My relatives and parents were in Seattle and naturally we visited all the touristy spots like the Pike Place and Seattle Center. We also visited Mount Rainer where Paradise point was still mostly snow covered. It was great hosting them in our new place (even though it isn’t fully furnished yet) and showing them around my favorite places.

When our relatives returned home, Chi and I took my parents on a 4-day road trip around Central and Eastern Oregon to see more of the 7 natural wonders of Oregon.

Portland

Known as the “Rose City”, we stopped in Portland and showed my parents the popular Rose Garden. It just pasted peak bloom but there were still many roses to see and smell. We also walked around Nob Hill’s 23rd street which was lively and filled with boutique shopping and places to eat. We also visited the Lan Su Chinese Garden which was quite peaceful and worth a visit but it was located in the most quiet and deserted Chinatown I’ve ever seen.

Columbia River Gorge

This is one of the popular natural areas in Oregon but unfortunately due to the huge wildfires last year, most of the gorge remained closed. Regardless, we were able to visit a few popular spots such as the Crown Point State Scenic Vista, Latourell Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and the infamous Multnomah Falls. It was extremely touristy and very busy… but beautifully green nonetheless.

One of my favorite outlooks was more east where the green mountains met the drylands at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. It was breathtaking.

We drove an extra hour to visit an local sight  my friend recommended, Boardman Tree Farm. This wasn’t an tourist attraction but an actual tree farm, that unfortunately was being cut for farmland. It must be extra spectacular in the fall, when the trees change color.

Painted Hills

We spent the morning admiring the red, yellow and black layers on Painted Hills. We completed the quick hikes of Painted overlook and Painted Cove trails.

We also drove to the Clarno Palisades for a scenic picnic lunch. These rocks were quite a surprise as they just look like their bursted from the rocky cliffs.

Smith Rock

Smith Rock State Park was a small but impressive desert park formed by volcanic ash. We didn’t hike too far or up Misery Ridge but it was a sight to see even from the parking lot.

Oregon continues to impress me as a great US destination that many people do not know of.