4-Day Roadtrip to Portland, OR – May 2024

We visited Portland back in October 2023 when my husband attended a conference at the Bible Project. This time, we visited specifically to see my cousins, two of whom are having health issues.

We packed these books which we listened to on Audible and coordinating DVDs to watch after finishing the books first:

Day #1: We drove most of the way there. We listened to 2 audiobooks and watched one coordinating movie and part of another. We ate a picnic lunch midway. I made a double batch of Egg-less Vegan Tofu Salad for sandwiches. We enjoyed a swim at the hotel after a long day of driving before heading to bed.

Day #2: We drove an hour and a half to meet up with two of my cousins & their families at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, OR. This museum houses The Spruce Goose in its entirety. It’s humongous!! It was great to see everyone and I spent the time chatting and visiting instead of taking photos. After the museum, we ate lunch together at a restaurant in McMinnville. After lunch we drove an hour up to Vancouver, WA to visit another cousin and have dinner at his house.

Day #3: A few of us woke up with sore throats. We decided, in an abundance of caution, not to spread any potential germs. We got coffee at La Perlita to start the day.

We changed our plans and instead of visiting the indoor OMSI we strolled through the outdoor International Rose Test Garden. The gardens were not in full bloom but finding the blooming flowers was a fun treasure hunt, like finding Easter eggs. I didn’t realize that Portland is called the City of Roses.

We ate a picnic lunch with rose lemonade we bought at the gift shop to drink. Next, we drove an hour and a half to Silver Falls State Park in Oregon. We hiked to South Falls which is my new favorite waterfall because you can walk on a path behind it! It was So Amazing! The hike was about a 1 mile loop and was pretty easy except for the wetness of the trail, which could be a bit slippery.

Day #4: We drove home, ate another picnic lunch en route, listened to another audiobook and watched the coordinating movie. This was a lot of driving for a long weekend, and it sure felt like a very quick trip, but I’m glad I was able to see some of my fave cousins and wish them well in their health struggles.

For anyone keeping track, we were traveling 3 out of 4 weekends in May. It was a really busy month and we’re all exhausted! We can definitely check off the “go on a road trip” box on our summer bucket list! We have two glamping trips scheduled for June (one for 8th grade graduation celebration) and I’m praying for extra energy. 🙏