Carrie

March 14, 2014 by Carrie

The Oregon Rail Heritage Center

Both a museum and an enginehouse, the Oregon Rail Heritage Center (ORHC) in Portland, OR offers families of all ages a fun and interactive experience. Watch as the engineers work on the locomotives, tour a vintage 1950s caboose, explore Oregon’s rail history and more. Located in Portland’s Central Eastside neighborhood, the ORHC is operated by the non-profit Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation (ORHF) and staffed by friendly, knowledgeable volunteers.

Before going inside, you and the kids can take a few minutes to explore the train memorabilia in the front yard. To your right you may see a vintage yellow caboose, which you and the kids can self-tour anytime during the center’s hours. Originally built in 1944, the caboose is on loan from the Oregon Pacific Railroad and is still in active use.

If the caboose is out on the rails, ask one of the center’s staff to give you a quick tour of the Mount Hood railcar. Constructed in 1950, the Mount Hood car is a combination sleeping berth, kitchen and lounge area. It’s also one of the cars used in the ORHC’s popular Holiday Express.

Then head inside to see the vintage locomotives. At 19,200 sq. ft., the enginehouse resembles a large hanger and can hold up to four locomotives. There are also bays for equipment, offices, an interpretive center, gift shop and sitting area. The ORHC is home to three steam locomotives, the SP 4449, the SP&S 700 and the OR&N 197. All are owned by the City of Portland. Currently, it also houses two privately-owned diesel engines, the NP 190 and the NP 324, both built in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Checking Out the SP&S 700 Steam Locomotive — Checking out the SP&S 700 steam locomotive, photo by Carrie Uffindell

My favorite engine is the OR&N 197, a steam locomotive built in the early 1900s. Used in the 1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition, the OR&N 197 served as a passenger train along the Union Pacific until it was retired in the 1950s. Hollowed out over the decades, volunteers are now working to rebuild this historic locomotive.

For young children, there’s a toy train set for them to play with at the front of the enginehouse, near the exhibit area. My three-year-old son had a great time playing here while my husband and I took turns exploring the center. Kids four years and older can pick up a Jr. Engineer Facts Sheet for a fun scavenger hunt about the ORHC’s locomotives.

Also, check out the ORHC’s latest exhibit on Oregon’s rail history. Highlights usually include informational signs, photographs, railroad memorabilia and video footage. And look for more additions coming down the line. The foundation is already planning to add a turntable and a second floor interpretive center, giving generations of families a fun and dynamic destination for years to come.

When You Go:
Oregon Rail Heritage Center
2250 SE Water Ave.
503-680-8895

Hours are Thurs.-Sun. 1pm-5pm. Admission is free but donations are greatly appreciated. Guided tours are available on request.

March 7, 2014 by Carrie

Paradise Snowplay Area, Mt. Rainier

Families of all ages interested in sledding and snowshoeing in Washington’s Mt Rainier National Park can head to the Snowplay Area at Paradise. Here you and the kids can zip, slide and play in the snow. The Snowplay Area is generally open during weekends and school breaks from mid-December through the end of March and is located on the hill above the Jackson Visitor Center.

Snowplay Sign at Paradise, photo by Carrie Uffindell

On a blustery winter afternoon, my family and I lined up at the top of the runs, watching folks of all ages zooming down the slope in plastic sleds, saucers and inner tubes. (No hard toboggans or runner sleds are allowed for safety reasons.) When it was our turn, my two-year-old son laughed with delight as we sped down several hundred feet in our bright yellow sled.

Prefer snowshoeing? Then strap on your snowshoes and hit the trails or sign up for a two-hour, ranger-guided snowshoe hike at the Jackson Visitors Center. Moderately strenuous, this hike is great for beginners and families with older kids. Snowshoes are available to borrow with a $4 per-pair donation. While only adults and kids eight years and older can sign up, the rangers will allow younger children in front or back carriers to come. Dress them very warmly, rangers advise, for little ones can get very cold because they aren’t moving.

After your sled runs or snowshoeing, stow your gear and head over to the visitor center cafeteria for a hearty lunch and warm beverages.

For more information on visiting Paradise and Longmire, check out Visit Rainier.

February 28, 2014 by Carrie

Port Townsend Marine Science Center

Children and science enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study and conservation of local marine species and shoreline environment.

At the Marine Science Center — Playing at the Marine Science Center, photo by Carrie Uffindell

Founded thirty years ago by two teachers, the center is located on the beach in Fort Worden State Park and offers interactive exhibits, scientific projects, wildlife cruises and other educational programs.

Plan to spend at least two hours exploring the center’s two main exhibits: the Natural History Exhibit and the Marine Exhibit. While the Natural History Exhibit delves into the forces that shaped Port Townsend’s marine life and landscape, the Marine Exhibit houses four large touch pools and a half-dozen aquariums filled with local marine life. Children will love the open pools, where they can safely touch a variety of live invertebrates and fish, including sea stars, crab species, tube worms and gunnels. Exhibit hours vary by season, so check before you go.

If you’re looking for an all-day wildlife experience, book tickets for one of the center’s popular bird migration or Protection Island cruises, hosted by a seasoned naturalist. Cruises are offered on various Saturdays from April through October.

This article was originally published in my article “Washington’s Victorian Seaport” in the March/April 2013 issue of Northwest Travel Magazine.

February 19, 2014 by Carrie

Bushwhacker: America’s First Urban Cider Pub

With micro-brewing gone mainstream and artisan spirits not far behind, many are turning their attention to hard ciders. Once the most popular beverage in Colonial America, hard cider is making a comeback as one of the fastest growing adult beverage markets in the Northwest. To get your bearings on who’s who and what they’re producing, visit Bushwhacker Cider Pub in Portland, Oregon.

Bushwhackers Pub Interior — Inside Bushwhacker Cider Pub, photo by Carrie Uffindell

Opened in September 2010 by owners Jeff and Erin Smith, Bushwhacker is located in a renovated space in Southeast Portland’s Brooklyn neighborhood, near downtown. Wooden tables, a large bar, and coolers stocked with bottled ciders along one wall define the pub’s relaxed ambiance. A large, overhead door opens to an outdoor seating area, popular during good weather. This is a place where you can chat with friends, choose from a broad variety of excellent ciders and learn a little about this age-old beverage. Hard cider flavors range greatly, offering tastes for nearly every palate.

On tap, Bushwhacker pours six rotating hard ciders-two or three are usually house-made with others being local or national labels. But variety doesn’t stop there. Bushwacker stocks an impressive selection of more than 130 different bottled ciders from all over the world. Weekly events include cider tastings and live music.

Smith first started making cider in his home kitchen eight years ago. After taking two of cider-expert Peter Mitchell’s classes, he was ready to go pro. “I liked hard cider and no one in the Portland area was making it,” Smith says.

Cider taps — Bushwhacker’s cider taps, photo by Carrie Uffindell

The sectioned-off area in the rear of the pub is the production area, where Smith crafts his ciders. At press time, selections included The Gin Barrel One, with its botanical signature from spent gin barrels; Sequoia, fermented in barrels that held white port and then whiskey; and Forgotten Trail, a fruity, medium-dry cider.

When they don’t end up on tap, Smith’s ciders are bottled and sold in the pub. They are also available in other bars and specialty stores throughout the Northwest. It’s Smith’s unique vision that inspired not only America’s first urban cider pub, but also the Bushwhacker brand. “It’s about paving your own way,” Smith says, something most cider makers must learn to do in this emerging market.

Bushwhacker Cider Pub is located at 1212-D SE Powell Blvd., Portland; 503- 445-0577.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2013 issue of Northwest Travel Magazine.

February 14, 2014 by Carrie

ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum

Families and science-lovers can have a blast exploring interactive science and creative arts at Southern Oregon’s innovative ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum.

Located on the outskirts of Ashland, this innovative museum offers 26,000 sq. ft. of interactive exhibits, entertaining activities, science shows and special events for all ages. It’s so much fun you and the kids may never want to leave.

When you arrive at ScienceWorks, you may first want to check out the museum’s spacious grounds and outdoor exhibits, including a solar-powered nursery, a public garden, a large climbing wall and a loooong echo tube.

Then head inside the museum proper, which is sectioned into a handful of rooms or areas. One of my favorites was the Bubble-ology room, where my three-year-old son Finn and I experimented with soap bubbles.

Next we explored the Discovery Island room, a 1,000 sq. ft. space designed for children five and under. Finn adored frolicking in the Shipwreck Playhouse, maneuvering wooden construction crane and launching balls through the air-powered vacuum tubes.

Inside the Bubble Tube — Inside the bubble tube at Bubble-ology, photo by Carrie Uffindell

After coaxing Finn out of the playhouse, we walked to the Discovery Lab. This large area features rotating exhibits both kids and adults will enjoy. My science nerd husband Erik especially had a blast with the hands-on displays exploring noise and toy sciences.

What else is awesome: Dark Science hallway, Frozen Shadows exhibit and the Cannon Ball Blast.

What’s not awesome: Telling my son and husband that it’s time to go home because the museum is closing.

When you go:

Science Works Hands-On Museum
1500 E Main St
Ashland, OR 97520
Phone: 541-482-6767

Standard admission: $7.00 for kids ages 2-12; $9.00 for teens and adults; $7.00 for seniors 65+; Free for teachers with school ID.

Hours: In spring, fall & winter, the museum Wednesday through Sunday, 10am-5pm. Summer hours are 10am-6pm daily.

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