by Holly Russell

Created on: October 27, 2009   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

The beach, the mountains, the big city or small towns Oregon really does have it all. Planning a vacation the whole family will enjoy can be challenging, but Oregon makes it easy by having so many options.

A trip to the Snow

If it is the winter wonderland that you seek, then try a ski vacation. There are a number of ski villages in Oregon, but I would recommend Mt. Bachelor ski village for a family vacation. They offer all the usual amenities, and its located close to the town of Bend, Oregon which can offer some variety if you need a day away from the slopes. There is lots of accommodation available in Bend as well, and this might be a good option if you want to divide your time between mountains. Mt. Bachelor is the closest, but Hoodoo is cheaper, and boasts deeper snow and a larger variety of runs as well as night skiing. There is no shortage of mountains from Mt. Hood to Bachelor and a number in between.

The region offers a whole host of winter activities including horse-drawn sleigh rides, sledding, snow mobile lessons, in addition to skiing, snowboarding, and more extreme snow adventures.

If the snow is not something for you then consider this area in the summer for some fantastic hiking, biking, fishing white water rafting.

The Oregon Coast

The Oregon Coast is stunning. It may not be an especially warm and tropical destination, but the views of the Pacific Ocean are amazing. The Oregon Coast offers a number of quaint seaside villages and towns that offer accommodation, fishing charters, galleries, shops, handmade salt-water taffy and award winning clam chowder.

The aquarium at Newport and the cheese factory in Tillamook are well worth visiting. If you plan ahead you may be lucky enough to see one of the kite festivals or sand castle competitions. You can try your hand at sailing, or spend time beach combing for sand dollars and driftwood.

Portland

Portland Oregon is a beautiful city. Perched on the edge of both the Columbia and Willamette rivers, it is a green and alive with all kinds of arts and culture. There are too many attractions to cover it all, but I have listed my top 7 family activities in or around Portland.

1) Portland Saturday Markets-the nations largest weekly open air markets. There is row after row of stalls selling creative arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry exotic foods, and live music. There is something for everyone!

2) The Oregon Zoo - the tropics, the rainforest, the African desert. All are represented at the Oregon Zoo. Located

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