The search is on for the best cherry blossom viewing (and best allergy medication!) A couple of our favorites include the Portland Japanese Garden and Tom McCall Waterfront Park downtown. Make plans soon as full bloom only lasts a few weeks. The State Capital in Salem is also in fierce bloom mode! If it's Tulips you're after you simply cannot miss the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. You can only get tickets online and on nice days the sell out so plan ahead.
Recently nominated for Newsweek's readers' choice Best Family Owned Amusement Park in the country, The Enchanted Forest opens Friday for the season. March 22nd. The park was created by Roger Tofte and has been run by the family since it opened in 1971.
Spring Whale Watch Week in Oregon officially starts Saturday. State parks will host the event, stationing volunteers at the best places for spotting thousands of gray whales as they swim past shore. Places like Depot Bay will also have rangers on hand to answer any questions, and binoculars will be provided. Whale Watch Week begins on Saturday.
Mississippi Ave just got cooler with the addition of the Portland Pickles Public House sports pub.
Bricks Cascade is happening at the Convention Center. Like a Legopalooza if you will, featuring Lego Masters and much to build and play.
The Oregon Zoo welcomed 20 new animals this week, but they don’t have fur, feathers or scales. These new arrivals are made of wood, and they were created by Portland artist Mike Bennett for a new scavenger hunt at the zoo: the Cool Creature Crawl. If you’re planning a Spring Break zoo trip you’ll see the first creature on the crawl, a rocky mountain goat, near the main entrance.
The Portland Timbers host Philadelphia Saturday at Providence Park. Tickets still available for the 7:30pm game.
Over at the Memorial Coliseum the Winterhawks host Seattle Saturday.
Sunday is the Worst Day Of The Year Ride. If you don’t know this has been a thing in Portland for many years. To join Portland’s Bike Party dress up in costume, choose the length of the ride you want to do and meet up at The Lucky Lab.
Need some other ideas? Check out 25 Spring Activities for the fam. And if you want to make sure the kiddos stay engaged in learning over Spring Break pop on over here.
STACEY & MIKE'S WATCHLIST
Stacey: I just flew through Apples Never Fall in a couple of days. The Peacock + show is based on the novel by Liane Moriarty. Just started The Gentlemen and the first episode has me hooked.
Mike is watching AMC's Monsieur Spade.
New in theaters this weekend, Ghostbusters Frozen Empire. Starring OG busters Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson. And new busters Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things.
COMING UP
This could be fun for the kiddos next weekend. A train ride with the Big EB himself. Oregon Rail Heritage Center is taking reservations for the Easter Bunny Express that runs Saturday, March 30th through the Springwater Corridor on the east bank of the Willamette. They’ll have an Easter scavenger hunt for kids of all ages.
“Barbie the Movie: In Concert” this summer at RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater in Ridgefield. A Live Nation/Mattel collab that features the Oscar-winning film on a giant LED screen while the Barbie Land Sinfonietta plays along live. The orchestra, led by Tony-winning producer Macy Schmidt, is all women and mostly women of color. Tix on sale now!