Portland, OR

Recently, my wife and I had the chance to check out Portland, Oregon, mixing business with pleasure as I had a work trip planned. It was our first time hitting the Pacific Northwest, and let’s just say it was a complete blast.

Our agenda included a trip to the Oregon Coast for some whale watching at Depoe Bay, then a drive south to visit the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Whale watching was wild, much different than what we’d imagined. We did spot whales, but grabbing good photos was a real challenge. The ride was pretty rough, no seats on the boat and all. So, you can imagine my camera roll—lots of snapshots of people’s heads.

The next day, we got our nature fix hiking to some of the area’s renowned waterfalls and admiring the towering redwoods. They weren’t those colossal California giants, but they still held their own, easily the tallest trees I’ve ever seen. The waterfalls were a sight to behold, too.

We also made a quick stop in Seattle, visiting the bustling Public Market that houses the first Starbucks location. The day’s work demands cut our visit short, leading to a swift change of hotels and rental cars.

The real showstopper came on the last day, post-work commitments. We had half the day to ourselves, so we drove up to the peak of Mt. Hood. As an Alabama native, seeing snow in June was surreal. The view was truly something else, stirring up our excitement to see the Rocky Mountains again someday. All in all, it was an unforgettable trip.