A few weeks ago I got to visit the Northwest coast with my family. For those of you who don’t know, my family lived in Washington for a year back in the early 1990s. We enjoyed revisiting our old stomping grounds in Battle Ground, made some time to relax at the beach in Long Beach, and ended the trip with a night out in Portland.

Here are a few of our favorite places to visit:

• Battle Ground Lake State Park:

I adore Battle Ground Lake State Park. The lake is surrounded by pine, fir and other Christmas tree-esque trees. Outdoor lovers can hike, fish, canoe, or just relax around this lake. Make sure to hike around the lake and find the tree that has a hole big enough to hide in…as you can tell it’s a favorite of ours.

• Old School Arcades:

The Northwest coast has a number of old school arcades…there’s the Arc Arcade in downtown Astoria, Oregon and there’s a place called Funland in downtown Long Beach, WA. Enjoy skee ball, pinball, Pac-man and other old school arcade games at these gems.

• Enjoy a Day at the Beach:

There are a number of beaches to choose from…I’d recommend visiting Long Beach, WA. Dubbed the “longest beach in the US,” this grey beach has a vast space for families to sprawl out and even allows cars to drive onto the sand. Buy a kite from a local shop and spend the day kite flying.

• Visit Local Lighthouses:

The Long Beach area has two major lighthouses – North Head Lighthouse and Cape Disappointment Lighthouse. If you’re visiting North Head Lighthouse, you can pay $2.50 to visit the top.

• Pay Homage to the Goonies:

For those of you that love the Goonies, many scenes were filmed in Astoria, Oregon. Visit the Goondocks and all of the boys’ houses. Check out this Goonies website for a list of all the iconic locations.

• Go Back to School at Kennedy School

Wrap up your visit by visiting the McMenamin’s Kennedy School in Portland, OR...an old elementary school that’s been converted into a restaurant, theater and hotel. Grab a bite to eat in the courtyard restaurant, have a drink in detention, and wrap up the evening by watching a movie in the auditorium. Who knew school could be so much fun?

Featured Image: Personal Photo from Battle Ground Lake State Park