Maryhill Museum of Art, & car show 10-5-19

  In this article look for
-Maryhill Museum of Art 
-The Car Show of 10-5-19 (annual event)
-Stonehenge, War Memorials, Goldendale Observatory
-Washington & Oregon State Parks in the area
​-From Portland you can travel I-84 or Hwy 14,  6 bridges
-Eats & Sleeps within 15 miles (Biggs Junction, Goldendale)

Note:  lots more photos and info at 

• https://www.travelpacificnw.com/accessible-travel-blog/columbia-hills-maryhill-2

Maryhill Museum of Art holds so much more than art!  It is also a museum of Native Americans, the railroad, royalty, fashion, history:  just about something for everyone.  We chose to go this time on the date of the annual car show (10-5-19).  Although my grandson and I are interested in both the museum and the car show, I can imagine a family might find it a good opportunity for each member to explore different interests.
 
Accessibility
Entrance to the museum includes a pretty long, steep incline, and after wheeling around the grounds at the car show, I had to have my grandson push me up it.  Built as a mansion, some of the rooms are intimate displays the staff has so cleverly arranged. The 4 levels of the museum are served by 2 accessible elevators.  I had no trouble wheeling around, and another woman delighted to tell me that they have wheelchairs to lend on site.  I forgot to check the restrooms, but when I called, they said the restrooms are accessible.  I obtained a free 1-page map and visitor guide at the front desk, for reconnaissance.  For those “disabled” by hunger, a small café is located in the museum.
 
The Grounds
On the grounds are large grassy areas, parking (accessible as well), sidewalks easy to wheel, expansive views of the Columbia River all the way to Mt. Hood, tables for picnicking, interesting outdoor art, and room to let the kids roam & run.  The grass is a bit rough terrain for a self-powered manual wheelchair, but not impossible.  On the day of the car show it’s full of cars on show, though there’s still plenty of room for the foregoing activities, as well.  PS--note the wind turbines on the bluffs above.
 
The Website
The Website for the Museum is a fantastic creation in itself, well worth some time exploring.  Five stars for beauty, ease, and inclusiveness.  Beside the usual admission information with map & directions, you’ll find a calendar, information about exhibits and events (indoors and out), nearby attractions and activities of all kinds (including some places to stay), a blog with all kinds of articles of interest.    https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/
 
The Car Show
The “Car is King” show we attended on the grounds of the Museum is an annual 2-day vintage car show, race, and hill climb.  For classic car lovers it’s a must.  There are food and other vendors, and porta-potties, even for wheelchairs.  The grassy grounds are not smooth.  Here’s the 2019 schedule https://www.goldendalechamber.org/event/car-is-king/
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Stonehenge Replica, War Memorials, Goldendale Observatory

• A short drive east of Maryhill Museum is a replica of Stonehenge, and Klickitat County Veterans’ Memorials.  The Museum’s website gives great information on those:  https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/outside/stonehenge-memorial                                                               It looks like during the summer season there may be a fruit stand there
• Goldendale Observatory is half an hour up the hill (US 97) from the Museum.  It was closed for “maintenance and upgrades” when we were there.  We weren’t able to connect with the programs at the Stonehenge building that were supposedly happening in the meantime.  Check out https://parks.state.wa.us/512/Goldendale-Observatory      and   https://www.facebook.com/412543695428994/videos/931106040602578                        and a video of New Year's Eve Aurora and fireworks 2016  https://www.facebook.com/412543695428994/videos/1302936293056392/ 
• At Maryhill Museum of Art you can find shelves of travel pamphlets, such as the very informative publication “Columbia Gorge to Mt. Hood”, which includes info and maps for both sides of the Columbia River, all the way to Boardman, OR.  Other tourist/vacation brochures cover whitewater rafting, zipline, horseback riding, bungee jumping, alpaca tours, fishing adventures, and more.

 
Washington & Oregon State Parks in the general vicinity

• Maryhill State Park off Hwy 97 (Google sends you east on Hwy 14 from the Museum, then southwest on Hwy 97—5 miles total from Maryhill Museum)—ADA campsites & restrooms, rocky beach, boat ramp, bookstore/gifts, camp/picnic/RV, event facility, fishing, horseshoe pits, sailboarding/windsurfing, restrooms/showers, wood.  https://www.parks.state.wa.us/facilities/facility/details/maryhillstatepark-131 and https://stateparks.com/maryhill_state_park_in_washington.html
• Brooks Memorial State Park 15 miles north of Goldendale off Hwy 97—seasonal camping, two kitchen shelters with picnic tables, sinks, electricity, trails, horseshoe pit, amphitheater, ball field.  https://www.parks.state.wa.us/482/Brooks-Memorial     
• Columbia Hills State Park 15 miles west of Maryhill Museum off Hwy 14—ADA campsites & restrooms, rocky beach, boat ramp, camp/picnic/RV, canoe/kayak, fish, swim, trails, rock climbing, history, horseshoe pits, restrooms/showers, wood, waterfall, bald eagles, Native American pictographs and petroglyphs (federally and state protected against removal or disturbance).  Includes Horsethief Lake Sate Park.  https://www.parks.state.wa.us/facilities/facility/details/columbiahillsstatepark-79   and  https://www.stateparks.com/columbia_hills_state_park_in_washington.html   and  https://www.stateparks.com/horsethief_lake.html 
• Doug’s Beach State Park about 20 miles west of Maryhill Museum off Hwy 14–undeveloped day use park, one of the best places for windsurfing/kiteboarding/sailboarding (fierce winds), picnic tables, fish, swim, no fires, no garbage.  https://parks.state.wa.us/500/Dougs-Beach  and  https://www.stateparks.com/dougs_beach.html
• Deschutes River State Recreation Area about 10 miles from Maryhill Museum (or about 100 miles from Portland off I-84/OR 206).  Accessible tenting, restrooms, showers.  Water, including flush toilets and hot showers shut off in winter. Other amenities are trails, picnic, horseback riding, biking, boat launch, whitewater rafting/kayaking, fishing.  Loop A is open year-round with 34 electrical sites.  https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=29

 
 
From Portland, OR you can travel I-84, Hwy 14, or a combination.
Depending on whether you are in a hurry, want to take the slower scenic route, or some combination of the two, you can travel I-84 on the Oregon side (faster), and/or Hwy 14 on the Washington side (more curvy).  Both highways are scenic.  You can cross the Columbia River from Portland via the I-5 bridge or the I-205 bridge, the Bridge of the Gods 40 miles east of Portland ($2 toll each way), the Hood River Bridge ($2 toll), The Dalles bridge (US Hwy 197), and US Hwy 97 crosses the Columbia River closest to the Maryhill Museum of Art.
 
 
Eats and Sleeps
Beside the little café at the Museum, you can find food and/or rooms--

• Maryhill Fruit Stand & Orchard—near the Maryhill State Park, US 97  https://www.facebook.com/MaryhillFruitCO/
• Gunkel Orchards & Fruit Stand   near Maryhill State Park  https://gunkelorchards.com/   https://www.facebook.com/GunkelOrchards/

 
Biggs Junction at I-84 and Hwy 97: 
Food          

• McDonald’s
• Subway
• Pizza Hut Express
• Taco Bell
• Dinty’s Market & Deli     https://www.facebook.com/DintysMarket/

​Rooms

• Three Rivers Inn-- wifi, breakfast, some non-smoking, AC, some family suites, se habla espanol  http://threeriversinnbiggsjunction.us/ 
• Dinty’s Motor Inn--clean, single level, river view, pets     https://dintys-motor-inn.business.site/   

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Goldendale  15 miles north of Maryhill Museum of Art, Hwy 97
Food

• Ayutla’s Family Mexican Restaurant
• Taqueria Veracruz---trailer moves for various events
• Gee’s Family Restaurant--Chinese
• Town House Café
• Blue Sage Café
• Simcoe Café
• Bake My Day Café—breakfast, brunch, lunch; closes 3pm
• Just Wing It
• Uncle Tony’s Pizza
• Papa John’s Pizza
• Pete’s Pizza—pub, Karaoke Friday nights
• Dairy Queen
• Subway
• Sunrise Coffee—FB had huckleberry smoothies limited time, breakfast sandwiches, soups in bread bowls, teas
• Roadhouse 97 café  (3 miles further north up Hwy 97—breakfast, lunch, dinner from scratch)

Rooms

• Quality Inn & Suites--wifi, breakfast, coffee shop, pets, accessible room & bath, safe deposit, seasonal outdoor pool, picnic area  https://www.choicehotels.com/washington/goldendale/quality-inn-hotels/wa178?source=gyxt
• Ponderosa Motel--wifi, breakfast, iron, MW, frig, TV, AC,  pets, free access to Goldendale Swimming Pool, Little Klickitat Park Disc Golf   https://www.ponderosamotelgoldendale.com/​

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