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Travel Local for Less
Updated Jan 20, 2023 Oregon The wonders of Oregon, 3 min video, plus a 2 week itinerary to see the state . . . https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/trip-ideas/7-wonders/2-weeks-7-wonders/ Portland Astoria to Newport Newport to Bandon Bandon to Crater Lake Crater Lake to Bend Bend to John Day John Day to Baker City Baker City to Joseph & Wallowas Joseph to Hood River Hood River, Mt Hood Mt Hood to Willamette Valley Museums for All (low income) museums listed alphabetically by state: https://museums4all.org/participating-museums/ Portland Metro Multnomah Co Library Discovery Pass https://multcolib.org/how-it-works-my-discovery-pass Access to Arts and Culture, Portland Region https://racc.org/resources/access-arts-and-culture/ Oregon Rail Heritage Center, Portland OR Thursday - Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00pm Free Admission, Free Parking https://orhf.org/ Oregon Jewish Museum, Portland OR Hours: Wednesday – Sunday: 11am – 4pm https://www.ojmche.org/exhibit-type/core-exhibitions/ PDX Parent lists free/discount activities & venues https://www.pdxparent.com/free-and-discounted-portland-area-museum-days/ Portland Rainy Day Fun https://pdxparent.com/pdx-rainy-day/ Portland Living on the Cheap https://portlandlivingonthecheap.com/events/ A great travel guide for Portland & more, including accessibility http://wheelchairtraveling.com/portland-oregon-wheelchair-accessible-travel-guide/ Free to look Powells City of Books https://www.powells.com/locations/powells-city-of-books/ Portland Saturday Market https://www.portlandsaturdaymarket.com/#close Farmers Market PSU https://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/our-markets/psu/ King Farmers Market, Sundays May-Nov https://www.portlandfarmersmarket.org/our-markets/king/ 
Transit Travel--Portland & Vancouver WA
Get a HOP pass at Safeway, Fred Meyer, and many other stores. It's like a re-loadable phone card--you don't have to worry about having change or exact change. https://myhopcard.com/home/ Tap the PASS as you board a bus, but before you get on the MAX (Portland’s Light Rail), look for a post like the one pictured at left. Discounts for Seniors/Disabled, Low Income, Youth. 2023 Reciprocal Admission Program--"membership to one of the participating organizations is your key to free admission for a member and three guests of any age to a different attraction each month." January: Oregon Zoo (oregonzoo.org/visit) February: Columbia River Maritime Museum (crmm.org) March: Deepwood Museum & Gardens (deepwoodmuseum.org) and, Hallie Ford Museum of Art (https://www.willamette.edu/arts/hfma/index.html ) April: World Forestry Center (worldforestry.org) May: Architectural Heritage Center (visitahc.org) June: Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (ojmche.org) July: Oregon Historical Society (ohs.org/visit) August: Five Oaks Museum (https://fiveoaksmuseum.org/ ) September: Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals (ricenorthwestmuseum.org) October: Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum (evergreenmuseum.org) November: Oregon Coast Aquarium (aquarium.org) December: Lan Su Chinese Garden (lansugarden.org) and, Clark County Historical Museum (cchmuseum.org) Nationwide Zoos & Aquarium reciprocal memberships As of September 2022 https://www.aza.org/find-a-zoo-or-aquarium Oregon State Parks info
Free Parking Days at METRO parks “Enjoy free parking at Oxbow and Blue Lake regional parks, Broughton Beach, Chinook Landing Marine Park, and M. James Gleason Memorial Boat ramp " Jan 1, 16, & 19 Feb 16 & 20 Mar 16 April 20 May 18 June 15 & 19 July 20 Aug 17 Sept 21 Oct 9 & 19 Nov 16 & 24 Dec 15 Parking at the above parks is typically $5; all other Metro parks and boat ramps is free year-round. https://www.oregonmetro.gov/news/free-parking-days-metro-parks-2022 OR Free Fishing Days for 2023 https://www.eregulations.com/oregon/fishing/ February 18-19, June 3-4, and November 24-25 *The FINE PRINT: Area closures, bag limits and all other regulations still apply. Oregon Museum of Science & Industry--OMSI https://omsi.edu/events OMSI YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/c/omsimuseum?app=desktop Rose City Astronomers Star Party Page https://www.rosecityastronomers.net/star-party-page The Cove Palisades State Park, near Madrus & Redmond OR brochure https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=main.loadFile&load=_siteFiles%2Fpublications%2F%2FCove_Palisades_LOW_RES083631.pdf For more ideas check the Destinations page of this site. More in Oregon Link to Travel Oregon . . . https://traveloregon.com/ Oregon Coast map & mileage Oregon Rest Areas https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/Rest-Areas?fbclid=IwAR1_WIlLcU3QGY_1Gm6qR97no9g-FLafBGLu9sgbAFlLHfzXFs12LAnNlZ4 Salem
Eugene https://titancourt.com/10-free-cheap-things-eugene/ Corvallis/Albany
Medford/Ashland/southern Oregon https://www.travelmedford.org/things-to-do Bend & Central Oregon
Getting Gas
Check out
Advice from a frequent traveler (stations below just off the highway) I-5 Oregon 1. Flying J at Donald/Aurora, OR; exit 278 2. Pilot at Brooks, OR; exit 263 3. AM/PM at Lebanon/Corvallis, OR; exit 228 4. Arco at Creswell, OR (used to be competitive); exit 182 Hwy 101 at the Coast 1. Union 76 at Bandon, OR 2. Coos Bay 76 (one going north, one going south) 3. Fred Meyer at Warrenton, OR 4. Fred Meyer at Tillamook, OR I-5 Washington 1. Exxon at Burlington (George Hopper Rd); exit 229 Compare Arco same exit, across street (one or other might be better) And Costco gasoline close 2. AM/PM Slater Rd, Bellingham, WA; exit 260 3. Pilot at Ferndale, WA, east side of I-5; exit 262 I-84 1. Arco exit 16 before Troutdale 2. Space Age gas station about 200 mi east of Portland, exit 182 near Hermiston 3. Pilot station exit 188 not too bad Note: if you have Safeway rewards, you can use them at Chevron and Texaco. |
Washington Vancouver and Southwest Washington FVRL Experience Pass https://www.fvrl.org/experience-pass --use your library card for a free pass to:
FVRL calendar of events WA State Parks free days 2023 —day use only-- https://discoverpass.wa.gov/ "Washington State Parks and the Washington Departments of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and Natural Resources (DNR) offer several 'free days' when a Discover Pass is not required to visit these lands." Following are the 2023 free days: Jan. 1 — First Day Hikes; New Year’s Day Jan. 16 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day March 9 -- Billy Frank Junior's Birthday March 19 — State Parks’ 110th Birthday April 22 — Earth Day June 10 — National Get Outdoors Day June 11 — Free Fishing Day June 19 — Juneteenth Sept. 23 — National Public Lands Day Oct. 10 -- World Mental Health Day Nov. 11 — Veterans Day Nov. 25 — Autumn Day "Free days apply only to day use (not overnight stays or rented facilities). Free days are valid at state parks and Washington State Departments of Natural Resources and Fish & Wildlife lands. Sno-Park permits are still required on free days at designated Sno-Parks during the winter season." Fort Vancouver & Pearson Field/Air Museum Waterfront Renaissance Trail Esther Short Park events, past, present, maybe future?
Special Events link below Science in the Park, free kid activities--not sure when updated: Fire in the Park (Fire Dept. event) free family friendly to-do; may still be on hold due to a fire in the Park in 2022 Hawaiian Festival, free—July 20-23, 2023 Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival Aug 25-27, 2023 Día de los Muertos Hanukkah Celebration Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Special Events, Vancouver WA (looks like 2022-2023) Water Resource Education Center Free educational activities and learning, various events Pendleton Woolen Mills Tour (Washougal WA) 11 min video You can sign up for a tour at either Washougal WA or Pendleton OR at Ridgefield, Steigerwald, Franz Lake, Pierce Nat Wildlife Refuges Cedar Creek Grist Mill
To-Do Vancouver, WA https://www.visitvancouverusa.com/things-to-do/ More places of interest in SW Washington Long Beach, WA Fort Borst Park, Centralia Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery Loggers’ Jubilee, Morton WA (see post, under Destinations) For more ideas check the Destinations page of this site. National Parks & Lands--2022 free days
https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm Jan 16: MLK Jr Day Apr 22: first day of National Park Week Aug 4: Great American Outdoors day Sept 23: National Public Lands Day Nov 11: Veterans Day Free & reduced passes-- Military 4th Grade Seniors Disabled Volunteers https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm US Forest Service, and fees & passes Here's a good article on the Benefits of Camping, though it doesn't directly discuss accessibility. https://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/benefits-of-camping.html Smithsonian Magazine Free Museum Day Sept 17, 2023 according to I didn't see reference to it at More in Washington 12 Free activities in WA https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/washington/fun-free-things-wa/ 25 Best to do WA State https://vacationidea.com/washington/best-things-to-do-in-washington-state.html Greater Seattle on the Cheap, including events https://www.greaterseattleonthecheap.com/ Wheelchair Travel in Seattle, including accessible taxis https://wheelchairtravel.org/seattle/ Transit Travel—other cities Seattle https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/getting-around/transit Vancouver BC public transit https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/visitors-guide-to-public-transit.aspx Victoria BC public transit www.bctransit.com/victoria Volcano Row https://pnsn.org/volcanoes Lassen Peak, CA Mt. Shasta, CA Medicine Lake, CA Crater Lake, OR Newberry Volcano, OR Three Sisters, OR Mt. Jefferson, OR Mt. Hood, OR Mt. Adams, WA Mt. St. Helens, WA Mt. Rainier, WA Glacier Peak, WA Mt. Baker, WA Travel your Local Planet Link to: https://happytowander.com/resources/ Pretty encompassing website for worldwide wheelchair travel and issues by a man who lives & travels in a wheelchair: https://wheelchairtravel.org/destinations/ Wheelchair Jimmy has a special rating system, videos, etc. https://wheelchairjimmy.com/ Mobility International USA--resources, helps, tips for Disabled travel https://www.miusa.org/plan/americans-abroad A travel company that arranges for disabled travel adventures: https://gowheeltheworld.com/ Disabled travel & adventures in Utah (you'll be amazed) https://www.visitutah.com/plan-your-trip/accessible-utah/ Here's an article about Travel Rewards Credit Cards, if you want to know more about them: https://money.com/best-travel-credit-card/ New for 2021--checked 1/20/2023 Washington & Oregon compared, 6 min video posted 2018 https://youtu.be/j7oxBYGW1Kw Access Recreation—helpful reviews of local trails and parks in the Portland/Vancouver WA area https://www.accesstrails.org/overview/home/index.html Universal Access Hikes (last update 2020) https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Category:Universal_Access_Hikes Historical Highway Markers—WA State https://wsdot.wa.gov/engineering-standards/design-topics/environment/environmental-disciplines/cultural-resources/history-archaeology-culture/historic-highways/historical-highway-markers ADA recreation | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission https://parks.state.wa.us/156/ADA-Recreation Accessibility in the National Parks https://www.nps.gov/subjects/accessibility/index.htm |