So a few days later I saw I missed call from Menucha and then shortly after that a very thoughtful…read moreemail apology from Courtney, the executive director. She expressed genuine concern and wanted to hear more details of what happened. Then Mary Ann followed up with a call. And while they were not able to give me the dates I originally booked, we all make mistakes. What matters is how we handle them and I felt they really made the effort to try to make things right. I did wind up going after all and had a great time. Will write a separate review on my stay

Menucha is a beautiful place with views of the Columbia River, a labyrinth, historic buildings and…read morewonderful places to walk. The food is delicious and served family style giving one a chance to visit and connect with others. Some of my most treasured friendships began at Ukulele Band Camp. This is a great place to unwind, relax, learn, and renew the spirit.

We stopped by Camp Angelos near Dabney State park on the Sandy River since my friends are planning…read morea wedding there. It looks like a great outdoor location. In fact, it's booked eleven months in advance on weekends already. (If you're interested it's worth a call to see if someone cancelled.) I love their idea to have a long weekend wedding. With people traveling from afar for the wedding, why spend one night together. Why not spend a whole weekend together? There are hotels nearby in Troutdale 10 minutes away for older family members that can't camp or those that don't care for camping. Within a thirty minute drive are lots of hikes and waterfalls or downtown Portland for visitors to explore. There are numerous spots that overlook the Sandy River and the beach on the river has a pavilion with a giant fire pit and warming log ovens. My friends are planning a whole pig roast here. Up at the main lodge is the big hall with a hidden kitchen area. It has high wood beam framed ceilings with tall windows. It also has a nice back deck for enjoying the fresh air and cocktails. Behind the lodge is an outdoor pizza oven pavilion next to a charming grape arbor. I can't wait to use that! To the side of the lodge is a cute fishing pond fed by a natural waterfall with a gazebo. It's undergoing renovations right now, but will be fantastic when finished. The gazebo is apparently an awesome spot to put the bar so adults can mingle and relax away from where the kids like to cavort. In front of the lodge is a large lawn edged with giant cyprus trees, perfect for large ceremonies. There are also a couple of other nice locations along the river or in a meadow for smaller ceremonies. There's so many great spots for wedding photos, the photographer will go crazy: the grand porch, the waterfall, the grape arbor with twinkle lights, the gazebo and pond, riverside on the beach, at the caboose, or, heck, even shooting on the archery court. We will be decorating with twinkle lights near outlets, candles in mason jars hung in the trees, banners, garlands, and flowers, just enough to make the natural setting pop. Oh, and we will whip up a special flag out of some nylon and paint for the flag pole. There's basketball, archery, baseball, volleyball/badminton locations. I think it may be bring your own equipment or rent it though. I will find out and post an update. There seems to be good hiking through the fern forest along the Sandy. There's two classrooms where day care will be hosted by family friends over the weekend in case parents want to adventure. Other than the wedding day, time will be spent larking about the property perhaps even doing a scavenger hunt. Camp-style bunk-bed cabins can hold 144 guests. It's communal bathrooms, camp style, but the maintenance is good. There's a few rooms in the main lodge with an extra entrance of their own. Also, a caboose with beds is tucked in the forest by the archery range. If an arrow goes awry, the steel will protect you. You are also welcome to pitch tents where you like. They also just put in new mattresses on all the beds. It's going to be an awesome camp adventure wedding weekend. Going old school for the wedding!

It's now been nearly two months since our wedding at Camp Angelos and we still have friends and…read morefamily tell us how amazing our venue was! We rented the entire camp for the weekend, including all cabins and most buildings for our guests, and were blown away by the accommodating staff, gorgeous grounds and rustic experience. Mary Jo and her team bent over backwards to answer our questions and schedule multiple visits over the year leading up to the wedding to allow our families and vendors to plan our event, and we couldn't have asked for a better wedding as a result. This was the perfect venue for two Portland natives who love the outdoors. Thank you, Mary Jo and team, for a truly unforgettable weekend at your stunning property!

Honestly such a dream wedding venue! I found them on instagram and began my 22 month journey of…read morewedding planning. They made it so easy to come up multiple times to get a feel for the venue and Jennifer was always responsive. Keep in mind that you'll want to hire vendors that worked this venue before so they can navigate it. I had a great coordinator team that was able to ensure that the day flowed seamlessly. Loved the flower and lake. Such a perfect vision for the pnw wedding!

I attended a wedding here as a bridesmaid less than a week ago and I am still thinking about how…read moreamazing it was. Bridal Veil Lakes is so dreamy, it is the perfect spot to tie the knot if you're a lover of forests, all things green, nature, and beauty. My review does not do this place justice. The nature alone is the perfect backdrop for pictures. It felt so peaceful and calm while being there. There's plenty of space for all the activities. There's a bathroom on site. Everything from the exotic flowers to the glass mirror lake is all well maintained. You can tell they take very good care of this place. It shows. The staff was also very friendly before the wedding and during. The only bad thing to say is the parking. Because of its private location tucked up in the mountains, it's quite the journey to travel to. I'm talking, no paved roads, fences, you're off of a ledge sometimes which could look scary and I don't remember seeing much light there either. Our shuttle drivers were new to this venue and it was a headache getting. Guests there. Just be prepared for the parking and commuting situation. Know it's not easy and will take time. Other than that, I highly recommend this stunning venue.

The best place I've found in the camas area. The staff is so kind and friendly. I love that they…read morehave TWO bathrooms, FREE coffee (with syrups too!) and additional children are only $10 extra. So many places here have no compassion for multi-kid families. The snacks are reasonably priced though you are ALLOWED to bring in outside snacks (as long as it isn't peanuts). My kids had a blast and there are so many additional classes and activities.

Little Otters is the perfect place for parents and kiddos to come and play! My 13 month old son…read moreLOVED exploring all the play areas, and had positive interactions with the other kids too! A great place to meet up with mom friends for a stress-free play date :)

Went for a group photoshoot and had the BEST time. Eric was a joy to work with and the photos came…read moreout beautifully. Will definitely come back for all my professional photo needs

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