Cabin Fever? 4 Easy Oregon Family Getaways You Can Reach In Under Two Hours

Sometimes the only way to break late winter cabin fever is to get out of the cabin. And don’t just change the scenery by getting outside, get out of your local area entirely. 

It’s amazing what kind of weather you will put up with when you’re in someone else’s house in someone else’s town. Suddenly tidying up the house before the cleaning crew gets there doesn’t seem that bad when you are leaving forever in twenty minutes. And before you know it, you can’t wait to be back home. 

It’s always incredible how much we look forward to weekend getaways, only to want to get back home before too long. And if you blink twice, you’ll be planning or at least talking about the next getaway after the first rough week, which could be next week. Rinse and repeat, it’s the life of a parent during the school year. If you’re fortunate enough to own a vacation home, good for you, but most of us have to rent by the night and can only afford a couple of nights at a time.

If you can get onto Highway 84 or 26, you have a great chance at a front row seat to some of the NW region’s best escapes. 

Hood River

Home to some of the best local breweries and plenty of trails, cafes, and unique shops, there are plenty of attractions in this little town, even during the winter. Sure, it might be tough to drive to if the roads are covered in a smattering of slush, but you live here, so what are the odds you don’t have AWD by now? At just an hour away from the heart of the Portland metro area, this escape offers both easy day trips and plenty of affordable lodging options for folks who want to make a weekend out of it. With a new restaurant or shop every six feet and two movie theaters and multiple great parks (make sure to check out Children’s Park if you have a kid under 12), there is no way you can see all there is to see in one day, even if you arrive at dawn and leave at sundown. And that’s only if you skip wandering the waterfront walking trails with gorgeous views of the Columbia River. If you bring another family along, two of you can take a detour for some wine tasting while the others are busy with another activity. The weather is expected to be cold with a chance of snow dropping on Saturday, but that could add a magical element to your weekend, as long as you bring your chains along to make sure you get back on the road before they close it down. Make sure you check out the Riverside restaurant in the Best Western; they have an incredible menu and sit right on the river. Great for breakfast if you stay a night, and they have excellent dinner choices. 

Astoria

If you’ve been to Hood River or the coast recently or have a trip coming up, don’t forget about the only coast town that isn’t actually on the coast. Resting on a bayfront between the Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River, Astoria is surrounded by water but offers no beaches to play on or river beds to wade. It’s probably more fun for adults than for kids, but there are plenty of things to do there: the pier is a fun walking tour of breweries, restaurants, and little quirky shops you can’t find in your hometown. You can visit several famous movie locations if you are interested, and there are many local coffee shops worth stepping into if you need a pick-me-up. The Bowpicker has some of the most famous fish and chips on the west coast; the Silver Salmon is a great sit-down restaurant; and Custard King is a great takeout spot for old-fashioned drive-in food, serving frozen custard, which is getting tougher to find in the NW. You could wander the shops on Commercial Street for a few hours, catch a movie, wander the pier, and still have plenty of things to do the next day if you decide to stay the night. Make sure you set aside time to check out Pier 39, as it is unlike anything you have seen at the coast before. The weather is supposed to be on the chilly and rainy side this weekend, so you’ll feel right at home, except you won’t be home, and rain at the beach is still better than rain in the city. 

Seaside 

Some people like to pool their trips to Astoria with time in Seaside, and I can see the draw. There’s not enough to do in Seaside to make a weekend out of it, but you can easily lose a couple of hours there with no regrets. The boardwalk is a living page out of your old social studies textbook, and the arcade is top-notch, not just for a beach town but for any town. I challenge you to find another place you can spend less than ten bucks on bumper cars, tilt-o-whirl, and mini golf combined, and you’ll probably still have enough left over for a pronto pup or a bee bop burger for lunch. And unlike Astoria, there is a beach to wander if you’re in the mood for that, even in the rain. 

Lincoln City 

If you like the quiet of Astoria, the beach-town draw of Seaside, and the attractions of Hood River, you might prefer Lincoln City. This central coast gem might be known for its outlet mall, but it has a lot more to offer. The dining options are too long to list; there are tons of shops in the area, but plenty on Main Street. And you are very close to Newport if you want to get a trip to the Oregon Coast Aquarium on the agenda or do some whale watching in Depoe Bay. I can’t recommend Tidal Raves for dinner in Depoe Bay highly enough, as they have incredible food and their cliffside view is worth at least a million bucks. Just get the salmon chowder and don’t skip the fries; they make everything right, but sometimes the basic stuff is the best. Everything seems to taste better near saltwater for some reason. 

If Tidal Raves is booked or you need something quicker, don’t overlook Fathoms restaurant at the Inn at Spanish Head. They also offer stunning views from their top floor and a great menu.