Originally published May 23, 2016 but recently updated.
Living in Seattle, we are fortunate to be so close to both Vancouver, BC and Portland, OR. Both are amazing cities for families with toddlers and preschoolers. Plus, they are just a few hours drive from Seattle. See why Portland with toddlers is always a good idea.
This is the breakfast nook outside the lobby of the Inn at Northrup Station. Photo credit: Inn at Northrup Station
Living in Seattle, I usually take my kids to the Woodland Park Zoo. Or we visit the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma. However, I’ve been hearing people rave about the Oregon Zoo in Portland for years.
Last year, we came down to Portland with friends who also had a toddler (read my toddler guide to Portland.) We knew that the Oregon Zoo had a train that was under construction. We decided to skip the Oregon Zoo last year with the purpose of returning this year primarily for the zoo train.
I was lucky enough to get to go on a Moms-only trip to Portland, Oregon in March. We try to get away once a year and we chose Portland because it’s just 3 hours from our homes in the Seattle-area. We all have 3-year-olds, so it’s a comfortable distance. I started researching hotels immediately. Since one of the Moms in our group was super pregnant, we wanted to find somewhere centrally located (where we could walk to stuff) but that also offered food options in case we ended up just hanging at the hotel. And cleanliness was of highest priority.
When I was pregnant with my oldest, I was encouraged by several new Moms to join a PEPS group. It’s a support group for Seattle-area parents. I joined and my group bonded so strongly that we still see each other regularly 3 years later. They are the people I share my parenting highs and lows with first and they have continued to support me through the birth of my second child.