Our Portland and Redwoods Family Vacation was part of a travel tradition we’ve intentionally created for our daughters. Now that they are old enough to appreciate different destinations, we alternate between exploring a national park one year and visiting a different country the next. It has become one of our favorite traditions because it gives the girls the chance to experience a wide variety of landscapes, cultures, and history while making memories together.
So far, our national park-focused trips have included the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and this year, the incredible redwoods of Northern California. For our 2026 adventure, we paired the Redwoods with several days exploring Oregon, including Portland, Silver Falls State Park, and Crater Lake National Park.
This first installment of our Portland and Redwoods family vacation covers our journey from Portland to Crescent City, including towering waterfalls, a stunning volcanic lake, quirky food stops, and our first unforgettable encounters with some of the tallest trees on earth.
Day 1: Arriving in Portland
Powell’s City of Books
- Our first stop in Portland was the famous Powell’s City of Books, one of the largest independent bookstores in the world. The store truly feels endless, with room after room of books covering every topic imaginable. One of our favorite traditions when we travel is picking up a book from a local bookstore, so each of us chose something to bring home. We also spent time browsing the rare book room, which felt more like a museum than a bookstore. It was fascinating to see historic and collectible books up close.
Salt & Straw
- Portland was experiencing a hot summer day, so before heading to the gardens we stopped at Salt & Straw for ice cream. The shop is known for its creative flavors, and trying samples was half the fun. We all picked something different, and it was a great way to cool off while getting our first taste of Portland’s food scene.
International Rose Test Garden
- After our ice cream stop, we headed to the International Rose Test Garden. The garden was absolutely stunning, with thousands of roses blooming in every color imaginable. The views of the city and Mount Hood in the distance made it even more special. We spent quite a bit of time wandering the paths and taking photos. It was one of those places that felt even prettier in person than it does in pictures.
Midtown Beer Garden
- Unfortunately, Claire wasn’t feeling great after our delayed flight and a sore throat, so we adjusted our plans throughout the day. She headed to bed early after a short nap. Later that evening, Matt, Avie, and I walked to Midtown Beer Garden for dinner. The food pod setup gave us plenty of options, and it was a fun introduction to Portland’s popular food cart culture.
Day 2: Portland to Oakridge via Silver Falls
Voodoo Doughnut
- Before leaving Portland, we made a stop at the famous Voodoo Doughnut. We ended up buying a baker’s dozen because none of us could agree on just a few flavors. The doughnuts became breakfast that morning as well as snacks over the next two days. The flavors were incredibly creative, but my personal favorite was the churro cheesecake doughnut.
Silver Falls State Park
- One of the highlights of our Portland and Redwoods Family Vacation was visiting Silver Falls State Park and hiking a portion of the famous Trail of Ten Falls. While the full trail is over seven miles long, we opted for a shorter three-mile route that still allowed us to see several spectacular waterfalls. The highlight was walking behind some of the falls, which gave us a completely different perspective and made for a memorable experience. The combination of lush forest scenery, rushing waterfalls, and easy hiking made this one of our favorite stops on our Portland and Redwoods Family Vacation.
Exploring Eugene
- After Silver Falls, we continued south to Eugene. Since Eugene is known as TrackTown USA, we drove past Hayward Field and checked out some of the city’s athletic landmarks. We also visited the University of Oregon bookstore and the Nike store, which were fun stops for our sports-loving family.
Bangers and Brews
- For an early dinner, we ate at Bangers and Brews. The restaurant specializes in creative sausage combinations, and there were so many unique topping choices that it was hard to decide what to order. It was a fun and casual meal before continuing on toward our hotel.
Day 3: Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake Trolley Tour
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A highlight of our Portland and Redwoods Family Vacation was spending the day at Crater Lake National Park. The centerpiece of our visit was an 11:00 a.m. trolley tour around the rim of the lake. Formed when Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed thousands of years ago, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is famous for its incredibly vivid blue water. Even after seeing countless photos, the color was even more stunning in person.
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During the tour, we stopped at several scenic viewpoints while learning about the park’s fascinating history and geology. One of the most interesting features was the Old Man of the Lake, a large tree trunk that has been floating upright in the lake for more than a century. We also visited Discovery Point, admired Phantom Ship, and enjoyed breathtaking views from several overlooks along Rim Drive. The trolley tour was a fantastic way to experience the park and quickly became one of the highlights of our Portland and Redwoods Family Vacation.
Junior Ranger Program
- Claire and Avie completed their Junior Ranger books and earned their badges during our visit. The Junior Ranger program has become one of our favorite national park traditions because it encourages the girls to learn about each park while having fun.
Lady of the Woods Trail
- After lunch at the visitor center, we headed to a different section of the park for a couple of short hikes. The Lady of the Woods Trail was easy and peaceful, winding through beautiful forest scenery while sharing stories from the park’s past.
Wildflower Trail
- We also completed the Wildflower Trail, another easy walk that showcased seasonal blooms and gorgeous mountain scenery. After a full day of sightseeing, these shorter hikes were the perfect way to stretch our legs without overdoing it. The girls loved the stepping stones through the water during the hike.
Beckie’s Cafe
- That evening, we checked into Union Creek Resort and enjoyed dinner at the nearby Beckie’s Cafe. The restaurant is well known for its pies, and it provided a cozy ending to a fantastic day at Crater Lake.
Day 4: Crater Lake to Crescent City
Scenic Drive Toward the California Coast
- After breakfast and a stop at a charming local coffee shop, we began the drive toward Northern California. The scenery changed dramatically throughout the day as we traveled from mountain landscapes toward the Pacific Coast.
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Howland Hill Road
- We drove the famous Howland Hill Road, a narrow dirt road that winds through some of the most impressive old-growth redwood forest in California. The drive is slow, but every turn reveals another breathtaking view. It quickly became one of our favorite drives of the entire trip.
Stout Grove
- Stout Grove was our first hike among the giant redwoods. The trail is short and relatively flat, making it accessible for most visitors. Walking among these enormous trees felt almost otherworldly. It was hard to stop taking photos.
Grove of Titans
- We also hiked the Grove of Titans Trail, which protects some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in the park. The elevated boardwalk helps preserve the ecosystem while still allowing visitors to experience these incredible giants up close. This hike ended up being one of the most memorable experiences of the entire trip.
SeaQuake Brewing
- After a full day in the redwoods, we headed into Crescent City for dinner at SeaQuake Brewing. The relaxed atmosphere and good food made it a great place to unwind before checking into the Lighthouse Inn for the night.
Overnight in Crescent City
- Crescent City served as our home base for exploring the redwoods over the next several days. As excited as we had been to visit, our first afternoon among the giant trees somehow exceeded every expectation. The best of our Redwoods adventure was still to come.
Wrap up
It’s hard to believe how much we packed into just four days. We explored one of the world’s largest bookstores, hiked past waterfalls, stood on the rim of a volcanic lake, and walked among some of the tallest trees on earth—all before reaching the main Redwoods portion of our trip.
One of the things I loved most about this portion of the trip was how much variety we experienced in just a few days. We went from city streets and food carts to mountain lakes, waterfalls, and ancient forests. It was the perfect introduction to Oregon and Northern California, and it set the stage for even more adventures ahead. In the next post, I’ll share our time exploring Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Fern Canyon, the Oregon Coast, and more highlights from the second half of our Portland and Redwoods family vacation.
Confident Twosday Linkup
Last week’s favorite post was from Maureen at Little Miss Casual who featured her gorgeous YSL bag.
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