Things To Do With Kids
	I'm a relatively new mom myself, but I know I'm learning to look around and find fun things to do with children in tow! A lot of these are fun even if you don't have kids, so don't feel like you have to have kids along to enjoy yourself. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Fort Vancouver The Childrens' Museum The Oregon Zoo The Oregon Zoo My first zoo. It looks a lot different now than it did when I was a kid, but it's still a zoo. Smaller by far than Seattle's, but nice. They're not as far into turning it into a "naturalized" setting. I like the raptor show, and the train you can ride around the park. There's a cool elephant museum inside, and their butterfly pavillion is neat. OMSI The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. It's roughly parallel to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, and I think I like it better. There is a submarine you can go explore (if you don't mind the cramped quarters). There are rotating main exhibits, and the ever-popular science store. It has a planetarium, with laser shows and an OMNIMAX movie theatre which shows some great stuff. And if you live here or nearby, and you have kids between 8 and 18 who have any sort of inclination to nerdliness and science, for the love of GOD please send them to Nerd Camp. Um. Science camp. Any of them will do. They're the single coolest childhood memory I have. All of them combined, that is. Fort Vancouver Okay, true, this isn't in Portland. But you could practically spit on Portland from here, so I figured it's close enough. The Fort is a reconstruction of the Hudson's Bay Trading Company's fort located here in the early to mid 1800's. There are ongoing archaeological digs, and volunteers in costume manning the various stations such as the bakery, blacksmith, trading post, and fur processing. Check for special events that happen occasionally. The "Fort by Candlelight" is a great tour, and the "Christmas at Fort Vancouver" is fun if you get there in time for the Christmas dinner re-enactment. Avoid the Fort like the plague at the Fourth of July if you don't like crowds, otherwise it's kind of a fun place to be then. Portland Children's Museum Here's the part where I admit that I've never been here. But they have a lot of classes and camps, and things for little ones to do. A friend of mine said that her 18 month old was a little too young for it, but that when he turned 3 he was just right. Lots of hands-on exhibits. If you're going to go often, a membership is probably the best bet...it's $6 a time, or $32 for a membership. A visit every two months will pay for itself. Home / Cookbook / Photo Gallery / Completely Unnecessary Wedding Site / Things To Do When You're Bored in Seattle / Things To Do When You're Bored in Portland / Known Accomplices / Top Fives / Links / Plus-Sized Costuming