Check out the new inclusive playground at Hidden Creek Park West in Hillsboro. The park, less than a year old, is made for adventure and imaginative play.

The star of the park is an enormous monkey named “Oro the Giant,” sprawled out on the turf with a butterfly in its hand. Kids can climb inside and on top of the monkey via rock-climbing grips, ropes, and ladders. There’s even a slide coming out the back.

Other features in this fully fenced park include a merry-go-round set flush with the ground, a sand and water play area, and an obstacle course. The restroom even has a universal changing table. Bravo, Hillsboro.

The Tillamook Creamery is the ultimate cheesy beacon of welcoming. Take a free self-guided tour. From viewing windows above the factory floor, you can learn about the cheese-making process and watch chunks of cheese zip along on conveyor belts. Pick up a free sample at the end of the tour.

The Tillamook Forest Center is on the way to Tillamook, so there’s no extra driving involved. It’s on OR-6, between mile markers 22 and 23, and absolutely worth a stop. There’s a snazzy visitor center with a short film about the forest, kid-friendly displays, and a fire lookout you can climb. There is also a suspension bridge, a creek and trails to explore. Admission is free.

OMSI's Tyrannosaurus special exhibit closes on September 8! Fun and interactive. We loved trying to cause mass extinction with a meteor, testing our bite force against T-Rex's (guess who won? by a lot?) and touching fossilized dinosaur poo.

Great Wolf! The Grand Mound lodge stayed open during construction (which began April 2023) but I didn't want to go until the renovation was complete. Worth the wait. No one slept and everyone had a blast.

A few black-and-whites from Cannon Beach, where it was so hazy we couldn't see Haystack Rock a few feet away. Loved the cool weather (it was 97 in Portland!) and relaxing downtime.

I love visiting the coast, but I don't love paying a premium for it. Here's my beach vacation hack, in Seattle's Child.

Would you get in a self-driving car? It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but fully autonomous cars are everywhere in San Francisco. I tried Waymo out, and here's what it was like. Link to my story for GeekWire.

We went to check out the new Sky Zone Mountlake Terrace! The place is WILD. Soft opening was at the end of July, the grand opening is at the end of August. Here's my story for Seattle's Child.

Got a sneak peek at the Titanic exhibit! It's on the waterfront, across the street from the Colman ferry terminal, in what used to be the WNDR Museum's space. Lots of stories about the people on the ship and spooky artifacts. The kids loved having their own little audio guides.

Apparently Jack and Rose's whirlwind romance was based on a true story! The real life couple is even more salacious. He was a married man with a family, she was a teenager. The necklace he gave her is in the exhibit.

I hadn't had conveyer belt sushi since Sushiland left LQA. Kura Sushi in Bellevue was a bit pricey but fun, and a robot brings drinks! Plus there's a Target upstairs.

Blueberry picking season. I like the idea of showing kids where food comes, i.e. not in wrapped in plastic in a refrigerated case, but only if doesn't involve bending, there are no thorns and it's nearby (Bellevue).