Places worth visiting in Oregon Oregon is a state defined by its diverse landscapes, ranging from the rugged Pacific coastline and temperate rainforests to towering volcanic peaks and high-desert wonders. Whether you are seeking world-class hiking, scenic drives, or unique geological formations, the state offers a vast array of natural beauty. I compiled 7 Oregon destinations that are must see if you are traveling to Oregon. And here they are, let’s dig in… Crater Lake National Park is Oregon’s only national park and features the deepest lake in the United States, formed inside a collapsed volcano.The water is famous for its intense blue color and incredible clarity.Visitors can drive the 33-mile Rim Drive for spectacular views or hike down to the water’s edge at Cleetwood Cove. Silver Falls State Park is the biggest state park in the United States. Often called the “crown jewel” of the Oregon State Parks system for its high concentration of cascades. Features the “Trail of Ten Falls,” a 7.2-mile loop that passes by ten distinct waterfalls. Offers the unique experience of walking behind several massive sheets of falling water. Smith Rock State Park is one of my favorite places to go. This place is surrounded with beautiful trails and views. It provides a sharp contrast with its towering spires of volcanic tuff and rhyolite.Considered the birthplace of modern American sport climbing.Offers the “Misery Ridge” hike, which provides panoramic views of the Crooked River and the surrounding Cascades. Moving into Central and Eastern Oregon, the landscape shifts to a high desert filled with vibrant colors and remote mountain ranges. Painted Hills is one of the three units of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, famous for its colorful, striped hillsides. The hills change hues with the light and moisture levels, shifting from gold and black to deep reds. Short, accessible boardwalks allow visitors to get close to the delicate clay structures without damaging them. We absolutely enjoyed exploring this unique place. It’s surrounded with different trails and it’s so panoramic for pictures. Wallowa Mountains Also called Little Switzerland. This place is a must see. You can stay at Wallowa Lake resort renting a cabin or reserving RV spot. Home to high alpine lakes and jagged granite peaks. Features a gondola ride to the top of Mount Howard for views that stretch across to Idaho and Washington. Fort Rock Museum often called a Ghost Town. Located in the high desert of Central Oregon, it preserves the history of the hardy homesteaders who tried to farm this rugged landscape. The museum is laid out like a small village, featuring buildings moved from their original sites throughout the valley to protect them from decay. Highlights include: The Sunset School: The last remaining of 20 pioneer schoolhouses once in the valley.St. Rose’s Catholic Church: The only church built in the valley during the homestead era.The General Store: Packed with period-accurate goods, from kerosene lamps to vintage farm tools.The Belletable House: Believed to be the largest pioneer home in the valley.The Blacksmith Shop & Land Office: Essential structures for a 1900s community. Nearby “Must-Sees”If you are making the trip out to the museum, consider these nearby geological wonders:Fort Rock State Natural Area: The iconic “fortress” rock formation.Hole-in-the-Ground: A massive volcanic explosion crater (maar).Crack-in-the-Ground: A two-mile-long volcanic fissure you can actually hike through. Tillamook Creamery A massive cheese factory where you can take free tours and sample legendary Oregon-made ice cream. Oregon’s most popular coastal attractions, offering an immersive look at the world of dairy production. Located in Tillamook, it serves as a massive visitor center where guests can witness the cheesemaking process and enjoy fresh dairy products. If you teaveled to Oregon, what else can you add to this list? If you haven’t yet seen these places, you are missing out. Make it a one time life experience ✨️!!! Have fun!
Almost Got Kidnapped in Cancun Mexico It was during Spring Break. We decided to take a family vacation to Cancun Mexico to all inclusive resort for a week. Our flight with kids was better than what we expected. We arrived to our destination safely. We checked in, I am not going to give a name of our resort, because I don’t want to sabotage anybody to anything. This can happen in any resort, either in Mexico, or any other country. The reason why I’m writing this post, is for the awareness purposes, and to always putting safety to the highest priority. Now, don’t get me wrong. Overall vacation was bright, fun, and beautiful. We had a blast on the beach with our kids. I included some of the photos here to share with you. Our vacation was in March, and we really hoped for the weather to be clear and sunny. And it was. Weather was beautiful, clear, and sunny, and warm. We did enjoy Mexican cuisine, all lemonades by the pool we could order. Our kids made friends with other kids easily, they are very social. Now, a vacation with kids is a different type of vacation. There is a popular saying among parents: “It’s not a vacation; it’s just parenting in a different location.”While a “solo” or “couples” vacation is usually about relaxation and recharging, a family vacation is about experience and management. The kidnappers…. With all that said, one day, we decided to leave our two kids in Daycare area, it’s the area with fun pools, water play grounds, craft studios, mini tennis and a basketball court. I mean, everything that a kid could ever ask for. Me and my husband decided to stay on the upper floor pool for adults only for 2 hours while kids can have all the fun at the Daycare area. Daycare area was pretty much secured, you know, you check-in, give your room number, sign, and the same protocol when checking out a kid. Parents are welcome to stay with their kids in Daycare, and that’s what we did for all of the days during our vacation. We were there with our kids, except for that one day when we left them there by themselves for 2 hours. So, while we were staying in the pool on the upper floor, after about an hour of our stay, one guy with a mask comes over to us, and asks the names of our children. He explained that he works here in Daycare, and there are some children crying, and that he needed to get our children’s names. And I went ahead and told him the names. What was I thinking? He said – thank you – and went back downstairs. My heart was pounding, I knew something isn’t right here. My husband looked at me, and said to run back downstairs and take our children out of there, and that he didn’t feel right about this dude, I mean why would he ask our children’s names? All elevators were busy, so we took the stairs. We were running down stairs like a whirlwind. I mean I was praying, panicking, crying, and angry at myself. When we reached the daycare area downstairs, this guy with another stranger were already checking out our kids. I ran in there and screamed that I am their mother! While we were explaining the whole situation to the staff, these two strange man disappeared. We never saw them again for the rest of our stay. I wrote about all this, because I want you to be safe, know your surroundings, know and recognize people who surround you, specially when you’re with your kids on the vacation. Never leave them alone in Daycare, even if it’s just 2 hours long. Our children, always need to be there where we are. That’s it! When I think of it now, I realize that these two strangers were stocking us, knew our room stay, they knew our kids very well, and wanted to take an advantage of them while we were staying at the pool on the upper floor. How is it that we never saw them before? Now, we know better and through this experience, we are more careful and more curious. Despite all this, this trip offered us a different kind of reward. We got to see the world through a lens that we never got to see before. Our children are much more aware of how things are around here when not being watchful and careful. I really hope that this story won’t hinder you taking vacation trips to Mexico to all-inclusive resorts. I wrote about this, so we all can be on a watch. And to my conclusion I will say, see the big picture. A family vacation isn’t just a trip; it’s a transformative experience that builds a child’s identity and reinforces the family unit as a safe, adventurous, and loving team.
Traveling to Peru I am so excited about this post. My all time desire was to share my amazing experience traveling to South America with my husband. And I DO HIGHLY recommend traveling there. This one time life experience is worth every penny and your emotions. There was one Summer day in our new house, my husband asked me, – Alina, what do you want for your birthday? I was looking at Machu Picchu pictures at that moment. I sighed and with a dreamy voice I said showing him my phone screen, – I want this, take me there! Since that day, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Every day I would read different topics particularly about this country Peru and all the historical and “mystic” places where I could possibly go and see it all with my own eyes. After spending 2 weeks straight researching, I started planning out our trip in advance. Places I wanted to see: Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo, Machu Picchu and everything in between them. I RECOMMEND taking a car rental in Lima, because it’s a big city and taking taxi rides may be spendy, as there are many places to go to. Central Parks, Museums, we even visited a Catholic Church, they had a parade during our visit, and we went inside the church and spent some time during their service. My first expression in Lima was as if I am in Spain. Buildings, architecture design. Although Peruvians are half Inkas from the old civilization. So, this was in August. Their climate works backwards because of the equator. August is their last month of winter. Their weather was cloudy, foggy, and raining in the evenings. So sweaters was a must. Also, be careful driving on their roads, their drivers are more aggressive, many times ignoring road rules, and keep in mind that it’s a different country and people with different mentality. So, don’t get too surprised on some awkward moments that you might encounter. We took car trip a little further from the city, to their beach town. We spent there like half a day. I noticed that Peruvians don’t have middle class, some either are rich, and the rest are poor. I did not see hungry children or adults. They might not have a fancy apartment to live in, but they all have enough food, and more than enough milk from Alpacas. Alpacas are their national animal that feeds them and dresses them in wool. We took a flight ✈️ from Lima to Cusco after a few days that we reserved in advance. This flight took for about 3 hours. Cusco airport is quite small and many taxi drivers, so you will always have a ride. I DO NOT RECOMMEND getting a car rental in Cusco. Their parking spaces are very limited and it’s not worth the headache and money particularly in Cusco. So don’t do it. Take a taxi. You will save yourself more free and fun time. Cusco was my favorite old city there. I absolutely loved the 17th and the 18th century vibe all around, wherever you go. It was absolutely amazing. A must visit in Cusco is San Pedro Market. Endless options from street food, cultural hand made items. Amazing place to spend most of your day. Archeological area right in the city. Yes, they allow visitors on half the area. So it’s a must visit. Their food, and bakery, drinks are amazing. Absolutely enjoyed all of their buffets, restaurants, street food was my favorite. Coca tea was my other favorite go to drink! Keep in mind that Coca Tea is also a natural energy drink. I didn’t start a day in Cusco without drinking this tea first! Trip to Machu Picchu The only way to take a trip to Machu Picchu is through a train. We bought train tickets in advance online. Buying tickets in advance can save you a lot of money. The train station is in Ollantaytambo. It takes about 2 hours to drive there from Cusco. There we took a train and headed to Machu Picchu village. Honestly, I don’t remember how long it took one way on the train. But all together with the train and taxi rides and experience the veiws of that beautiful mountain takes one whole day, just to experience Machu Picchu. So plan your trips accordingly and in advance. The famous Machu Picchu mountain is not in the village. Don’t forget to buy tickets in that Machu Picchu village so you are allowed to enter the mountain premises to see the famous Machu Picchu. To get to the Mountain takes about 1 hour walking up the hill (might be the best option for hiking gurus). Or you can buy bus tickets and it takes like 25 to 30 minutes to get to the mountain. No camera can never justify the real breathtaking beauty of that nature. No matter how many pictures you take, videos you record, it just doesn’t look the same. Although I did record a short on my YouTube page. https://youtube.com/shorts/otlcTyjr6Qw?si=SMs03tjYY9j50HnA Peru is one of those rare destinations where the reality actually lives up to the glossy magazine photos. Whether you’re there for the history, the world-class food scene, or the sheer adrenaline of the Andes, it’s a trip that stays with you.
