We recently had our anniversary celebration at The Covington House and it was pretty great. We're…read morebig fans of historical places and each year on our anniversary we go to an historic home. This way we were able to do that and have our friends join us for dinner & a nice celebration. They've done a nice job of setting this building up for an intimate gathering during bad weather and I imagine during good weather you could really spread out and make it a beautiful location for an outdoor wedding or event. The big fireplace made for a beautiful backdrop to the autumn theme we had and kept the place nice and toasty, too! The people we worked with to coordinate the rental were friendly and supportive. There was a lady that met us there right before and right after the event to help make sure we'd remembered all the clean up items we needed to wrap up to get our deposit back. They had a nice kitchen to work with and, while we brought most of our stuff prepared--we appreciated that they had serving utensils, coffee pots, and other supplies to use in the kitchen if we needed them. I think the only challenge we bumped into was enough refrigerator space, but that was a minimal issue and partially our fault. We were going to bring a cooler and forgot to. How can you go wrong having dinner in the same room where Ulysses S. Grant dined with the family that ran the school that resided in this building back in the day? How cool is that? We definitely will consider using this location again. If you are considering renting it, I recommend you set up a time to go visit the building and check it out. That way you can take some pictures and do some planning and just enjoy the ambiance of the house.

This is an awesome historical landmark right in a busy part of Vancouver. It's also now a group of…read more3 Poke Stops if that is important to you. Unfortunately you can't actually go inside the house, but you can walk around it. Looks to be holding up in good condition after 150+ years.

This is such a beautiful place to walk around! In addition to the beautifully restored Officer's…read moreRow buildings, there are barracks and gardens to walk through. The grounds are well maintained and there's plenty of free parking available. In the spring there's a row of beautiful cherry blossom trees, and tulip trees around the property. In the summer, there's many gorgeous hydrangea and butterfly bushes. There's a rangers station on the property where you can find information about Fort Vancouver and Pearsons Air Museum. There's so much to do here! I would highly recommend a visit.

A true gem that everyone in Vancouver should experience. It's tranquil, historic, and changes with…read morethe seasons. It's a great place to water if you love to imagine the old days. And I stumbled upon some small businesses in these buildings. I keep coming back for walks and really love it here.

If you visit beautiful Fort Vancouver, you must take 15-20 minutes to walk to the land bridge for a…read moreself guided tour of local history (from a white perspective, that is). The art work and landscaping are inspired, inspiring and generously open to the public. On a summer day, this walk can be blistering hot. Today, I'm glad for the extra layers to help me stay warm. No matter what the weather, the views and the ideas behind this stunning place are beautiful and worth taking in. I've only discovered this gem in the last six months, and I'm so glad I did. I urge you to visit--just know it's a bit rustic. No water fountains, no bathrooms, and only a few places to sit until you get to the mouth of the bridge. Still, it's quiet and peaceful here. Take it in.

Excellent paved path for pedestrians bridging over Hwy 14 connecting the Columbia River side of…read moreVancouver to Fort Vancouver. It's clean & well maintained, with a flat paved path. There is a gentle sloping incline at each end, since it is a bridge, but they've made it so it's not steep and very manageable for a variety of people's abilities & ages. There are a few art pieces along the way, and informational signs about the areas history & vegetation. There are also some benches at a few spots if you want to rest.

Fort Vancouver was fascinating!!…read more Being from the arid desert, just walking through the volunteer-kept flower and vegetable gardens was an entire treat before even getting to the fort entrance. The forts many buildings are easily accessible, with ramps at each one. If you are lucky enough to join a docent tour, or piggyback onto one, definitely do so! They are a trove of knowledge that expands far beyond what the exhibits' descriptions read. You can visit the blacksmith shop, the makeshift detention shack, the bakehouse, the watchtower, the accountants building, the trading store, the drying barn, and the Fort Superintendent's home. There are historical re-creationists on the grounds working the shops to add to understanding how the fort ran. This was an in-depth look into the HBC's lucrative Pacific Post and incredibly interesting. The outlying grounds the Fort sits on are huge, so bring the kids, the dogs, a picnic, and enjoy all the other attractions on the site as well.

I've visited multiple times, and my pro tip is to visit when the blacksmith shop is open. It's…read morestaffed by volunteers and they work on projects including parts for doors, etc for the fort as well as other NPS sites. It's cool to watch them work, but even better, if you ask them nicely, they might even give you a hand-forged nail to take home! The rest of the fort is nice to stroll around. Sometimes there are heath cooking demonstrations with fruit and vegetables from the nearby garden. Don't forget to check out the Pearson Air Museum. It's a free museum that houses many artifacts related to aviation history tied to Pearson Field and Vancouver Barracks. Quite interestingly, the museum discusses the Spruce Mill (which is located quite literally on the ground you're standing on) which produced lumber for planes during WWI. It ran 24/7. There's a small visitor center and gift shop if you want more guidance on what to do on your visit.

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.

Many of my friends lived in the notorious (in a good way) apartments across the street from the…read moreSimon Benson House and kitty corner to the Old Church. They explored the old house and related the incredible detail and materials which could never be recreated today. They were founders of the group that lobbied for years, ultimately successfully, for the home to be saved and restored. Sadly that friend perished in a freak drowning accident in Oaks Bottom before the building could be moved. So I always think of the restored home as a memorial to her.

The shininess of Joanie on the Pony always brightens my day. The main thing I have to say is that…read moreshe's located in the middle of the only traffic circle I know of that has stop signs, even for the right turn only lanes. So, don't let the sun glinting off the horse distract you from PBOT's practical joke.

The statue is truly stunning! It's a delight to see Joan of Arc's statue standing proudly in the…read moreheart of this historic district. We strolled around, soaking in the shade from the ancient trees and admiring the charming vintage residences. Finding parking on the street was a breeze. A visit to this place is highly recommended.

St. John's Bridge? Oh, now that's a sight that makes my little beaver heart thump like a tail on…read morewater. Those tall green towers stretchin' up into the sky, all graceful like cedar trees in a morning mist--just beautiful. And the way the bridge arches over the river? Why, it casts the nicest shade for an afternoon float. The water beneath is calm enough for a good paddle, and the banks are full of fine lookin' plants--perfect for a snack or two if you know where to nibble. And let me tell you, the breeze that drifts under that bridge? Cool, quiet, and peaceful... just the way us woodland folk like it. If you're lookin' for a place to sit by the water, watch the sun touch the treetops, or just listen to the soft current drift by, St. John's Bridge is the kind of spot that makes you feel lucky to share the forest!

St Johns Bridge is just lovely. Even if bridges and architecture aren't your thing, this one is…read moredefinitely worth the stop. It was built in the 1930's and is a stunning example of Gothic revival architecture with soaring steel towers and suspension cables stretching across the Willamette River. It looks especially dramatic on a cloudy day. It's a work of art really and worth a little detour to check out.

Beautiful and iconic landmark for the city of Portland OR. It can be seen during the day but really…read morepops at night. It sits atop the White Stag Building at 70 NW Crouch Street. A bit of history.... 1940 - The sign was installed and originally advertised White Satin Sugar 1957 - Converted for White Stag Sportswear, adding the now- famous leaping white deer 1978 - Designated a historic landmark. 1997-2010 - It read "Made in Oregon - Old Town" 2010 - present - The city of Portland acquired the sign and changed the main lettering to "Portland, Oregon", while retaining the stag and the "Old Town" panel. Christmas tradition: The stag's nose is illuminated red like Rudolph

Portland is a gorgeous city with some beautiful views, incredible food, and plenty of places worth…read moreexploring. My friend and I were able to get some great pictures in front of the iconic Portland Oregon White Stag Sign, but unfortunately, the surrounding area raised some serious concerns for me. The unhoused population in this area was probably the largest and most visible I have personally encountered. I am a strong believer in treating unhoused people with dignity and making sure people have access to adequate housing, mental health care, sanitation, and other resources. Seeing so many people seemingly living underneath the bridge and throughout the surrounding streets was genuinely upsetting. As we walked around, we also encountered several people who appeared to be experiencing mental health crises or otherwise struggling without adequate support. There was also a significant amount of human waste on the streets, which immediately made me wonder whether there are enough accessible public restrooms and sanitation facilities available in this part of the city. More than anything, the experience left me wondering what resources are actually being provided by the city and local elected officials to address homelessness, mental health, sanitation, and basic human needs in this area. These are human beings who deserve better than being left to live in conditions like this. The sign itself is absolutely worth seeing, but the conditions surrounding it made the experience uncomfortable and honestly pretty heartbreaking.

FOR THOSE WHO ALWAYS LOVE A "DEEP DIVE" --…read more When I visit the grounds and Visitor Center of the Portland Oregon Temple near the intersection of Hwy 217 and I-5 in Lake Oswego (and what I think of as its "sister" Temple in Washington DC), I feel I am shedding my stress, worries and fears and gaining calm, peace and God's awareness of both my struggles and victories. Tense micro-management of the vagaries of mortal life, the "hyper-vigilance" inherent in the Post Traumatic Stress disorder I acquired through a chain of near-death experiences, simply dissolves. The presence of the Holy Spirit is so tangible! Temples (nearly 400 of which are in 45 U.S. states and 80 countries on 6 continents) are considered by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be the most sacred places on earth -- literally, Houses of the Lord. When members are ready to step up to a higher degree of faithfulness, they go there to make and keep solemn promises to follow the ways of Jesus Christ and thus obtain a deeper understanding of God's plan of happiness for them, their families, and really, all of humankind. Non-members are welcome to visit the beautiful grounds and Visitor Center of the Portland Temple, and all are welcome to attend Sunday worship with their Mormon neighbors at local community chapels ("meetinghouses".) * Latter-day Saint Temples are some of the most beautiful buildings in the cities graced by them, fusing elegant design with robust structural engineering. In this respect, they share the purpose of the majestic cathedrals and basilicas of other faiths which is to elevate the spirit, teach the Gospel through art, and provide a venue for holy sacraments and ordinances. They symbolize heaven on Earth and glorify God through structures that express our deepest devotion to our Father in Heaven. This devotion is exemplified by six years of painstaking renovation and seismic strengthening of the historic and iconic Salt Lake City Temple. This "labor of deep love" honors the forty years of original work by the hand labor of pioneers in the late 1880's. Reservations for it's Grand Opening to Visitors from April to October 2027 are already being accepted. Tickets are free but mandatory to help avoid the long lines that have marked pilgrimages to the reconstructed Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. (Having been blessed to sing at cathedrals and basilicas across the U.S. and six other countries, I will never forget breaking into tears as I watched heartbreaking news coverage of the fire that ripped through that iconic, beloved ediface, that was the setting for Victor Hugo's French Gothic novel published in 1831: "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." The "Book of Mormon" was published in that same year. The hunchback Quasimodo's plea for "Sanctuary!" mirrors the plea of Mormon pioneers for religious tolerance and defense of their most profound dictates of individual conscience. And as they were driven from their homes onto frozen prairie land without food, water and adequate shoes and clothing, they too must have queried their tormentors as Quasimodo so poignantly did: "Why was I not made of stone, like thee?" The Portland Oregon and Washington DC temples share a certain ethereal beauty. Other Temples many consider particularly stunning are the Salt Lake Temple ("iconic", "historic"), Cardiff Wales Temple ("warm", "glowing") Paris France Temple ("elegant", "modern"), Rome Italy Temple ("classical grandeur"), Jordan River Utah Temple ("expansive", "serene") and the Temples in Laie Hawaii, Seattle Washington, and Winter Quarters Nebraska for their "striking designs and settings." See them all online at: [ churchofjesuschristtemples.org ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * "Meetinghouse" (or, "Meeting-house" originated in England to refer to a place of worship for nonconformist or dissenters from orthodox creeds; it is associated with certain Christian movements after the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and during the Restorationist movement in America. A colonial era meeting-house in America was often the first public building raised in any new village. It served as both a place of worship and public discourse. As towns grew and separation of church and state in America matured, buildings used as the seat of local government became known as "town-houses" or "town halls". Many New England communities still have active "meetinghouses" for such dual use. Denominations which use the term "meetinghouse" for dedicated weekly worship include Anabaptists, the Amish, Congregationalists, Christadelphians, Latter-day Saints (Mormon), Mennonites, some Methodists, Quakers, Spiritual Christans from Russia (indigenous "folk Protestant" sects who broke from the Orthodox church such as Doukhobors, Molokans and Sabbatarians), Unitarians, Unitarian Universalists, and Unificationists.

Yes one of my favotite looks for a temple. very pretty. People have the kindness I…read more wish for the world. Feel close to Heavenly Father. Learn to be my true self as a loving happy child of God. I feel like a magnet to the temple. something on me always longs to be there to be closer to God's presence. I reaaly wanna be closer to God's presence. Different temples have different flavers to me. Compared to the one I go to in Rexberg now, I was having a harder time with angsiety and intrusive thoughts in this one. But most people I hear from say they don't have any anxiety in temples so don't take my word for it lol. I go through phsycological stuff I still cary some with me in the temple exept it feels alot better in the temple then anywhere else.