Stopped by when it wasn't icy and dangerous to work your way down. The falls were rushing nicely,…read morewith a fabulous long-reaching cool spray. Short, easy trail down...although it could be a tad steep for some. Otherwise there's a decent amount of parking, and it's such a short walk to see the falls, definitely worth checking out.

We were looking for a quick little getaway of a hike and this certainly fit the bill. Clickity…read moreclack on the interwebs, a plug into the GPS, and we were off. It's not too far off of the main road at all, and the hike down to the water is short and sweet, and only steep in one tiny section. This looks like it gets plenty of traffic in warmer months and there are lots of pools where you could take a dip. I wouldn't be surprised if the teen crowd parties here (read: I saw a few beer cans) but on my later spring visit it was cool and only one other group--a family-- was there at the falls. The falls are gorgeous, misty, and pretty straightforward in mass. We turned it into an impromptu photo shoot which was about my favorite part of the trip, and they made a nice backdrop. There's not much else here, and not much nearby. So bring your picnics, park, and come down to the pools or water and spend an hour watching the hypnotic tumbling.

Gorgeous 300 year-old tree, and if you're a hugger like me...well then it's a must see. Ok,…read moreenough Seuss. It's an easy walk to see Cathedral. You could get to it via the column, but we opted to take the trailhead below. The trailhead is easy to find and signed well, with parking for a few cars. It's a slight uphill on your way to the tree, and although it's a short walk, with a partially icy trail and an ice packed boardwalk, it took a bit longer on Jan 1st than we'd expected. There are a couple of benches around the tree should you desire to take rest. The Cathedral Tree is gorgeous. Although it doesn't really stand out in height or girth amongst PNW trees, it's special to see for a tree lover and neat to read its history. You can squeeze right under and through in to the other side...which I did a few times. We didn't opt to continue on the trail up to the column, but it's a pretty and quick walk up to see the tree nonetheless. Stop by and give it some love!

It's a beautiful hike!! I didn't necessarily see the cathedral tree though, I don't even know if…read moreit's labeled or not. But that's the only issue. I wouldn't recommend bringing younger children because it is extremely muddy and slick. A beautiful experience for adventure seekers!!!

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.

Very cute experience. There really isn't any parking, but if you go up the road a bit past the…read morebridge, there's a turnout to make a u turn. You can theoretically pull over and walk down for photos. It's free and cute. Kids would love it.

Okay when i saw this on the map I thought it was a small bridge and then I saw it and was in shock…read more This spot is clearly a spot people stop for, even though there is not much of a place to stop, and was surprisingly on the road to our airbnb we were staying at. It is a free little spot to stop and there are no signs you will just see if when you get there because it is a bridge covered in troll dolls! It is said that when you visit you should leave the trolls a gift or something so when we went back the second time to actually get out and see it and not just drive past we brought 2 little hershey's kisses we had from the wedding. If you are looking for a super quick fun little spot to see of a bunch of colorful dolls in the middle of green tall trees then give it a shot - it only takes a couple of minutes.

On the Eastside Esplanade by the river is this lovely, large ship. This reminds me of one of the…read moreships from a child's story book in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe series by C. S. Lewis. Very unique. This is just north of the Morrison bridge on the walking/ running/ bike path on the East Bank of the Willamette. It is one of the highlights of the walk, in my opinion.

Bright and clean!…read more It's hard to find pet friendly motels that aren't run down and borderline filthy. I was pleasantly surprised. Comfortable beds, flat screen TV, outdoor pool, and clean rooms. Only a couple cons: No microwave or mini fridge. Terrible water pressure. Best economy motel I've ever stayed at!

It's large. It's beautiful. You can get to it easily and it's actually around 2000 years old. The…read moresign needs to be updated. Worth checking her out

Easy walk from road, including a cool bridge over the wetland near Lake Quinault. The photos don't…read moregive you a sense of size. You've got to see it for yourself.

The city of Astoria, Oregon will forever be linked to the classic 1980's movie, The Goonies. It was…read morehere in this coastal port city where many of the scenes were filmed. So if you are a fan of The Goonies, here are places around Astoria that are worthwhile for visiting.... Check out the Oregon Film Museum. It's $6 entry and a quick 30 minute stop. Outside the museum is the front facade of the jail cell where the Fratelli's brother escaped at the start of the movie. And...you'll notice the black Jeep Cherokee parked outside the museum which was the actual model they used in the film. So cool! The museum is out of date and a preservation of history and the 300+ films made in Oregon. Don't expect much out of the experience. It's a mom and pop type of museum, but still very worthwhile if you're a Goonie. Right beside the Oregon Film Museum is the Flavel House Museum. This is where Mikey's father worked as the museum's curator. When the boys were riding their bicycles down the street readying to search for One Eyed Willie's fortunes, they say hello to Mikey's dad as he's raising the American flag here at the Flavel Museum. You can take a tour inside, but I just took a photo outside of it. Next, drive a few miles down the road to Mikey and Brandon Walsh's actual home from the movie. Granted, it's not accessible inside as it's a real residential home in a real neighborhood. Still, they allow you to walk up to the house for photos and possibly do the "truffle shuffle" if you're daring, lol. The address is... 368 38th Street Astoria, OR 97103 Btw...they ask you to park a little bit away from the house and be respectful of the properties when walking through the neighborhood. Although the house has recently been painted, you could definitely sense it being the same home to the actual one from the film. This has no connection to The Goonies film, but going to the summit of Astoria at the Astoria Column is a nice way to spend some time. You can climb to the top of the 126 foot column for views from high above. It showcases scenic surroundings of the Columbia River and the bridge connecting Washington and Oregon. It's just a $5 entrance fee. You can spend an hour or two here. For me, getting a photo with the Welcome to Astoria sign was something interesting. For my first visit to town, I wanted to make sure that it was official and in the record books, lol. There are two signs at both ends of town. They can't be missed if you drive a little towards the outskirts of the downtown area. Astoria isn't a big city and just a few miles total in length. Finally, in the heart of the downtown walking area you could visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum or simply stroll around Astoria and take in the sights along the waterfront. More Goonies stops 30 miles outside Astoria... - Cannon Beach - the ending scene of the movie where One Eyed Willie's pirate ship sails away in the distance. - Ecola State Park - scene where the Fratelli's hideout was located. It was called the Lighthouse Lounge. It was built for the film, but taken down afterwards. Overall, I had a wonderful time getting to relive my Goonies childhood here in Astoria, Oregon. The flashbacks were surreal. It was a great escape away from reality and back to simpler times. Of course I had to rewatch the film when I returned home. Thank you Astoria, Oregon for preserving the history of The Goonies.

Astoria is one of my all time fave cities. And definitely my fave one in all of Oregon! So much…read morehistory and nature surrounding you here. It sits on the Columbia River bar which is a fascinating body of water in and of itself - with a long history of turbulent violence, earning it the nickname "Graveyard of the Pacific". Astoria is Oregon's oldest city (founded in 1811) and the first permanent American settlement west of the Rockies! It even has a sister city in Walldorf, Germany! The town boasts a beautiful bridge and a tall column on a hill that you can climb for some incredible views. The maritime museum is not to be missed - and be sure to do the Riverwalk too! There are info signs all over the place telling you fun tidbits of the city's history. And of course you can't miss all the fun locations from the 80s classic The Goonies! The people are all very friendly. Lots of great restaurants as well. Don't miss out on Pier 39 for the BEST morning coffee EVER at Coffee Girl with incredible views surrounded by all that history! The city is surrounded by state parks and tons of natural areas and hiking trails as well for when you've exhausted all there is in Astoria itself. It feels mostly safe - there are some homeless in the area but they're not aggressive. I've been here several times and will undoubtedly be back!!

Perhaps it's just me being sentimental because I'm currently reading a fantastic book series about…read moresailors, but visiting the grave of this unknown soul moved me with its simplicity and sincerity. Whomever this lost spirit once was, "known only to God" as the epitath states, I hope that he himself, as well as his family, friends and relatives, have all found peace in the wake of his passing. Rest in peace, sailor.