesses of that hour’s real eruption, some fifteen minutes after the teaser.

Old Faithful is the most famous attraction, but Yellowstone has plenty of other charms. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was my favorite place when I visited. Several lookouts along the canyon offer incredible views of the Upper and Lower Falls, at 109 feet and 308 feet, respectively. Along some of the park’s hiking trails, you’ll come to petrified forests, which are really not forests but rather groups of petrified trunks. Still pretty cool.

And then there’s the wildlife. Yellowstone is home to dozens of endangered species, as well as animals that you just don’t see anywhere else. One memorable sighting on my trip was when my parents were talking about how they’d like to see a coyote.

“There’s one,” I said, pointing to the coyote that had just sauntered past our car. “And there’s a bear.” Remember to practice smart camping techniques if you pitch your tent in Yellowstone. The animals really are everywhere.

Even with threatening bears and that awful smell, I put Yellowstone in the top ten places I’d like to see again. It was worth the inconveniences the first time around, and knowing what I’d face on a return trip, I’d still love to do it all over again.

When I was in second grade, my class “adopted” a whale when we were doing our ocean lessons. Researchers sent us photos and information about our class pet, and we watched a lot of slide shows of whales. I think we all thought of them as sort of mystical creatures that only folks with the absolute best connections would ever have the opportunity to see for themselves — you know, people who were tight with the president or something.

I guess this notion sort of stuck with me over the years, because I had no idea that regular people could go on whale watching tours and see real live whales in their natural habitats, until my friend Amy, self-proclaimed Whale Geek, started talking about all the whale watching she does. I grilled her on the subject so that I could pass on some information about what could be a fascinating hobby, or just a one-time adventure — great for individuals or family excursions.

Amy does most of her whale watches in the Gulf of Maine, off the coast of New England. She says that this is one of the best places to go whale watching because these waters are highly productive feeding grounds, with one of the best researched populations of humpback whales on the planet, because they are so easy to reach and study. And these humpbacks, Amy says, tend to be the most dramatic at the surface, giving onlookers quite a show as they eat, play, and go about their daily business. For a photographer like Amy, the North Atlantic is a great spot to take roll upon roll of film (or fill up a memory card).

All whale watching tours will have naturalists on board. Usually these are professional researchers who are there to give information and answer questions you have about the whales. If they have been working in the same area for a while, they will often be able to identify specific whales and give lots of details like the animal’s age, how many calves it has, and more. Sometimes the naturalist may just be a college intern, who won’t be able to give you as many details. When researching different companies for a tour, Amy suggests asking them about their naturalists, and going with the more seasoned scientists.

A typical whale watching tour will last 3-4 hours. Since you are going out into the animal’s natural habitat and not a large tank at an aquarium, there is no way to guarantee what you will see. Check with the company, as most offer coupons for another trip if you don’t see any whales your first time out, or if the trip is canceled for bad weather.

Here are some of Amy’s tips for a first time whale watcher:

• Bring a jacket, a hat, and sunscreen. It’s almost always cooler out on the ocean than it is on shore, as well as windier. You need to protect yourself from the sun — but be sure your hat has a chin strap, or you might lose it in the wind!
• Book your first whale watch with a smaller company; not someone with giant boats. The more crowded a ship is, the harder it is to get a good look at the whales, which can be frustrating.
• Be patient. It can take a while to get to the whales. Maybe you want to spend this time talking to the naturalist, asking questions.
• If you are prone to sea sickness, take something before you go out on the boat.
• Keep an open mind. When you go into it with lots of expectations, you are bound to be disappointed. Remember that these are wild animals, not Shamu doing tricks for you at Sea World. You don’t get to see a whale breach (leap out of the water) every time, but when you do, it’s really magnificent. Just enjoy watching these beautiful animals in an environment that not many people ever get to see.

Thanks, Amy, for all the helpful information as well as all the photographs used in this post! Visit Amy’s brand new whale watching website here, and check back regularly for photos from her latest trips.

Ashland, Oregon is perhaps the most romantic place I’ve ever been. The small town doesn’t sell itself as a couples’ destination, and I certainly recommend visiting the place with or without a significant other, but for a newlywed couple on their honeymoon, I can’t think of a better place to be.

The town is featured in the latest edition of 1000 Places To See Before You Die. So what is there to see? Ashland is a popular tourist destination because of its plays. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival lives in Ashland, and on any given day, you can see a Shakespeare classic or some other genre of performance from musical to comedy to experimental theater at one of Ashland’s three main theaters, including the gorgeous outdoor Elizabethan Theater, open in the summertime.

Getting around Ashland is easy, and you won’t need a car to see the sights here. Everything is within pleasant walking distance from each of the town’s many places to stay. Ashland has only one major hotel, which is a nice place to stay for sure, but for a slightly higher price, you can stay in a truly delightful bed & breakfast. A friend introduced me to the Peerless Hotel, which is really a boutique hotel/bnb, in an old and beautifully decorated house. Each room is different and uniquely wonderful. But good luck snagging a room here — that will be difficult now that the Peerless is recommended not just by some travel blogger, but also by the 1000 Places To See book.

As you walk around Ashland, you’ll pass dozens of boutiques and shops selling things like handmade jewelry, Buddhist accessories and decorations, and lots and lots of artwork. The town has a very hippie feel to it, and shopping here is about as far from mall shopping as you can get. Perhaps the most beautiful part of the town is Lithia Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a gorgeous place to take a stroll and soak up some sun, but don’t leave without drinking from the Lithia water fountain. Water from Lithia Springs is rich with minerals and drinking from the fountain is said to improve your health. In truth, the water is rich with sulfur and smells just like a wet fart. It tastes only slightly better. Still, it’s part of the Ashland experience, so hold your nose and drink up!

This tiny mountain town has plenty to see and do that you could enjoy an entire vacation without leaving the town limits — but you simply can’t do that. With Ashland’s proximity to Crater Lake National Park, it should be a crime to visit Ashland without making at least a day trip to Crater Lake. The park is open year round, and park employees work hard round the clock to keep the roads paved up to the visitor’s center, but there are points in the year where the actual lake itself is only accessible by snowshoe or ski. I visited on May 2, while most of the park was under 11 feet of snow. Still, the roads were plowed all the way to the rim (but not around it), and it was not a cold day, so it was relatively easy to get up to the rim, and the weather was actually quite enjoyable.

I always thought the phrase “take your breath away” was hyperbole, but my first live glimpse of Crater Lake quite literally stole my breath. Pictures simply do not capture it adequately (still, here’s a picture). The lake, which, at over 1,900 feet deep is the deepest lake in North America, is fed only by rain and melting snow, and is allegedly the cleanest body of fresh water in the world. The water is a stunning deep blue, and the mountain and clouds above it reflect so clearly and completely off the surface that it’s like looking in a mirror, only somehow even clearer.

If you visit Crater Lake in the summer months, you can drive around the entire rim and stay at the Crater Lake Lodge, a resort hotel overlooking the lake 1,000 feet below. If I were to write a book called 1 Place To See Before You Die, it would contain one entry, and that would be Crater Lake. It is absolutely stunning, and you simply cannot understand the experience until you see it for yourself. So go, see it for yourself!