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Posts Tagged ‘Nature’

Celebrate the Earth in Oregon’s Washington County

Posted on: April 8th, 2013 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan No Comments
Earth Day

Photo courtesy of SOLV Oregon

Mark your calendar for Earth Day weekend, April 20-21.  Several Earth Day activities and events are scheduled throughout, and you’re invited. Choose to get involved during Earth Day weekend (Saturday, April 20, and Sunday, April 21) with activities as diverse as an organized run near wetlands, planting trees, or buying native plants.

Earth Day Outdoor Volunteer Opportunities

Earth Day weekend offers many volunteer events, and clean-up projects are scheduled throughout Oregon’s Washington County. These are perfect for visitors who are interested in volunteer tourism opportunities, or for team-building, group outings.

The group Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV) is marking Earth Day with volunteer events throughout the state on Saturday, April 20, including several cleanup, beautification and enhancement projects in Washington County. Offerings include (pre-registration is required):

SOLVE IT/Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District is hosting Earth Day clean-up projects are parks in the Beaverton area (pre-registration is required; details about these events can be found here):

  • Earth Day at Autumn Ridge Park, April 20, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Earth Day at Greenway Park, April 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Mulch Native Plants at Kennedy Park, April 21, 1:30-4 p.m.

Additional Earth Day Events

NEW: Earth Day Nature Hunt (Tigard/Durham): Enjoy a self-led nature hunt through Durham Park, meet naturalists along the way and learn more about nature (April 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.). Maps available at Whole Foods (7380 SW Bridgeport Road, Tualatin), and return your completed map to the store for a free sandwich, face painting, planting activity and more.

Nature Days in the Parks (Beaverton): Discover what birds and other urban wildlife species are attracted to in the recently restored areas of Evelyn Schiffler Park.

Earth Day Run 2013 (Tigard): Mark Earth Day with a 5K! On Saturday, April 20, choose from a 5K, 5-mile walk/run or a kids 1K “recycle run” (for ages 3-12) in the area around scenic Cook Park in Tigard. The finish line party at the park includes live music, veggie burgers, organic beer and information booths regarding wellness and sustainable living. The event’s motto is “Let’s All Save the Earth.”

Earth Day Native Plant Sale (Sherwood): The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is holding a native plant sale April 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Native plants such as wood violets, checkermallow, wild ginger, and more, will be available for purchase. Experts and presenters also will be on-hand.

More Nature Events

Cooper Mountain Nature Park has a couple of fun nature-related activities planned for late April:

  • Spring Walks on Cooper Mountain (April 27, 8:30-11:30 a.m.)
  • Looking for Lazulis and Lillies (April 28, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Cost is $10 per person, and pre-registration and payment is required in advance (call 503-629-6350 to reserve a spot)

Find places to stay. | Create a personalized itinerary. | Find places to eat. | View the digital visitor guide.

 

 

A Closer Look at Our Cities: Beaverton

Posted on: January 18th, 2012 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan No Comments

Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Interpretive Center, located in the heart of Beaverton, is one of several attractions in this growing city.

Oregon’s Washington County encompasses 727 square miles and boasts 10 cities. Each month, we’ll be spotlighting each city and highlighting its various attractions. This month the featured city is Beaverton.

Beaverton is Washington County’s second-largest city, with a population of more than 90,000. Apparel giants Nike and Columbia Sportswear, Reser Foods, optical scope maker Leupold & Stevens, and makers of test and measurement equipment, Tetronix, are just some of the major companies that call this city home.

Nestled in the heart of the Tualatin Valley, Beaverton is surrounded by farm lands and natural resources, and boasts 30 miles of hiking trails and a 25-mile network of bike paths. It is home to a diverse array of attractions, dining and family entertainment centers, plus tens of miles of hiking trails and bike paths. Beaverton also is home to two wineries, which earn the acclaim of being the closest wineries to Portland.

 

Shop
Bibliophiles rejoice! Beaverton boasts a smaller version of the infamous independent bookseller Powell’s City of Books at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton; 800-878-7323). With more than half-a-million used, new, rare and hard-to-find titles, it’s easy to spend half a day browsing the aisles of this iconic bookstore.  See more shopping options in Beaverton.

Dine
Fresh Italian cuisine, prepared with locally sourced ingredients makes up the ever-changing menu of decarli restaurant (4545 SW Watson Ave., Beaverton; 503-641-3223). Inventive and delicious cocktails, diverse wine list, warm and inviting dining room, and hopping happy hour make decarli a must while in Oregon’s Washington County. Also in Beaverton is the venerable Hall St. Grill, which specializes in traditional American dishes prepared with a distinctive Northwest flair. For more dining options in Beaverton, and throughout Washington County, visit our dining page.

Play
Beaverton is home to two nationally-recognized wineries, Ponzi Vineyards (14665 SW Winery Ln., Beaverton) and Cooper Mountain Vineyards (9480 SW Grabhorn Rd., Beaverton), both noted for their exceptional wine and commitment to sustainable farming practices.

For those under the age of 21, Beaverton offers myriad family-friendly activities, from batting cages and laser tag to indoor rock climbing and bingo. See the complete list of  attractions and activities for the entire family.

Explore
The 222-acre Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Interpretive Center features 1.5 miles of paved trail (which is ADA accessible) and four miles of secondary trails, each offering a relaxing journey through the ecologically diverse habitat that includes ponds, creeks, marshes and forests. The Interpretive Center offers programs and special events for all ages. The trails and the center are open year-round; admission is free. There are plenty of other places to explore in and around Beaverton. Check out our website for more interesting things to see in do here.

Cooper Mountain Nature Park, a 230-acre site, features 3.5 miles of trails that traverse the park and pass through a mosaic of oak and madrone woodlands, native prairies and conifer forests. The park also houses a demonstration garden and a play area for children.

Stay
The Beaverton area has a bed-and-breakfast, Rose Cottage Bed and Breakfast (3392 SW Delaney Pl., Portland), plus nearly a dozen hotels and motels.


If you’re in the Beaverton area, be sure to stop by the Washington County Visitors Association’s visitor information center (11000 SW Stratus St., Beaverton; 503-644-5555, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed holidays) to pick up a visitor guide, area map, biking and recreation map and a host of additional material about Oregon’s Washington County.

Hot Off the Presses!

Posted on: August 12th, 2011 by WCVA No Comments

Oregon’s Washington County Recreation Map Now Available

The Washington County Visitors Association just published its new Recreation Map, a sister publication to the overwhelmingly popular Bike Map.

With highlights of the area’s outdoor recreational areas, the Recreation Map provides a wealth of information about various outdoor activities, including hiking, nature walks, bird watching locations and paddling sites, including GPS coordinates, difficulty levels and contact information. Trailheads, parks, campgrounds, horse camping sites and other pertinent information are also pinpointed on the map.

In addition to recreational sites, the map includes the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route, wineries throughout Washington County, golf courses, farms and farm stores, and other attractions in the area.

Recreation Map Highlights

  • Bird watching sites
  • Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route
  • Parks and natural areas
  • Golf courses
  • Wetlands and open spaces
  • Community and recreation centers
  • Vineyards and wineries
  • Day-use parks
  • Camping sites
  • Paved and unpaved recreational trails
  • Historic sites
  • Paddling sites
  • Mountains/buttes

Request a FREE copy of the Recreation Map online, call 800-537-3149, or send us an e-mail at info@wcva.org.

 

 

 

 


Jenkins Estate: A Slice of History & Beauty

Posted on: June 2nd, 2011 by Angie Marsh No Comments

At Jenkins Estate. Photo courtesy of the Beaverton Historical Society.

Here in Beaverton is a 68-acre treasure that is a showcase of native plants, historic buildings and water features: Jenkins Estate.

Seeing its rhododendron garden up close reveals the established plants and sense of history that is evident throughout the grounds, which are open to the public for strolling and enjoying and occasional public events (Chocolate Fantasy tasting, anyone?) as well as for private events. Many a wedding, baby shower and high tea are enjoyed on these grounds.

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and operated by the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, Jenkins Estate offers these rentals:
The Gate House – This is the perfect space for a tea or other gathering of up to 25 people.
The Main House – The welcoming front porch gives way to an inviting space to enjoy the period architecture and different views of the gardens. Groups ranging from 60 to 175 people can rent this space, making use of the multiple rooms and veranda.
The Stable – This is not a stable in the traditional sense of the word! The hay was cleared out and this building has been revamped in warm wood and transformed into an ideal meeting, event or reception area complete with an upstairs level.

Keep an eye out for annual events at Jenkins Estate as well, which typically include a chocolate fantasy tasting, painters showcase and holiday tea.

For details, visit the THPRD Jenkins Estate page, where you can also follow them on Facebook.

A Celebration Nearly 21 Years in the Making

Posted on: November 5th, 2010 by Guest Blogger No Comments
Photo courtesy of Danny Abrego

Photo courtesy of Danny Abrego

What does live music, a drum line, a pageant winner, horses, bicycles, students, and a crowd of local dignitaries and community supporters have in common? Put them all together and you have the makings of a celebration.

On Oct. 29th, the community of Banks gathered for a grand opening celebration,   marked with proclamations, speeches and ribbon cutting, to commemorate the completion of the final leg of the Banks-Vernonia State Trail.

Managed by Oregon State Parks, and part of the Rails-to-Trails network, the Banks-Vernonia State Trail is a linear 21-mile trail, most of which is paved*, which runs along an old railroad line from Banks, Ore. to Vernonia, Ore. The Banks trailhead marks the final segment of this trail. (*Unpaved sections of the trail are currently under construction, and in early 2011 the 21-mile trail will be completely paved.)

Photo courtesy of Danny Abrego

Photo courtesy of Danny Abrego

For two decades, the trail has been a haven for hikers, cyclists and equestrians of all abilities. Part of the trail takes visitors through L.L. “Stub” Stewart State Park, making it a perfect place to make a fuel stop or set up camp. (Equestrians can stay at Hares Camp, Oregon’s only full-service horse camp, also located in the park.)

The trail is open year-round (although segments of the trail may close for maintenance or due to inclement weather). For more information, visit the Oregon State Park’s website.

Read more about the celebration event from The Oregonian.

See more pictures from the grand opening celebration.

Outdoor Summer Fun in the Tualatin Valley

Posted on: May 5th, 2010 by Guest Blogger No Comments

Get ready for some outdoor fun!  Here are some great ideas from our partners that represent one of the greatest assets in Washington County: nature (and everything in it).

Tualatin-Riverkeepers-logoThis summer, the Tualatin Riverkeepers is offering a bounty of scheduled events for kids and adults of all ages, including parent-child hikes and paddle trips along the Tualatin River.  For kids from ages 4-13, there are six summer sessions of  nature day-camps,  a series of daylong camps with different themes to encourage awareness of and love for the natural world.  See details.

For more information, read the Riverkeepers’ informative quarterly newsletter, “The Green Herald”.

 

salamanderSign_kidsite_RefugeThe Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge also has plenty of summertime activities for the entire family, such as guided ‘Night Creature Walks’, where explorers can experience the mysteries of the Refuge after the sun goes down.  

While visiting the Refuge, don’t forget to borrow a Nature Discovery Pack, a backpack full of activities, binoculars, field guides and nature journals. The packs are loaned to guests, free of charge, during visitor center hours.

Get the family excited for a trip to the Refuge, thanks to the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife’s recently launched website (recommended for children, ages 5+). This interactive site features learning sessions, quizzes, and a chance to earn a free tree to plant in your own backyard. (Supplies are limited.)

Create Your Own Adventures With New Interactive Videos

Posted on: March 23rd, 2010 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan No Comments

Video Series is First of its Kind to be Used to Promote Tourism

With an innovative, bold new Web video campaign, Washington County, Oregon, is now allowing visitors to create their own vacation adventures with an unprecedented series of videos on the popular video sharing website YouTube.

These “Create Your Adventure” videos allow viewers to discover the many gems of Washington County. Adventurers are given the choice of three tracks, which viewers can tailor to their own interests. Each series ends with a scenic drive along the Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour Route, which highlights Washington County’s rolling backcountry roads, farm stands and wineries.

Golf is one of several relaxing pursuits on the Create Your Adventure journey.

Golf is one of several relaxing pursuits on the Create Your Adventure journey.

Each track offers nine adventures, with a total of 27 possible vacation itineraries:

  • Relax: highlighting attractions such as shopping, golf, hiking, a day at the spa, and a night out on the town, among other activities
  • Escape: highlighting pursuits such as disc golf, hot air balloon rides, a visit to a farmers’ market and saké tasting, among other activities
  • Explore: highlighting outdoorsy attractions, such as bird watching, hiking, biking and kayaking, among other activities

“Washington County truly is a hidden gem,” said Ruthie Reinert, president and CEO of the Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA). “As a destination marketing organization, we saw a need to create a tool that provided a sample of all the ways a visitor can have an authentic travel experience in Washington County.”

Birding is one of the adventures explorers can choose

Birding is one of the adventures explorers can choose

The videos were modeled after the popular “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, which were popular among school-aged children in the 1980s and ‘90s, and allowed readers to choose what happened next in the story.

“Destinations typically tell you what to do and where to go,” said Martin Stoll, CEO of Portland-based GoSeeTell Network, the production company behind the interactive “Create Your Adventure” videos.  “Washington County is letting its visitors choose their own destiny. Visitors drive the story and decide where they’ll go and what they’ll do. It’s an exciting breakthrough in the often pre-packaged tourism marketing industry.”

The interactive video project, which was a joint partnership between the WCVA and the GoSeeTell Network, is the first of its kind in the tourism industry. It uses a YouTube technology, which links multiple video clips with an interactivity button that causes the next video to play. This is the first time this Web video technology is being used for tourism.

Our new tour route is GORGEOUS!

Posted on: April 22nd, 2009 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments
Mt. Hood from a hill.

Mt. Hood from a hill.

Mt. St. Helens (left) and Mt. Adams from the route.

Mt. St. Helens (left) and Mt. Adams from the route.

Yesterday, in the glorious sunshine, I had the chance to drive our new Vineyard and Valley scenic tour route. It’s a brilliant glimpse into Washington County’s past, present and future. Historical sites include the Old Scotch Church and the Joseph L. Meek land claim historical marker. The plethora of vineyards, nurseries and farms attest to the perseverance of early settlers and demonstrate just how much of a player Oregon has become in the agriculture industry. All of this bucolic splendor has been preserved for the future through fortuitous legislation limiting urban sprawl and ensuring that our open spaces are protected. In these last few days of sunshine, myriad trees and plants have burst into bloom, and it is truly a perfect time to explore the area; if you’re lucky, the mountains might come out for a photo op for you, too!