Activity ideas for a 6 year old in Portland

My 6 year old grandaughter will be visiting in May. I am fairly new in town and do not know all the cool places, and could use some help finding some ideas for fun places to take here both indoors and outdoors. Will the Rose Festival be going on?

Activity ideas for a 6 year old in Portland

omsi is great for kids and there used to be a childrens theatre that put on age appropriate shows--what about a stroll down by the waterfron to see the boats and then taking the young lady to lunch there- outside dining if the weather is nic

Activity ideas for a 6 year old in Portland

Another vote for OMSI. Also the zoo and the childrens museum.

Hi Jillbo.

Portland has a plethora of things for young folks to do- you are in luck! My family came out for a reunion last summer and we had kids from 6-18 so I did a little research.

Washington Park is easily accessible by the Max ( an adventure in itself) and harbors several different venues- the zoo, the children%26#39;s museum and the Japanese Garden ( actually very neat, even for children, with lots of koi and cool statuary) not to mention the rose test garden which is free.

I would second the vote for the OMSI, it is interesting, but a little pricey. The interactive options there will keep a young person busy for a LOOONG time. There is also a planetarium and an IMAX theather on site.

If you are considering outings beyond town, a trip to the Gorge would interest her as the waterfalls are beautiful. If you are inclined, you could go for a cruise on the Columbia in a sternwheeler- there are several trip option available and some include meals. Our entire family loved this! It was a teriffic memory-maker...I recommend it all the time. Also out of town is the Mt. Hood Railway trip which some of my family liked and some were not so impressed with. An Amtrak ride down to Eugene or up to Seattle might be an option as well- it may be really scenic- I don%26#39;t have any atual experience with it.

There is a nature center in Hillsboro which is pretty cool- they recently included an actual eagle%26#39;s nest in their display; sorry I can%26#39;t think of the name right off. Also in Hillsboro is the Rice Museum - a very interesting rock and mineral museum that offers classes for children. Kids seem to like it a lot.

If she likes books, don%26#39;t forget Powell%26#39;s downtown!!

There are several travel-oriented websites that have tabs to focus on child-oriented activities as well.

Perhaps these ideas will get you started.

I would not miss spending some time at the Oregon Zoo, the Saturday Market that runs on the weekends is also lots of fun. Enjoy Portland and welcome to the travel forums! :)

The Childrens%26#39; Museum by the zoo beats OMSI any day. At least for my almost-two-year-old.

I forgot to suggest/remind you of the great opportunities on the coast for ';out ot town'; options!

Shame on me!! :)

The Aquarium in Newport is very good according to those close to me, and the tidepools are REAALY cool- there are several places to check those out along the coast.

How long will she be here?

I agree with the previous suggestions.

The zoo is really fun. They are doing quite a bit of construction, but most of the exhibits are easily accessible. You just can%26#39;t cut through the backside of the Africa Cafe to get to Africa, you have to walk all the way around. And they are doing a lot of work over by the primate exhibits. But, I think taking her to see the baby elephant would be an absolute must. My kids always get a kick out of feeding the lorakeets as well.

She might be a little young for it, but ice skating at Lloyd Center could be fun. Sometimes we will stop in the food court, get an ice cream and just watch the ice skaters. They must be easily entertained.

If you do venture out to the Gorge, you must absolutely go to the Fish Hatchery at Bonneville Dam. Take a pocket full of quarters, and you can buy fish food and feed the rainbow trout in the viewing ponds. My kids always get a thrill out of doing that. They also have a nice picnic area with a small playground.

Another nice place to go, which is close enough to the city but just far enough away, is the Wildwood Recreation Area near Welches on Hwy 26 heading towards Mt. Hood. They have two very easy interpretive trails next to the river, and a huge playground. Lots and lots of places to have a picnic lunch here as well. They do charge a entry fee. Not sure what it is for daily, as I always get the yearly pass. Seems like it was $5 or less.

The East Portland Community Center is supposed to have a spectacular pool that just opened.

portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm鈥?/a>

Portland is blessed with lots of beautiful parks. If the weather cooperates, pick one and enjoy. You can also use the above link to find other parks in the city.