Summer Fun Passport: Oregon Road Trip with Friends!

Here's our full Summer Fun Passport List for 2013 and our passport we made to keep track of everything we accomplish this summer!

Photo Friday #19

TRAVELS WITH KID | SEASIDE, OREGON

So, the part I love about travelling the most? Unexpectedly running into and witnessing a local cultural event. Take one giant pumpkin, the winner of the Seaside Giant Pumpkin Contest [easily over 1000 lbs. maybe it was 1300 lbs. I was only half paying attention], one old surrey and hundreds of spectators ... this is what you get.

The Giantest Pumpkin going for a ride.



Dilapidated Surrey waiting for its doom.



Now the giant crane is getting involved.



Lining the pumpkin up carefully before hoisting up.



And up she goes.



To the top!



Does anyone have any safety concerns here? Two guys tugging on the "quick release", 1000 lbs directly overhead, waiting for the right moment to run out of the way. Yoiks!



There they go, spry as ever.



Impact.





Pumpkin guts abound.



Then there was the mad dash; dozens of children running to see how big a piece of pumpkin they could snatch up.





And there they are.



Together. Pumpkin and Surrey.



What did Spud think of the spectacle? The look on his face was of horror. And almost to the point of tears. His commentary: "That was WAY worse than I even thought it was going to be". When probed, it turned out, his 5-year-old-self, predicted that the pumpkin would still be intact when it landed and squished the Surrey. "You know," he said "all you would see is the pumpkin and the surrey would be hidden underneath it."

For other travel pics, check out my favourite family travel site Delicious Baby. Or go there to share your travel photos on Fridays too.

An Evening in Cannon Beach

TRAVELS WITH KID | CANNON BEACH, OREGON
For our Oregon Coast vacation, we stayed in Seaside and took a short jaunt [10 minutes] to Cannon Beach one day.

It was time for a little playground fun ...



There's also a nice big field behind it, as well as a skate park. We found it on Spruce Avenue across from Mike's Bikes Rental Shop and Once Upon a Breeze Kite Shop.

Then it was dinner time at The Wayfarer restaurant which has an amazing view and nice food, including a good value kids menu.



Here is the Haystack, as it it known. This is the restaurant's front yard essentially. Our evening ended strolling on this gorgeous beach, one of the highlights of the trip for me. Well, strolling AND hamming it up a bit.

Clams and Candy

TRAVELS WITH KID | EATS IN SEASIDE, OREGON
So it seems there are really 2 things you must try when you are in Seaside: razor clams and salt water taffy. And neither will be difficult to find but here are two spots that stood out for us.

BELL BUOY
1800 S Roosevelt Drive [on the way into town]

This establishment has two parts. The first is the fish market. But not just any fish market. It's a microcannery, they smoke their own salmon on the premises, and they make their own cocktail sauce. If you have rented a place with your own kitchen, this is the place to get your razor clams.









The second part of the Bell Buoy is the family style restaurant. It cooks up delicious clams, oysters, crab cakes or just simple fish and chips. The chowder is reported to be good too.


SEASIDE CANDYMAN
21 N Columbia Street [just off Broadway, the main strip]

The store boasts a variety of different confections but the most impressive is the 170 salt water taffy flavours.





Don't forget to stop by the wheel. Each member of your crew will get a spin which will at least get you a sample taffy.

Sleepy Seaside in October

TRAVELS WITH CHILD | ACTIVITIES IN SEASIDE, OREGON



Seaside is a pretty sleepy town in Mid-week October, when we happened to arrive. Not everything is even open. Until the weekend, that is, when the buzz arrives. Either way it still boasts a pretty substantial kitschy-tastic air about it. This is what we found fun for the wee ones in Seaside.

THE PROM AND THE BEACH
The Promenade aka the Prom, or the "Prawn" as my kid calls it, is 2 or 3 miles long, depending on who you ask, and it runs besides the glorious beach.



We played hockey on the hard packed sand near the surf one day and soccer the next.



And about 10 minutes north is Sunset Beach which you can actually drive on.



[I know, with the wind in his hair, it actually looks like he's riding on the roof of the car. But, let's be clear, the car IS parked. ; ) ]


THE CAROUSEL





The Carousel itself is in the centre of a mall off the main drag, Broadway. And there is a great little toy store in the mall too.


FUNLAND
This very large arcade facility includes a small but decent bumper car area.






PEDALING A SURREY ON THE MAIN DRAG
There are a few spots to rent a surrey. You can also rent pedal boats in the river.




MINIATURE RAILWAY
Four laps costs a couple of dollars




A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON
Lewis + Clark finish their journey in Seaside





In preparation, check out this National Geographic activity: Go West Across America with Lewis + Clark

Photo Friday #18

TRAVELS WITH KID | CANNON BEACH, OREGON



Taking a little after dinner stroll towards the Haystack, the third largest "sea stack" in the world.

For other travel pics, check out my favourite family travel site Delicious Baby. Or go there to share your travel photos on Fridays too.