Day 6: Whale Watching and Seal Caves in Florence

This was the only day that involved rain, which was a huge blessing as it was expected to rain for most of the vacation. The rain was just a nasty mist that occurred during our whale-watching boat ride. The kids were excited for this adventure, but unfortunately, the whales were not interested in being seen. We were able to see one from a distance, but it was not ideal for the boat ride. Following the boat ride in Depoe Bay, we stopped at their famous lighthouse and the black rock beach. We then drove to Florence, Oregon, where we saw constant smiles from the kids at Sea Lion Caves. The reason is that we were able to see a giant gray whale swimming for over an hour in a circular location near us. We also visited the Sea Lions Cave, where we spotted over fifty sea lions interacting with one another, playing, and sleeping. Great day!

Day 5: Little Oregon Towns

Today involved a lot of little fun Oregon towns. We started at Seaside, which was a super cute town with an arcade, carousel, and family-friendly boardwalk. It was also the Pacific endpoint of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. After leaving Seaside, we went to Cannon Beach, where we saw Haystack Rock (the actual taping location of the "Goonies"). We didn't stay long because we knew we would spend a lot of our time in Tillamook. Tillamook Creamery was a huge hit, offering a chance to learn about their famous dairy products and sample some amazing food. The last stop was Kiwanda, which was a top favorite for the boys because it had sand dunes. The boys ran all around them, pretty much surfed the sand. The views were spectacular as well. 

Day 4: Portland, Oregon

We spent the day in Portland. We began by going to the Science Museum because they had a Jurassic World Bricks Expedition. It was on Kallen's bucket list and did not disappoint. Although the Legos were awesome, the highlight was the fossil exhibit, where the kids got to touch a real triceratops' vertebra, not a 3D-printed one. Following the museum, we explored the town, walked through the shops, and ended the day at the largest bookstore in the area: Powell's Bookstore. For Elyse and me, this was a heavenly place. It was massive, with discounted books, making us love the place even more.