Lewis and Clark boasts one of the best, and most accessible swimming holes in the Portland metro…read morearea, particularly for those with little ones, or for people lacking in strong swimming skills. The current here is negligible, the water relatively shallow all-throughout, and there is plenty of sand and shade to go around. Plus, free parking (no day use fee), and it's literally right off the highway! The only downside to be aware of is that the railway bridge is heavily used: during our three hour visit, no less than four trains came barreling through, roaring and blowing their horns, which spooked our young son a little each time; he would cling to me until each passed which, due to their length, lasted several minutes. People sensitive to loud noises should take note and prepare accordingly.

One of my favorite parks, due to easy access to nature without a car. I can get there from the…read morecity in about 45 minutes via Trimet and be in wooded trails. The Sandy River area is beautiful.

We rolled into Cascade Locks on a Sunday in July, the kind of Gorge afternoon where everyone within…read morefifty miles has the same idea: get out, get sun, get a burger. Eastwind Drive-In sits right on Wa Na Pa Street, red and white building, that iconic soft serve and hamburger sign swinging out front like it's been doing this since before any of us were born. And it has. The line was out the door and down the sidewalk by 3pm, easy thirty minute wait, and nobody seemed to mind. That tells you something before you even taste the food. We ordered the double bacon cheeseburger, and it did not disappoint. Real griddled beef, two patties, melted cheddar doing exactly what melted cheddar should do, crisp lettuce, all of it stacked on a sesame bun that held together through the whole ordeal, which matters more than people think when you're eating standing up in a parking lot with a dog giving you the full guilt trip. Speaking of: we took our food down to the park by the lake, picnic tables under the trees, and Willow, our English lab, decided that burger was the single most important object in the entire state of Oregon. Nose right up against it, patient as a saint, working every angle. She didn't get any. She deserved some. That's the tension of loving a good dog and a good burger at the same time. Prices are fair for what you get, hamburger starts under seven dollars, the shakes and soft serve looked like the real draw for half the line, and the menu board out front covers everything from tater tots to Italian cream soda, which is a detail I did not expect and now can't stop thinking about. If you're passing through Cascade Locks, Eastwind Drive-In is worth the wait. Bring cash patience, bring an appetite, and if you bring a dog, be ready to share eye contact you won't win.

A wonderful spot to take your dogs where they can explore 100 archers of land and water with the…read moreluxury of being off leash. There's enough room for dogs to run around while not interacting with one another.

Everytime I'm in Portland in the summertime, I come here to go swimming…read more I was super lucky, I was actually staying way over in the NW part of town and found out that the #77 crosstown busswhich was literally a block away from me would bring me straight here. So I gathered all my stuff for a day at the river, towels, sunscreen, plenty of water, snacks, hopped on the bus and spent a fantastic day here. Go early because there really isn' a lot of shade by the river and all the best spots get taken up early. There's also the woods to walk through filled with wild blackberry bushes everywhere. I guess my Canadianness comes out because I went straight into the water and swam about like it was nothing while everyone else was freaking out over how cold the water is and stayed close to the sandy shore. It's not. Especially on a scotching hot day, it really isn't a big deal. Also I have no idea how there can be drowning in a river which you can literally walk across, and never gets very deep. The current isn't all that strong if you go further away from the bridge, in fact the water is downright meandering at that point. If you have an umbrella, some reading material, lots of water, snacks, and you don't easily burn or get sunstroke, you can easily pass an entire, serene day here.

Great place to escape the heat and swim. We took trimet to this location. Hopped on the blue line,…read morethen switched over to the 80 bus line which took us directly to this place. We will be floating down this river next time.

What an awesome playground!!!! It is huge and feels like an amusement park with endless play…read morepossibilities! There is a 2-5 area and a 5-10 area but confident 2-3yo could use both structures. Swings, slides, climbing, obstacle courses, rocks for climbing, merry-go-round, covered picnic tables, bathrooms and an occasional ice cream truck.

Came here since I was a child . It's even more magical watching your own kid play where you played…read moreas a kid

Our new favorite park! Never crowded and tons of things to do…read more The kids get to play on all the playground equipments, walk on the trail, play basketball or just chase each other around. People/children visiting are nice and respectful. One of the good parks around my area.

loved the variety of activities this park offered! A track to walk, run, or bike. An open field to…read morelet the fur babes run around. Plenty of park equipment to climb, slide, and dangle like monkeys. Very nice, we will visit again.

Really nice facility. Clean, lots of room for boat trailers, well maintained docks. Everything Met…read moreor exceeded expectations.

Easy launch site for kayaks as well as motor boats. This is a clean, well-tended park with…read morebeautiful views of the Columbia. There are plenty of trees to sling a hammock or just to chill in the shade. The western part of the park offers a smallish beach and shallow water for family picnics. There's a lot of parking--much of this park is dedicated to parking. There are life jackets available via the honor system to keep people safe. I truly appreciate that move. In truth, this may not be the best picnicking area with only five tables available, but if you don't mind spreading a blanket and enjoying a more intimate view of the beach and the river, this could work out well. There is a day use fee of $5 and you can pay at the entrance via a park employee or at one of the autopay stations. There are 10 gender neutral bathrooms and 6 lanes of boat ramps. If you are kayaking or canoeing, the shore is a bit rocky and the water is very dynamic. I had to paddle hard to clear the Island to get to the Washington side of Government Island. Be careful!

This is a sweet little park with a basic walking trail and a gorgeous backdrop of scenery. It's…read morepeaceful, and close to our home so is nice for taking a brief walk with the dogs (no off-leash area, bummer) when we don't feel like driving to the thousand acre park etc.

A very nice family friendly park! A newly paved path to walk on and beautiful views of Mt Hood.read more

Easy to find, friendly people, not crazy crowds, for the most part people picked up after…read morethemselves. Beautiful spot to beat the heat, just make sure you purchase your discovery pass before you go. Water is cold but not terrible, you get used to it after a few minutes. Definitely wear good water shoes with decent tread, rocks are very slippery. We will definitely be back (with tubes next time!) btw we are 67 & 58 and climbed down and out no problem

Dougan Falls is so incredibly beautiful. My wife and I go there at least once in each season. This…read moreFall the water was so powerful and it was pouring outside which was a lot of fun because we like outings in the rain! We were the only ones there but there is plenty of parking even when it's busy. Just make sure you have a "Discover Pass". You can swim there in the summer too. It's just a peaceful beautiful place to be and the drive up the Washougal River is beautiful too.

One of the best dog parts I've ever been to. It's a good 30 minute drive but definitely worth it…read more There are trails that lead in multiple directions so it is easy to get lost unless you have a map on your phone. However, a lot of the trails loop around so if you keep going, you'll eventually get back to where you started. There's a river that your pups can go swimming in and lots of open areas for them to run around. I definitely recommend this place for your pups!

If you can do the drive, or live local, this is the dog park to end all dog parks. Spacious, wild,…read morelots of trails and water, your pup will love it. Haven't had a bad experience here with bad owners (you know what I mean), but some don't obey the leash areas, but again, haven't seen a bad owner or pup here, and we go a lot. That's my take on the general good times. The things that need some work or are just the way it is here are picking up after your fur baby. Nobody needs poop on a trail. And the parking is what it is, if you don't get there before 8 am on a weekend, you may not get a parking spot, as this place is busy. But there's so much space, once you're in, it never seems too overwhelming. Pics may be not part of the official park, but you get the idea. Wow!

I really wanted a little more blue in the lake, but still managed to enjoy my time here. Probably…read morethe 2nd best lake between Portland's 82nd avenue and Crown Point.

Beautiful large natural lake fed by underground springs…read more Small nonmotorized boats allowed under 3hp. This lake arguably provides the largest & nicest ADA pier for fishing in the greater PDX area. Plenty of shoreline for bank fishing or launching a SUP. Peaceful ADA trail loop and picnic areas throughout. Gold level 18 hole disc golf course is very popular here. Dogs and other pets are not allowed to protect sensitive wildlife areas. $5 parking pass for the day.