BANFF AND JASPER NATIONAL PARKS

September 10, 2019

As most of you know I recently went on a trip to Canada to visit not only Banff National Park but also Jasper National Park. A while back I did a poll on my stories asking you all if you’d be interested in me writing a blog post about this trip. This trip was a little different from other trips because it was very nature focused: lots of time hiking without much Wi-Fi. A ton of you replied that YES you were interested in a blog post about this trip so therefore here you go!

My work does not honor holidays but we still decided to go Labor Day weekend as we heard it is a good time to visit the area before the weather gets too cold! We flew out from PDX straight Calgary on Friday and then came home around that same time on Wednesday! Calgary is the best place to fly into if you are going to Banff as it is only a 1.5 - 2 hour drive. You can also drive up to Banff which is about 12 hours straight from Portland but since we only had so many days off of work, we wanted to spend the majority at Banff instead of driving there. Upon arriving in Calgary, we rented a Jeep Wrangler which was great for the type of trip though I’m not sure it had the best gas mileage.

Itinerary

Friday: Travel Day

Saturday: Lake Louise

Sunday: Drive to Jasper

Monday: Drive back to Banff

Tuesday: Lake Moraine/Johnston Canyon/Emerald Lake

Wednesday: Travel Day

The first thing we did when we got to Banff was go check in at our Hostel where we stayed twice for two nights in a row. We stayed at Hostel International Banff Alpine Centre which was significantly cheaper than any lodge, hotel or AirBnb. There is also the option to camp however one of my friend did that around this time last year and said it was not worth it. Considering how much it rained and how cold it was on our trip, I am so glad we did not camp either! After dropping off our stuff we headed to the town of Banff to explore and get some dinner. The first place we stopped at was called Pacini which we ended up returning to for dinner that night after running through a rain storm. They had great pasta, pizza and a free bread bar which I was a fan of.

Our first real day was pretty low-key which was honestly great because I slept terribly on Friday Night. I laid in bed for ages but could not fall asleep due to all the noises in the hostel. We were right by the bathroom and every conversation and closing of a door sounded so loud to me. I think I feel asleep around midnight and then we had to wake up at 3am to get ready for the day. We kept our leftovers from the night before to eat for breakfast on our drive to Lake Louise. Everyone had said to get there super early so we left around 4am to aim to get there around 5 to get a parking spot. When we got there, there was surprisingly a lot of parking spots and maybe 5 cars total. I think this may have been because the weather that morning was supposed to not be ideal though by 8 or so, the lot was full. The lake is a quick walk from the parking lot through the woods before you come across the expansive lake. To the left is the boat house where we went canoeing on Tuesday and to the right there is a hike to the Tea House. The Fairmount Hotel looks over the lake which is an absolutely gorgeous hotel!

Since you can walk around so much of the lake, it was not too hard to find a spot to camp out and set up my tripod. One thing I loved about the lake was how the sidewalk and the rocks led straight into the water instead of there being sand or a ledge. It was pretty foggy that morning and as you can see, the mountains were completely hidden. I headed out to the lake from our car around 6:15am when it was still decently dark which was good because it started to really rain around 7:30am. We went to the Fairmount Hotel to get some food and a warm drink at their Cafe before heading back to the hostel. At the hostel we took a nap, showered and then went to went to the grocery store in town to stock up on some food and snacks for the next few days.I highly recommend stockings up on snacks especially because of the early mornings and long drives! Our hostel kitchen did not open until 6am but since we were leaving at 4 each morning, we would get stuff from the deli and store it in the car to keep it cold all night.

Peyto Lake at Sunrise from the Bow Summit Lookout

Originally we were not going to go to Jasper National Park but when making our itinerary ahead of time, we realized how many places we wanted to visit were in that park and it seemed silly to be traveling so far and not go. The town of Jasper is about 4 -5 hours away from the town of Banff but you can technically get into Jasper by only driving around an hour. Along the way there are many great places to stop which is what we did. Our first stop was Peyto Lake which is known for being the shape of a fox or a seahorse. We had heard this is a beautiful spot to visit for sunrise so again, we woke up a 3am to get ready, checked out of the hostel and left for Peyto at 4am.

When you get to Peyto Lake, there are two parking lots. We sat in the wrong parking lot for about an hour before realizing our mistake. Luckily this is a less known hike so there were still no other cars or people there. The parking lot you want to go to is the second one that has a sign directly you towards the parking lot for buses. You can still get to the viewpoint from the first parking lot but it is a longer hike which we were not keen to do in the dark especially since we had limited time before the sun rose. From the second parking lot it is a 3 minute walk to the viewpoint of the lake. While that is a great view of the lake, we wanted to hike up to Bow Summit Lookout for a better view of the entire lake and the mountains.

To get there you will walk another 3ish minutes to the path to the left before getting to a sign with a map that marks the beginning of the loop. At that sign there will be a path to the right that goes down to the later or there will be two paths to the left which are the loop. You will want to go to on the loop and go counterclockwise so starting on the right side of the loop. As you walk, you’ll pass two blue signs and then walk further before seeing a green sign with a path to the right and the left. Take the path to the left that goes straight ahead. The green sign should also be directing you this way as that is how you get to Bow Summit Lookout.

You’ll walk up this slight incline for about 20ish minutes before getting to a clearing. Continue to your left and you’ll see a wiggly path going up a mountain to the left. Climb that until you get to the rocky viewpoint. Honestly there was not a designated top so we just climbed until we found a view that we were satisfied with. When we got there no one else was there but by the end of sunrise as the fog had rolled in, there were two other groups up there. Definitely a worthwhile hike that is a lot more secluded than the others. When we got back to the parking lot after the hike, there was only one other car there so in general Peyto Lake is a lesser known spot.

Our next stop was the Athabasca Glacier however we did find this great lake along the way and had to get some photos! I regret not getting the name of the lake but there is a pull off for the lake and there were several other cars there as well.

The view of the Athabasca Glacier from the top of the hike

The view from the parking lot at the Athabasca Glacier of a Lake

The Athabasca Glacier was a nice change of scenery from the many lakes in the area. There is a parking lot as the base of the glacier and then it is about a 20/30 minute walk uphill to the glacier. Along the way are markers showing how far down the glacier used to go versus how much smaller it is now due to Global Warming. One sign states that the glacier is melting fast enough that a person could visit it a few times in their lifetime and it would look different each time. The glacier is huge though you cannot get too close and person with it. There are tours out there though where you can actually go on the glacier which would have been a cool experience! As you walk towards the glacier you can also see the marks on the rocks where the ice has scratched the stone to create a unique patterns.

Our original plan after the Glacier was to visit the Columbia Icefield Skybridge. While your phone will tell you that is 15 minutes North, you actually are supposed to park in the Columbia Icefield Discovery Centre Parking lot across the way and take a free shuttle from there to the bus parking lot a the skywalk. We did not know this however and parked along the side of the road. The employee there said they are no allowed to sell tickets to you if you park along side the road though they can if you say you parked in some other parking lot. We told the truth however and were not allowed to get tickets. The tickets are about $35 per adult but honestly, the skywalk did not look that cool. It is not really near or above a visible, large glacier and looks way more cool on the website than in real life. We passed on this and I would recommend doing the same honestly.

Because we cut out the Skywalk, we had some extra time to stop at Athabasca Falls which we had originally planned to do Monday on the drive back. This is more of a quick stop along the way as there are a few viewpoints of the falls but no real hike. It was pretty crowded when we went since it was around noon at this point. I would recommend putting on bug spray for this stop as there were definitely mosquitoes flying around.

Our next stop was at Valley of Five Lakes. Valley of Five Lakes is definitely a must! It is a loop hike (takes about 2ish hours) where you get to see 5 magnificent lakes. This was the warmest stop on our trip where instead of wearing my normal 5 or 6 layers, I was down to just a t-shirt and was still sweating. Our plan was to get to Maligne Lake by 4pm to rent a canoe before the Boat House closed so we had limited time to spend at the lakes. We heard that lake 4 and 3 are the best so we did the loop backwards and started at lake 5. The lakes were so amazing an definitely worth seeing! This is where we got the most number of mosquitoes though so make sure to spray ahead and throughout your hike!

After viewing lake 4, we realized that we were behind schedule to get to lake Maligne by 4 so we ended up running/walking fast around the rest of the loop back to the car. The loop we took went between lake 1 and lake 2 but there is another loop I think that allows you to go all the way around lake 1. We did end up making it to lake Maligne just in time to rent a canoe. Our plan was to canoe to Spirit Lake for sunrise however I had not realized that the journey is 14km each way which is a little under 18 miles total. Everyone we talked to said to reserve almost a whole day for the trip and that it takes about 3 hours each way if you are an experience canoe-er. After renting the canoe we brainstormed and decided to just attach the canoe to the top of the car, drive it further down the lake and then just get in the water down there so it would not be as long of a paddle. Heads up if you try to do this, you can’t. There apparently are some backcountry campsites but there are no roads to get to any part of the lake lower down. We ended up sleeping in our car and then the next morning returning the canoe before eating breakfast and making the drive back to Banff.

On our way back to Banff we did not end up going to the Hot Springs as we had originally planned which was a bummer. We heard that the Minette Hot Springs are better than the one in Banff but it is out of the way by about an hour North. We did make several stops on the way back home though starting with Sunwapta Falls which is more of a viewpoint a short distance from the parking lot. Next up was Mistaya Canyon. The Canyon had a small hike that was maybe 15 minutes downhill each way. There is a bridge you can view the canyon on both sides from or you can walk down and climb on the rocks (at your own risk) for better views. We did this and it was amazing seeing the water rushing through and how the rocks have been carved by the water over time. Our last stop before heading home was Bow Lake. It is different from Bow Summit Lookout at Peyto Lake and is closer to Banff than Peyto. There was a whole line of cars parked along a road which is what we did however that road leads to a parking lot and lodge where there were more parking spots since a lot of cars weren’t driving that far.

Our last day was probably one of my favorites! We woke up at 3am again to get ready and then make the drive to Lake Moraine. I would say Lake Moraine is more popular so the parking lot was a lot more full than Lake Louise although we had plenty of spots to pick from. When we got there, it was about 5:15am and still pitch black with stars in the sky. We ended up unrolling our sleeping bags and taking an hour nap until about 6:30am. Honestly I would say that is the way to do it. Wake up early, secure a parking spot and then catch up a bit on sleep. At Lake Moraine there is the option to do a short hike up to the rock pile or you can walk further around and find several different spots. We picked a spot down that path near the Canoes so we could get some photos of those. Although there were a lot more people at Lake Moraine based on the full parking lot, I think everyone was spread out more so it did not feel as crowded. We got a great spot right near the water on a rock pile to set up our tripods. After the sun rose we walked back to the parking lot and did the short hike up the rock pile for some more photos. There is a lodge there but the line was very long so we just grabbed some snacks and a cold sandwich instead of waiting in line for caffeine and warm food. Next up we went to Lake Louise to wait in line for a canoe. We got there at 8:30am but by then all of the parking lots were completely full and the parking lot you park in for the shuttle is actually pretty far. We eventually found a parking spot, stopped by the restrooms at the Fairmount and went to stand in line at the boathouse.

Although you can rent a canoe for 30 minutes, it is pretty pointless because that costs $115 or you can rent it for the full hour for only $125 so it is definitely a better deal to do the full 60 minutes. The canoe can either fit 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 kids. We did not see anyone canoeing with any pets so I don’t think this is a spot you can do that unless you maybe bring your own canoe or kayak. I can’t remember if I had ever been in a canoe before and it was definitely a lot more rocky than a kayak. Canoeing in Lake Louise has been on my bucket list for years though so overall it was an amazing experience! The water is so blue which was completely unreal to be rowing in. There were some mosquitoes flying around though we did not get bit. The weather was actually pretty nice that day so I was only wearing one outer layer and was not cold at all.

The next stop on our list after canoeing was to visit Johnston Canyon. One thing we learned is that there is a highway called the One but there is also a highway called 1A and they are not the same. We drove south on the One for a long time before realizing we were driving parallel to the highway we were supposed to be one. You can only get onto 1A from down near the town of Banff or further North where highway 93 connects them. Although we had to do some backtracking we did eventually find it! There is a parking lot for Johnston Canyon but it was $10 a day if I remember correctly so most cars just park alongside the road which is what we did. The hike is a straight line where you go past Lower Falls and then Upper Falls before turning around and takes approximately 2-2.5 hours in total. Most of the path is paved so you do not need to worry about tripping over roots though a decent portion of the hike is uphill. We really wanted to see the iconic Johnston Canyon rock as seen above so we took a bit of a detour between the falls and did not go all the way up to Upper Falls.

After grabbing some dinner and drinks at the Irish pub in the town of Banff, we went straight to Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. Yoho National Park is actually in British Columbia, Canada so it was kind of fun that we technically visited there as well. A lot of people suggest canoeing at Emerald Lake because it is cheaper and less busy ($70 for an hour versus the $125 at Lake Louise) but it was closed by the time we got there plus we wanted to do the iconic Lake Louise spot. The water is also a different color which maybe due to the time of day we went. It was a lot more blue-green than Lake Louise and was very clear which made for great reflections of the mountains. There were a TON of mosquitoes though! I could see them flying up to my face as they tried to bite me so we definitely did not stay long. It is a cute little spot though and I would recommend visiting and staying longer than we did if you can!

Wildlife

We got pretty lucky and saw a lot of wildlife on our trip. The two guys in our hostel the first two nights said they had not seen any wildlife so far. Most of the animals we saw were in Jasper National Park. One thing I noticed is that as your drive through Banff, there is a metal fence between the roads and the tree line whereas in Jasper there are no fences and often you would see wildlife along the edge of the forest.

In total we saw ducks, deer, some mouse and caribou but no bears. Part of me really wanted to see a bear while driving by in our car but also bears are a valid thing to be aware and cautious for. A lot of people suggested we get bear spray but we couldn’t fly with it or find it at the local grocery store so we just went without it. Most of the hikes we did were decently populated so it was not too much of a concern.

Thank you so much for reading about my recent trip! I hope you all learned a lot and have some ideas for when you visit these National Parks! If you have any questions or want more information about any part of the trip, please do not hesitate to reach out through email or DM!

Salishan Resort Weekend

March 19, 2019

SALISHAN RESORT - March 9 - 10, 2019

As you all know, last weekend I got out of town to the Oregon Coast for a fun girl’s weekend with my blogger besties Julianne and Gia! Oregon is amazing in the fact that there are so many cool places to visit that are all under 3 hours from Portland. The Oregon Coast is one of my favorites and is only a 2 hour drive from the city. The reason for this trip was to celebrate Gia’s birthday and have a chance to all hangout and gather content. Salishan Resort, located south of Lincoln City, graciously hosted us for the weekend which was absolutely amazing! We also got the pleasure of driving down in this Voodoo Blue 4runner TRD Pro that was lent to us by Toyota.

After stopping by Starbucks and the beach on our way south, we arrived to Salishan at about 2pm. I did get a few questions about what the pink drinks are that we got, and they are the Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers with coconut milk. So refreshing and I love how fruity they were!.

When we got to Salishan, they had two conjoining rooms waiting for us with some champagne and cupcakes. In each room were two full sized beds, a fireplace and an outside deck overlooking the forest and expansive golf course. Although there were other rooms right next to ours as well as above, we never once saw or heard our neighbors which was really nice! Thinking back, although there were other guests around the resort, I don’t think we talked to a single person during our stay besides the Salishan staff.

By the time we had checked into our rooms and unpacked our stuff, we were starving!! We drove back to main building where the two restaurants are located. The Sun Room is the fancier of the two and located on the ground floor right off the main entrance. By the looks of it, the Sun Room is a little fancier with a formal, sit-down atmosphere. On the second level of the main building is The Attic. They both have the same menu but The Attic is more casual with a bar and bar stools on one wall and also an outdoor seating option. The deck outside helps bring a ton of natural light into the room which was so nice after all the rain we had had. Both places served the same menu but they did have different hours. When we arrived to have lunch, it was around 4pm so only The Attic was open which is where we had our lunch.

All of our food was absolutely amazing!! Honestly one of my favorite parts about this trip was the food! For lunch we ordered the local fish tacos, the steamed clams, the crispy brussels sprouts, the salishan burger and the clam chowder (clockwise). I’m a huge fan of brussel sprouts and these ones were amazing! I ended up ordering my own serving for dinner! This was also my first time ordering clams and they were surprisingly good! I’m not a huge shellfish person but I couldn’t pass up eating at least some seafood while we were at the coast! We weren’t ready to starting drinking yet so I ordered a freshly squeezed raspberry lemonade and Julianne and Gia got “mystery drinks.”

The Magic Mikey (changes from purple to pink)

After lunch, we checked out the bike rentals at the front desk and then headed to Lincoln City to watch the sunset! The bike rentals are completely free and in the summer, Salishan is also adding a rope course and a zip line! We have already decided that we need to come back for that! We totally lucked out with the weather because it had been snowing the night before at my place in SW Portland. So to have sun and clear skies was so refreshing! We then made it back to the resort just in time for Gia’s birthday dinner up at The Attic again. This time we did get some alcoholic drinks and our waitress had the best suggestions! Julianne got one with chocolate liqueur that arrived on fire and I got the Magic Mickey which had a shot that made the whole drink change colors!

Sunday morning was Spring Forward so we took our time getting up and ready before packing our stuff. Even though the rooms are separate buildings away from the main building, they do still offer room service! For breakfast we ordered some mimosas, breakfast sandwiches and pastries and hung around in the comfy robes on our two decks.

After we packed up the car, we headed across the street to the Spa! When we got there, the staff was so welcoming and had been expecting us. Right away they got us set up with spa robes, sandals and lockers for our stuff before giving us a tour around the facility.

Down the hall from the Women’s Locker Room were private showers, sinks and fully stocked hair products and styling tools. On this side of the spa was the women’s only amenities that included a sauna, steam room and then this beautiful heated pool (pictured below). The pool overlooked the lawn and Siletz Bay.

After spending some time in this indoor pool, we headed outside to the infinity pool. This section of the spa is open to both genders and there were some lounge chairs outside as well!

Even though we went on a sunny weekend day, the spa was not too crowded or loud. We did see a few other guests using some of the amenities but the spa is definitely geared towards providing “me” time to each visitor.

In addition to massages and facials, the spa also offers nail services, waxing and even cut and color options.

Our last stop at the spa was a room called The Hearth. It is technically the “waiting room” if you are getting a service but there is also a lounge area s well. Two of the walls are made completely of glass and give an amazing view of the surrounding nature and the bay. Set up at the front of the room are a row of lounge chairs where you can sit back, relax and sip on some wine or champagne.

At the back of the room is a fireplace and some surrounding chairs and magazines to read while you wait. This is the only room where you are allowed to drink and the staff is great about bringing you your choice of red, white and sparkling wine.

Overall the weekend was so fun but way too short! Since we were working most of the time to create content, we did not get to relax as much as we had hoped. This trip definitely has us already talking about our next girls trip which will hopefully be sooner rather than later. I know all of us want to go back to Salishan with family or friends for a longer stay especially when the weather is even nicer! For anyone looking for a relaxing getaway or a girls weekend, I highly recommend Salishan! It was a literal dream and there are so many fun things to do at the resort and in the neighboring beach towns. This resort is also dog friendly and you can bring up to two furry, canine friends so it is perfect for the WHOLE family : )

[While our stay and this post were sponsored, all opinions are my own]

Links

Book your stay at the Salishan Resort

Book a service at the Salishan Spa

Check out Salishan’s Instagram

Check out Gia’s Instagram

Check out Julianne’s Instagram

Read Julianne’s blog post about our trip

Spain: Valencia & Barcelona

February 27, 2019

As most of you already know, I just got back from my trip to Spain a few days ago. Although I was only there for about 5 days, it was an amazing trip and already has me wanting to go back! The first time I went to Europe was back during the summer of 2015 when I studied abroad in College. That summer I was mainly in Central Europe which left a lot of countries that many Americans visit (Britain, France, Spain etc.) still on my bucket list. What spurred this trip was that one of my friends from College and his girlfriend had moved to Spain to teach English for a year and had generously offered a place to stay for any friends who came to visit. Me and one of my sorority sisters both love traveling and decided to make the trip to Spain happen especially since all 3 of us were friends in College. After all, it isn’t all the time that you have a place in Spain to stay for free!

The weekend we decided on was President’s weekend here in America which meant a 3 day weekend for my friend but sadly not for me. I ended up taking a total of 6 days off from work giving me a vacation of 8 days; Wednesday to the following Thursday. We landed in Barcelona on Friday around noon and flew back to the United States around 6pm on the following Tuesday. For our 5 days in Spain, we split the time between our friends’ town of Tavernes de la Valldigna, Valencia and Barcelona.

VALENCIA

OLD TOWN

Friday evening and Saturday we spent in our friends’ town but then on Sunday, we took the train up to Valencia for the day to explore and see a Football match! The train station dropped us off in Old Town so we explored the streets there. First of all, all of the Architecture was absolutely amazing! Part of the reason I love Europe is because of the buildings how you can be walking down a street, randomly turn a corner and BAM, right in front of you will be some amazing Cathedral or something!

Because we went on a Sunday, most things were closed since that day tends to be reserves solely for family time. Besides stopping to get some coffee (or in my case, some freshly squeezed Valencian Orange Juice), we wandered around the streets and took it all in. In one of the squares, you could see and hear them starting to set up for the Falles celebration that happens next month in the city. One of the main attractions is the Cathedral which luckily was open. We didn’t pay the entry fee but there was the option to pay €3 to climb the 207 stairs to the top of the tower. I definitely recommend doing this because not only are the stairs good cardio, the view from the top is amazing!

CITY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

The football match wasn’t until about 4:30pm so after Old Town, we headed to the City of Arts and Sciences. Honestly, if you have no idea what that is, go Google it because it is seriously AMAZING! It is ironic just how opposite it is from Old Town! I felt like i had stepped into a whole new, futuristic world. Sadly we did not have time to explore each building especially the Museum of Science but even walking around the complex was an amazing experience! The main buildings in the complex are the opera house, the museum of science and the IMAX cinema. There is also an open structure filed with plants and trees that you can walk through (seen in the last two photos below). The tiles underneath the water are painted a gorgeous aqua color which makes the water appear to be a piercing blue. I’ve never been to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland but the color reminded me of the photos I’ve seen from there!

Next stop was the football game! Although I have been to several Portland Timber’s matches, I feel like watching a live match while in Spain is the real deal. The football match we went to was Valencia CF versus RCD Espanyol. It was a close game and unfortunately ended at a 0-0 tie. If you have the chance while in Spain, I definitely recommend adding a football match to your agenda!

BARCELONA

On Monday morning, we reversed our journey from Friday and headed back up to Barcelona. This journey called for a taxi from our friends’ place to the train station in Tavernes, then another train from Tavernes to Valencia, followed by one more train from Valencia to Barcelona. We ended up missing our train to Valencia by a few minutes and barely made it by Taxi to the Valencia Joaquin Sorolla station in time for our last train! Luckily it all worked out and we arrived in Barcelona around noon. While in Barcelona we stayed at The Moods Catedral Boutique Hostel which I highly recommend! I’ve stayed in quite a few hostels but this one was practically a hotel. There was an amazing receptionist who helped us a ton and we had a private room with a balcony.

SAGRADA FAMILIA

The first stop on our list was the Sagrada Familia. Everyone I talked to that had been to Barcelona, recommended it! We bought our tickets ahead of time which I definitely recommend. They are also pretty strict about being on time for your tour slot so make sure you get their early! The cathedral s pretty big and we had to walk around the whole building before finding the correct entrance. Our time slot was for 2pm which ended up being perfect! The inside is covered with stain glass windows and the sun was streaming through beautifully that afternoon. In addition to the actual cathedral, there is a museum about the history of the building. In total, I would recommend giving yourself 2-3 hours to completely read and see everything.

PARK GÜELL

One of the sights I was most excited to see was Park Güell because the ceramic work always looks amazing in everyone’s photos! The park is definitely out a ways from the central part of the city and sadly there are not any direct Metro lines to get there. We ended up taking the Metro and then walking up the hill to the Park. Next time I am definitely going to bring water because it was a decent walk!

When we got there, we learned that in order to access the Monumental Core section of the park, you have to pay entry to one of the 30 minute time slots. At the time we arrived, there was only room left in the last time slot of the day at 6:00pm; right before the sun was going to go down! The tickets to the park are only €8.50 but I would definitely recommend trying to buy tickets ahead of time if you want to guarantee a ticket.

We were worried about killing the hour and a half before our time slot but the park is huge and we ended up having no trouble finding other things to look at. For example, the more organic structures were outside of the Monumental Core and then the buildings with the famous tiles are inside the Monumental Core. If we had had more time in Barcelona, the park could be a perfect place to spend a whole afternoon and maybe bring a long a picnic.

PALAU DE LA MUSICA CATALANA

We started out having a ton of plans for our last day in Barcelona but had to cut out most of them due to time. One of the places that did make the cut however was this beautiful concert hall. While most people automatically think of Gaudi as the main architect of Barcelona, another famous architect of the city was Lluís Domènech who designed this amazing building. While on our tour of the building, we got to sit in on a children’s concert in the hall which is absolutely stunning. I honestly can’t imagine how it must look from the perspective of a performer standing on the stage. After hearing a few songs, we headed out to the second floor that has the line of tiled pillars that I had seen in many photographs online. I would definitely recommend adding this place to you list of sights especially so you can get a view at another Spanish architect’s work.

MERCADO DE LA BOQUERIA

The last thing we did before heading back to our hostel to grab our bags, was visit the marketplace for lunch. If you have been to Pike Place Market in Seattle, I would say this market was pretty similar. The displays at each stand were absolutely amazing. The front of the marketplace was mostly stands with fruits, fruit cups and juices. As you moved further back, there were stands with meat and cheese pastries, seafood and meat. My favorite stands were probably the ones displaying all of the candy! The prices were a little steeper at the market but I would say it is worth it for the experience!

Overall my trip was short but sweet and has me longing to go back to Europe for longer! Thank you to everyone who gave me suggestions for places to visit! If you have been to any of these places before, please comment and let me know what you thought! You can also view some more photos on my Instagram by clicking here

PNW Flowers and Festivals

April 22, 2018

If you have ever been to Portland Oregon you probably know that it rains A LOT. One benefit of all this rain though is the beautiful flowers that we get! I am honestly the happiest and most inspired when visiting a gorgeous field of flowers! Sunshine, flower fields and a sun dress are my go-to during the warmer months here! The past few years since I moved back to Portland, I have constantly been discovering new flower spots and flower festivals. I don’t know if it is because of Instagram, but I feel like flower festivals have blown up in the past few years and it can be hard to keep track of them all! I always get so many messages when I visit a gorgeous field of flowers and for you Portland locals, I wanted to share the best flower spots and festivals that happen each spring and summer.

(Please note that the weather each year does affect when each type of flower is in full bloom. While I’ve done my best to estimate the best time to view each flower, I do recommend double checking each year for the best results)

CHERRY BLOSSOMS

(End of March - Beginning of April)

The Cherry Blossoms always have signified the end of Winter for me. If you live in the Portland area, you are probably very familiar with the breathtaking rows of cherry blossoms that line the river during this time of year. The waterfront is pretty long so if you are trying to Google maps your way to the cherry blossoms, you will want to type in “Japanese American Historical Plaza” to be taken to the correct spot along the water. The Cherry Blossoms trees create a beautiful arch and walkway which is great for taking photos. They are very popular though so it is always a struggle to get photos without other people in them.

The second place to view some gorgeous cherry blossom trees is a bit of a drive from Portland but totally worth visiting if you can! I went for the first time this year (2019) and it was absolutely beautiful. This location is the state capitol building in Salem, Oregon. There are cherry blossoms on both sides of the large courtyard leading up to the grand building and it is so big, that you can usually find a spot that is not too full of people. The cherry blossoms are usually in full bloom for only about 1-2 weeks so you have to make sure to sneak in a visit before they start to fall!

TULIPS

(First two weeks of April)

The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival has become an annual favorite of mine! This festival has been going on for years but somehow I had never heard of it until my later years in College. Since then though, I have gone every year with friends (check out the gallery for some throwback photos). Located only about 45 minutes south of Portland (kind of near the Woodburn outlet), the tulips fields are perfect for the whole family as well as canine friends. Since this festival takes place during the beginning of spring, it can often be pretty muddy! I’ve done my best to plan out my visits during drier weekends but make sure to bring some backup rain boots just in case! The festival costs $20 per car or you can buy a season pass. They also have the option to visit the fields for sunrise and sunset where you can come and stay an hour early. I did that this year (2019) which was a cool experience although the weather did not cooperate so unfortunately they did not release the hot air balloons during sunrise as they some times do. The festival is always so packed so I recommend trying to get there early. Luckily there are around 40 acres of tulips so although it might be packed, it is still possible to get some pictures without people in the background if you walk to the further ends of the field. In addition to taking photos and enjoying the colorful flowers, they also have many entertainment options for children as well as food, wine and artisan booths. This festival goes on for several weeks with a wide range of events that take place on different days.

Learn more about the festival here

PEONIES

(Last week of May - first two weeks of June)

Peonies and peony fields definitely seem to be more rare! I first heard about the Adelman Peony Gardens two years ago and it has been a fun tradition to add. These fields are on private property so while they do open them up for guests, there is way less parking and there are no activities, food or bathrooms available. They are located about 20 minutes away from Salem so it is a bit of a drive if you are coming from Portland. I would say the fields are a lot less crowded since it is not a festival so it is really easy to get photos without other people in the background. In the parking area there is a small garden that has peonies planted if you want to walk around and view the names. Across from there is a place where you can buy peonies although I’ve never seen any that look very full or beautiful for sale there. A decent walk away is where the actual peonies are planted which is the best spot to get photos. Although visiting the fields does not cost any money, they do have the option to pay in order to visit the fields for sunset which looks amazing although is kind of pricey. Sadly I have had bad experience with the customer service there so while it is absolutely gorgeous there, that has negatively tainted my experience.

Learn more about the garden here

ROSES

(June)

My top places to view roses in the city are the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park and Peninsula Park. Unfortunately I do not have any recent photos from the rose garden (though I did get my high school senior photos taken there) but it is an absolutely beautiful place to walk around!

Peninsula Park was one of those hidden gems that I had never heard of until last year! Every time I go, I feel like I have been transported into a fairytale or am in some secret garden in France. There is a fountain in the center and then different pathways through the roses. Both places are completely free to enjoy with street parking nearby.

2018

taken by jkphotos503

2018

taken by jkphotos503

2019

LAVENDER

(End of June - first two weeks of July)

I have always loved lavender as a scent and a flower so I was really excited when I went to my first lavender festival in 2018. If you are a huge lavender fan as well, you are in luck because there are so many fields and festivals within about an hours drive from Portland. The only festival I have had a chance to visit so far is the Clackamas County Lavender Festival in Oregon City. This festival is great for the whole family and has food, artisan booths, live music and the option to cut your own lavender to take home! It costs $5 per vehicle to get in which is pretty cheap as far as some festivals go. If you do not like bees, definitely beware since the rows of lavender are always humming with the sound of thousands of bees hard at work! The lavender lemonade here is also amazing and the best I have ever had. This festival only happens one weekend a year but as I mentioned, there are so many festivals that usually land on different weekends so there are a ton of chance to enjoy lavender season.

Learn about the Clackamas County Lavender Festival here

Here are some links to upcoming lavender festivals in the area for 2019:

Lavender DAZE in Hood River - July 6 to July 7th. Learn more here
Helvetia Lavender Festival - July 12th to July 14th. Learn more here
Willamette Valley Lavender Festival - July 13th to July 14th. Learn more here

SUNFLOWERS

(August)

Sunflowers are one of my favorite flower and I love that they are in full bloom during my birthday month of August! I’ve been lucky to find a few great places to enjoy them over the years. If you are looking for flower festival vibes, there is Sunflower Saturday at the Packer Orchards in Hood River which is about 1.5 hours east from Portland. I went a few years ago and it was a fun, small event that had food to try and buy, the option to cut your own sunflowers and some games for kids. Tickets are $5 per person and it is a great excuse to explore Hood River.

Some other great places I have found to view sunflowers are on Sauvie Island at the Sauvie Island Farms where you can also pick berries and purchase other flowers. Their sunflower patch is not very big but if you are just looking for some photos, then it works well and is not as far! Same with the West Union Gardens out in Hillsboro, there is the option to pick berries while you are out there. The sunflower field is actually outside of the entrance and is HUGE. There is a suggested donate box for the upkeep of the field. I actually discovered this field when I collaborated with Klaxon Productions to film this video.

Learn more about the Sunflower Saturday here (first photo)

Learn more about Sauvies Island Farms here (photos 2-3)

Learn more about the West Union Gardens here (photos 4-6)

ZINNIAS

(Mid - Late August)

The summer of 2019 was the first time I visited Farmer John’s Product and Nursery in McMinville Oregon but that is where these beautiful zinnias are located. Since this isn’t just a flower field but is also a store and nursery, there is a parking lot and it is free to go visit. They have several rows of zinnias ranging in pink, orange and multi-colored patches. We went around the end of the season in late August but the best time to go is probably around mid-August depending on how dry of a year it has been.

DAHLIAS

(End of August - Beginning of September)

The last festival of the summer is the Swan Island Dahlia Festival. This is one of the newer festivals I have heard of and sadly I have only been able to make it one year in 2017 though I am hoping to go again this year! This festival is located in Canby, Oregon about 30 minutes South of Portland and is the largest festival I would say. There are a ton of tents selling food and drinks, the option to buy Dahlias to take home and during the day, there is live music to listen to. Although there are less carnival styled games compared to the tulip festival, this is still a family friendly event. One thing I really appreciated about the set up was that each row of dahlia's had a sign with the name of that flower. Reading all of the names was honestly one of the best parts of this festival. There is also a room set up inside where you can view all of the dahlias as well if you aren't one to want to walk around in the hot sun. Little did I know, dahlias come in so many shapes and colors and sizes! This festival is completely free but is only open two weekends of the year during the end of August and the beginning of September.

Learn more about the festival here

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you love visiting all of these places as much as I do! I am constantly looking for new flower fields so if I missed anything, please send me a message and let me know! I update this post each year so make sure to check back for any updates to these festivals or to learn about new places I found!

Make sure to also check out my friend Chelsee's post on flower spots in the area here