Northwest

Road trips can be unpredictable. We had to get from the West Coast to the East Coast and we didn't have a lot of time to spend along the way. We had mapped out our route and planned on a couple of stops. But this was essentially a straight shot cross country with a two night stop in St. Louis to catch our breath.

There are numerous places to ski on Mt. Hood, the massive mountain near Portland, Oregon.  I have not had the pleasure of skiing all of them, but I have skied Summit with all three kids.  Our kids are beginner skiers despite having lived in the Pacific Northwest for years.  About the time they were getting the hang of it we moved to Florida and then to Nevada.  We never went skiing during those assignments.  We’ve been back in Oregon for a little over a month now and have taken the kids up the mountain a few times. 

Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort is family friendly and a great place to take the kids skiing.  There is a little bit of everything there. If your kids need to learn to ski they have lessons. If your kids are to little to ski or just don't want to ski they have daycare.

Every visit to Seattle should include a trip to Pike Place Market.  Located right above Elliot Bay on Pike and First, just a few blocks from the Seattle Center, Pike Place Market has been in operation for over a century.  It is filled with almost 300 year round vendors selling everything from fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, to locally made crafts and art work – and so much more.  Wind through the Market into the Down Under for more specialty shops and restaurants.