Your advice on day trips for a family with young children, originating in Eugene?
In Turner, the Enchanted Forest is super fun if you know ahead of time that this ain’t Disney. In Independence, they have the Wings of Wonder butterfly exhibit. Evergreen Aviation Museum is fun and the Wings and Waves Waterpark is like nothing else!
In Salem there is the A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery House Children’s Museum. Silver Falls is pretty to hike. Splash! Lively Swim Park in Springfield has a wave pool, water slide and lots of other cool things.
There is also a roller rink in Springfield and Cascades Raptor Center is in Eugene. Fir Point Farms has goats that climb into trees to eat! Where else are you going to find that? I love this list as it provides so many activities that involve nature.
If you happen to make it to the Wings of Wonder exhibit, please also stop in Albany, where you find the sweetest Carousel Museum and Carving Studio. Take the tour and see the animals coming to life step by step. You may see carvers hand carving the animals, painters and more volunteers bringing this project to its eventual ending and assembly in about 5 years.
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Other questions about Willamette Valley
- We have three kids 5 and under. We want to go on a vacation and check out Oregon, but don’t know where to go? We would love some good ideas. We don’t mind camping, and we like doing things outdoors, but the kids might only last hiking for a couple of days and then be wiped out. – Sharp Family
- I want to combine a trip to Portland with a visit to the Willamette Valley. What would you plan to see and how should we travel from Portland to the Willamette Valley?
- We love cycling, although more road cycling than mountain biking, and I’m not too great on hills! Are there any particularly good (and relatively flat) cycle routes you could suggest? -Gill
About Ask Oregon Expert Debbie Lusk
Debbie Lusk loves Oregon and everything there is to experience here. She may be found on the back of a black mare riding through wine country with saddle bags full of Oregon wine, or enjoying a cold beer at a local Willamette Valley microbrewery. She's smitten with Oregon and plans to enjoy it all one bite at a time! All her experiences can be found on her blog, Sweet Bliss.
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