National Oregon Day falls on March 8th every year, so what better time to plan a family adventure there! The stunning coastlines, lush forests, and spectacular glaciers offer opportunities your family will love. Add in the time you can spend reconnecting with your kids, as you enjoy one adventure after another, and you may realize that you must take family vacations more often. The only thing is trying to determine what should be on your itinerary during your family vacation in Oregon. But that is where I can help since I will plan an amazing vacation every member of your family will love. And part of that planning process can include adding in a couple of these incredible family adventures.

5 Family Friendly Adventures in Oregon for National Oregon Day

1. Attend a UFO Festival

Oregon may seem like a pretty normal state, but that doesn’t stop them from having a few unique things to do. If you are looking for an out of this world family friendly adventure in Oregon, I recommend attending the UFO Festival. This festival will be held for two days this year during the month of May.

The UFO Festival is held in McMinnville, which is in the Willamette Valley. Costumes are not required for this festival. However, you will see many people dressed as Coneheads, Wookies, ETs, astronauts, and Yodas. So, your family might as well join in on the fun and do a little dressing up too!

Much of the live music, UFO parade, vendors, and the Alien Costume Ball are held around the McMenamins Hotel Oregon. There is plenty of extraterrestrial activities to keep your family busy for the weekend. Any downtime though can be spent exploring the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, walking around downtown, or sipping some wine at one of the local vineyards.

2. Take a Tour of Mount Hood

Mount Hood is the tallest mountain in the state of Oregon. There are more than one thousand miles of trails near this mountain. Therefore, exploring is a must during a family vacation in Oregon. I recommend taking a hike that leads to Multnomah Falls. This is a rushing six hundred- and eleven-foot-high waterfall that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.

Yes, you can see this waterfall from the highway. But the views are better from the trail or Benson Bridge. While you can explore the Mount Hood area on your own, I can also schedule for your family to join one of the numerous tours offered each day.

3. Go on Safari

You do not need to fly to faraway destinations like Kenya to go on safari! Instead, your family can see wild animals like rhinos, yaks, lions, and zebras in their natural habitats. All the animals at the Wildlife Safari live in open spaces that mimic where they would live in the wild.

At this safari, you can drive your vehicle through the park. This family adventure takes approximately an hour and a half to complete since the park is more than six hundred acres. To add a little more excitement to your visit, you may want to consider including an animal encounter to your day. Your family will jump at the chance to spend one-on-one time with cheetahs, elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, and hibernating bears.

Before leaving this safari adventure, you will want to make sure everyone takes a camel ride, rides on the train, and purchases a souvenir from the safari gift shop.

4. Go Cave Exploring

Caves are plentiful in the state of Oregon, so adding this adventure to your itinerary is easy. Walking through the caves will allow your family to see magnificent rock formations. Some of the caves even have seawater inside, thanks to their location.

In the center of the state, I recommend checking out Lava River Cave, Skylight Cave, or Boyd Cave. In southern Oregon, it is all about the Oregon Caves National Monument. And the Oregon Coast is where you will find the Sea Lion Caves. Those are the caves to choose if you want to see a plethora of sea lions, orcas, and other whales if you time your trip just right.

5. Go Whitewater Rafting

The Rogue River can be found in southern Oregon, and it is the best place to do a little whitewater rafting. Forty-five miles of this river is known as the wild and scenic section. I can schedule a rafting expedition that lasts for a day or multiple days. Whichever one you choose will include rapids, sandy beaches, and the chance to hike to some of the spectacular waterfalls in Oregon.

These are five of the family friendly adventures you can have during a family vacation in Oregon. While you may not be able to visit this beautiful state for National Oregon Day, you can easily plan a vacation there at any time of the year.

So, are you ready to have me create a personalized family vacation itinerary for your next trip to Oregon or another destination?

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