Why add “Travel more!” to your New Year’s resolutions?

Travel is fun—and it gives you and your kids a chance to learn about the world and each other in ways you can’t do at home. For example, I get insights into what Maxine and Edie are most interested in by what they notice and gravitate toward when we’re out of our routine.

There are plenty of research-backed reasons to travel more as a family, too.

Studies consistently show that when children travel, they’re spending more time exploring and playing—good things for a kid’s brain development. And the vast majority of educators think travel helps kids grow in ways that benefit them in the classroom, too.

Now that you know some of the reasons to add this goal to your resolutions, let’s talk about how to travel more in 2020.

1.Set a goal

You already know that getting specific is one of the best ways to follow through on goals and resolutions. So instead of just saying you want to travel more in 2020, get concrete.

How often do you want to travel as a family? Do you want to take any trips without the kids this year? What kinds of travel do you want to do—road trips, camping, international getaways? How ambitious or long-term do you want to travel? Do you have any destinations in mind?

Write out these concrete intentions (or #vacationgoals!).

For example, I aim to travel at least once a month with my kids. Sometimes those are short trips—like a weekend at the Oregon Coast. Other times, my plans are grander, like the 12-day trip to China Edie and I are taking!

2. Reflect on the why behind your resolution

If you made a New Year’s resolution to travel more in 2020, or you’re focusing on this goal at another time of year, then it’s clear exploring more is important to you. It’s time to ask yourself why.

Understanding the motivation behind your goal—the why—makes you more likely to follow through, research shows. So write a paragraph or some bullet points on why traveling more in 2020 is important enough to make this commitment.

When you’re feeling stuck, or when it feels like you won’t be able to make your resolution happen, look back on this reflection. Reminding yourself of why family travel is important will keep you motivated in the months to come.

3. Write down your intention—in the present tense

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear writes that your identity drives your habits. In that way, when you think of yourself as someone who travels with their family, you’re more likely to take action that matches your identity as a traveler.

Writing down your intention in the present tense—that you’re already the kind of person who travels more—helps you see yourself as the person you want to become. That way, you’re more likely to follow through.

So try it out! Write down your travel more in 2020 goal and put it someplace you’ll see it often. You might write

• I plan a family trip every quarter
• I’m a traveler who explores my state with my kids
• I’m an outdoorsy mom who hikes with the kids every month

Test it out—and let me know how it works for you!

4. Review your existing commitments

If you’re ever set resolutions before—and if you’re like 99% of the population, then you have—you know that simply putting your desire down on paper isn’t what makes a goal happen. You have to make a plan.

In fact, you won’t be surprised to learn that research shows we’re roughly three to five times more likely to follow through when you make a concrete plan of exactly how you’ll follow through. Reviewing your existing commitments is the first step in making a plan to travel more this year.

So look ahead at your calendar. Are there weddings you’re attending out of town? Conferences for work? Kids’ sports tournaments? A girls getaway with your friends? Note these down, and make sure they’re on your calendar.

It can feel as though these commitments are taking away your time to travel more as a family. The opposite can be true, though: You can extend some of these commitments into a family vacation. When we went to Michigan last year for my husband’s cousin’s wedding, we stayed for a few days extra and drove to Chicago. It was a blast! And this July, I’m attending a conference in San Diego—the perfect opportunity to bring my whole family for a few extra days of fun.

5. Review your family’s PTO

If you or your partner work for someone else—that is, if you’re not self-employed—then you probably get paid time off, or PTO. Do you know how many days or weeks you get? If not, this is a great time to remind yourself.

I’m beyond depressed that more than half of working Americans don’t use all their paid time off. After all, PTO is a part of your reimbursement package, along with your wages or salary and your insurance. You wouldn’t just leave hundreds of dollars from a paycheck unclaimed, would you? Then you shouldn’t leave PTO unclaimed, either.

Commit to using every single darn day of PTO this year!

Now, if you work for yourself—like me—you need to consider how well you’re treating your employee(s). (That’s you.) Decide on how many days off you should give yourself. Then commit to taking those days off.

That’s sometimes challenging for me because I’m busy and really ambitious in my career. But I remind myself that my kids are little now—but won’t stay little. And I’ll never get this time back with them. So I know I need to take advantage of the now to make memories together as a family.

6. Mark down ideal times to travel

Next on your plan to make good on your goal to travel more this year: Going through your calendar and marking down the best times to travel as a family.

If your kids are in school, you’ll want to get a school calendar for this step. If your kids are in sports or other extracurriculars, bring that information to the table, too. If you or your partner have time off at work, find out when.

Then look at all these calendars to find when would be the best time to travel as a family. I take a 12-month calendar and highlight the windows when we can travel more easily. These times include days the kids have off school (like teacher in-service days) and days I get off work but might not always think of (like Martin Luther King, Jr. Day).

7. Block off travel windows in your calendar

Now you have a goal—say, traveling as a family 4 times a year—as well as ideal times to go. Next it’s time to match those to make traveling more in 2020 a reality!

Pick ideal travel windows or add days to your existing commitments to meet your goal. So if you want to travel once per season, look at each quarter’s calendars to find times when you could travel together.

Even if you don’t know where you’ll go or what you do, block off these windows in your calendar. That way you won’t RSVP yes to invitations on those days. You can figure out where to go later.

This step is so important. Although spontaneous travel is great for some people in some walks of life, kids don’t make spur-of-the-moment trips very likely. So you have to plan to make family travel actually happen. Blocking out these travel windows is the best way to do just that.

8. Focus on what you can do

This is where you might get discouraged. You might think that you don’t have the money for a vacation, or that you can’t take a week off to go to Hawaii like your neighbors just did. But you get to decide what your family travel will look like, and it doesn’t have to fit any one mold.

So instead of getting bogged down in what you can’t do, focus on what you can do in your vacations.

Let me get metaphorical here for a second. Have you ever told your kids “watch where you’re going!” when they were running or riding a bike? Did they start to veer off-path when they were looking over their shoulder or staring at the flowers in a neighbor’s yard? That’s because we go where our eyes are pointing.

The same goes for your resolution to travel more. If you’re focused on what you can’t do, you’ll stay put. If you focus on what you can do, you’ll figure out how to travel more.

So maybe finances don’t allow to take the whole family on a plane ride. That’s ok! Direct your energy into road trips together. Or you can’t stay in a super nice hotel. Well, book cheaper accommodation instead!

Let me give you a personal example. In my family, we often travel with our dog, Finn. That means we don’t go to as many national parks as I’d like, since dogs are required to stay on paved paths only. (That puts a damper on hiking, which we love to do.) Instead of feeling defeated that we can’t visit many national parks, we plan more trips to amazing state parks, most of which do allow animals on trails.

So every time you get caught in a comparison trap (like if your college friend’s family is going to Disney World but it’s not in the realm of possibility for you this year), remind yourself to look where you’re going! Focus on what you can do with family travel.

9. Don’t discount nearby travel

Let’s say that you want to travel more in 2020 with your family and you got specific, like taking five trips this year. Awesome! Then you might start to doubt yourself, especially if you’re like my family and you’re on a tight budget.

Here’s the thing, though. No one made a rule that family travel has to be extravagant to be worthwhile. So consider trips to destinations that are closer. You might drive to a vacation spot a few hours from home, for example. That counts! So as you work on making your travel goals into travel plans, keep in mind that nearby travel can be just as fun and memorable as a big, elaborate trip.

10. Plan with a friend

If any of this feels overwhelming or unfamiliar, do this with a friend! Chances are, you know someone who also wants to travel more in 2020. So why not get the kids together for a play date and spend an hour with a friend setting your travel goals and planning how you’ll achieve them?

That way, you can help each other when you get stuck. You’ll also encourage each other. And once you’re finished, you can check in on one another.

After all, research also shows that having an accountability buddy makes you more likely to follow through on resolutions and goals. So ask each other how your vacation planning is going. And celebrate together when you take a family getaway!

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Both Bingen and White Salmon, WA were originally blue collar towns. They’ve both added hotels, shops and restaurants that cater to visitors, especially for nearby Portland, Oregon.

Both towns are also terrific launchpads to see the Gorgeo’s natural beauty. Hiking and white river rafting are only minutes away.

So if you’re looking to visit Bingen, WA ad White Salmon, WA, this post has all the details you need: the best restaurants, hotels, hikes and other things to do in Bingen and White Salmon, Washington.

Things to do in Bingen and White Salmon, WA

Bingen and White Salmon lie just a few minutes for each other along Highway 14 in Washington, directly across from the Hood River Bridge.

Both towns are small—population 2,200 for White Salmon and just 700 in Bingen—so you can cover most of the things to do in the White Salmon, WA area pretty efficiently.

Here are my favorite activities.

Wine tasting in the Columbia River Gorge

Ok, so wine tasting in the Columbia River Gorge is not in Bingen or White Salmon themselves. But you can find excellent—and scenic—wineries within a short drive.

My favorite is Syncline Winery, just a 10 minute drive east from Bingen, WA. In my opinion, it’s the prettiest place to taste wine in the fall in the area. The turning trees, campfires and, of course, stellar wine make Syncline my top recommendation of where to go wine tasting in Washington in the Columbia River Gorge.

(Don’t miss tasting their Subduction Red. Most restaurants in White Salmon serve it, and for good reason: It’s a crowd pleaser.)

Antique shopping in Bingen, WA

I love a good antique store, and they always seem to be the best in small towns. Antiques & Oddities, the shop in Bingen, WA, is no exception. It’s large and well organized, with entire sections dedicated to dishware, vintage cowboy boots and Asian artifacts.

I snagged a few finds at the antique store in Bingen for what I felt was a reasonable price. I’ll definitely return to this antique store the next time I’m in the Gorge.

Maryhill Museum of Art in the Gorge

A half-hour drive east from Bingen, Maryhill Museum of Art perches on the ridge of the Gorge. This beautiful art museum not only offers an unparalleled view of the Columbia River, it also exhibits impressive art and Native American artifacts.

Inside the museum, a mansion more than 100 years old, you’ll see European and North American fine art, decorative arts and miniatures of high fashion. My favorite section highlights Native American baskets, collected from tribes around the Pacific Northwest.

Cross your fingers for good weather when you visit the Maryhill Museum because you’ll definitely want to see its outdoor sculpture garden. Keep an eye out for the resident peacocks wandering among the Rodins.

Know that the Maryhill Museum of Art closes between November 16 – March 14.

Hikes near White Salmon, WA

The Columbia River Gorge has only this problem with hikes: With so many options, it can be hard to choose one!

The Oregon side of the Gorge has most of the waterfalls, so if that’s what you’re going for, simply cross the Columbia. Bridal Veil Falls, Multnomah Falls and Latourell Falls are all terrific, nearby waterfall hikes.

On the Washington side, you’ll get expansive views of the Columbia River. The area around White Salmon and Bingen is also more characterized by sage and wildflowers rather than the evergreen forests more common on the Oregon side.

These are my two favorite hikes on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge near Bingen and White Salmon:

Catherine Creek Hike, Washington

The Catherine Creek hike leads you up rolling hills overlooking the Columbia River. It’s a fairly gradual uphill climb, nothing too strenuous. (For context, I’ve hiked this trail with pregnant friends and women wearing babies in carriers.)

My favorite part of the Catherine Creek hike (besides its awesome name, obvi) is seeing Mt. Hood from a fresh perspective. I consider Mt. Hood my home mountain, and we see it every day from our house. I rarely see its back, though, and cherish my favorite mountain from every angle.

Catherine Creek also blooms with wildflowers every spring. I’ve never hiked it at this time of year. If you do, know it’ll be busy: hikers from Portland and beyond come to see the short-lived monkey-flower, redstem storksbill, honeysuckle and other wildflowers.

Beacon Rock hike, Washington

If you’re looking for a hike on your way back to Portland from White Salmon, WA, Beacon Rock is a great bet. This short but rewarding hike is about halfway between White Salmon and Portland on the Washington side of the Columbia.

Beacon Rock is a hunk of cooled magma that Lewis & Clark named on their expedition in the early 1800s. Crisscrossed by switchbacks, the mile-long trail takes you to its summit, where you can see the Columbia stretch to the east and west.

I wouldn’t bring your children to hike Beacon Rock, though. The drop offs along the trail are simply too steep and dangerous. The potential of an accident is too great to risk bringing my kids, ages 4 and 6.

To hike Beacon Rock, you’ll need a Discover Pass ($10 for one day).

Restaurants in White Salmon and Bingen, Washington

One of the good things about exploring small towns is you’re not overwhelmed by options. And luckily, those options of restaurants in White Salmon and Bingen are delicious.

For lunch, head to North Shore in White Salmon, WA. This local cafe serves healthy, filling bowls, sandwiches, salads and omelets as well as coffee, tea and pastries. North Shore also has a large table for groups as well as games and books for children.

For a drink and appetizers, try out Feast Market & Delicatessen in White Salmon. This Northwest-inspired restaurant and deli welcomes diners stopping in to share a few small plates, and the service is excellent.

Feast also has a deli counter, which serves salads and other packable food. That, plus its small shop selling cheese, wine and other goodies, make it this area’s go-to spot for stocking up on picnic supplies.

For a casual dinner in White Salmon, hit up Everybody’s Brewing. This brew pub serves its own beer as well as a full menu. Everybody’s Brewing is terrific for straightforward pub fare and they were more than happy to accommodate our group’s modifications for dietary restrictions. Plus, the brewery’s huge booths can fit large groups.

For a more upscale dinner in White Salmon, Henni’s Kitchen & Bar is the most recommended restaurant. Seven friends and I ate dinner here on a recent trip to White Salmon, WA, and the food was excellent. Vegetarians will find only a few menu options, though.

While we devoured pretty much every single morsel of food at Henni’s, I was surprised by several hiccups at the nicest restaurant in White Salmon. At 6:30 on a Saturday night, they had entirely run out of bread and steak, which featured heavily on the menu and in the specials. Although the night didn’t seem particularly busy, we waited an hour and a half for our food. And my meal—a salad—arrived 20 minutes after everyone else’s. I was pretty disappointed, but maybe Henni’s was just having an off night.

Finally, if you’re really, really hungry, you can’t beat the portions of Ayutlense in Bingen, WA. This family-owned Mexican restaurant in Bingen serves delicious dishes in sizes that could probably feed half the town. Unless you’re sharing (or starving), order off the chico combinations menu. I ordered tortilla soup with a side of beans and rice and still took half my meal home.

Hotels in Bingen, WA

If you’re staying in this area of the Columbia River Gorge, I so strongly recommend the Society Hotel in Bingen, WA. This beautiful hotel renovated an old schoolhouse and retained much of its century-old charm. For example, the hotel kept the school’s gym intact, adding Pendleton pillows for the bleachers and games like foosball and cornhole for guests.

The Society Hotel in Bingen’s most famous feature is its sauna and spa. With an outdoor hot tub, a warm tub, a cold pool for polar bear dunking and a dry sauna, you have plenty of choices for luxuriating. I loved that I could also order wine, sparkling water and snacks in the beautiful bath house.

This hotel in Bingen is also unconventional in its room options. You can rent one of the cabins that surround the bath house. Or in the main building, you can stay in rooms named for classes (Science, French, etc.) or in high-end, hostel-like bunks. These three-high bunks are nicer than any hostel where I’ve stayed, but at rates starting at $37 a night, including access to the bath house. It’s hard to beat that price and I’m already planning my return stay at the Society Hotel, probably next month!

Exploring White Salmon and Bingen, WA

By now, you can tell that Bingen and White Salmon, WA are small but mighty when it comes to things to do. With the nearby hikes, antique shopping, wine tasting and art museum, you’ll stay plenty busy.

And once you’re done exploring, all the restaurants in White Salmon will warm and fill your belly.

Are you convinced? I’m betting you are. In that case, I may just see you there because I can’t wait to go back.

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Barranco, Lima is an extremely walkable part of the city. And while you’re wandering, you’ll inevitably come across incredible murals. Nearly every available wall has been taken over by vibrant expressions of artists’ imaginations.

So when you visit Lima, Peru, don’t miss the street art in Barranco. This neighborhood is one of the best places to see murals in Lima—and perhaps all of Peru.

Want to know what to look for? Read on for some of my favorite murals in Barranco. What’s more, at the end of this post, I’ll share some of the other best things to do in Barranco, Lima!

Why is there so much street art in Barranco?

Barranco is the beating heart of Lima’s arts and culture community. Here you’ll find galleries, museums, innovative restaurants and book stores that make you want to dive in and never leave.

It makes perfect sense, then, that Lima’s artists (and muralists from elsewhere) find a welcome reception for Barranco’s street art.

And while I recommend checking out this neighborhood’s arts centers, hip shopping and museums, don’t miss Barranco’s street art. Muralists have turned this corner of Lima into an outdoor gallery—a place where public art is truly meant for everyone.

Where to find Barranco street art

One of the wonderful things about street art is it changes constantly. Chances are, the murals in Barranco that I saw will be different than the ones visible when you explore.

Murals come and go, so no one can be sure if the street art will still be displayed—or painted over, tagged or torn down.

That said, there are a few spots that have become permanent centers of street art in Lima. Here’s where to find murals in Barranco:

1.Under the bridge next to the Parque Federico Villarreal. If you’re wondering where to find murals in Barranco, Lima, you can’t go wrong walking under this bridge. You’ll see some of Lima’s most famous murals and maybe folks painting new ones, like I saw when I visited. Street musicians also perform her often, especially on weekends.

2. The famous street art stairs in Barranco. Pretty much every square inch of wall is painted along these famous stairs in Barranco. You can find them by their entrance next to Restaurante Javier. It’s near the Puente de Suspiros (Bridge of Sighs), the romantically named but fairly underwhelming bridge.

3. Everywhere! Besides these two spots, Barranco murals are spread all over the neighborhood. You can’t help but run into them as you walk around Barranco!

More murals in Barranco, all the time

The Barranco District has embraced its identity as the street art center of Lima. Beginning in 2015, murals festivals and contests have added more public art to this hip neighborhood.

In addition to sanctioned and professional murals, you’ll also probably spy street art that went up on the sly. These more ad hoc murals stick closer to the art form’s history as a subversive, grassroots expression.

Regardless if the artists are world renowned or anonymous, you’ll love seeing the street art in Barranco.

Where else to see art, galleries and museums in Barranco

Since you’re in an art and culture mood, you should also check out the indoors arts. If you’re looking for things to do in Barranco, Lima, add these to your list. These are some of my favorite galleries and museums in Barranco:

Jade Rivera’s studio

Jade Rivera is one of the most famous muralists of Peru, and he keeps a studio in Barranco. The studio is open to the public, and you can buy his art—on a smaller scale (which is much easier to fit in a suitcase than an entire wall!).

You’ll also want to meet the cats that hang out here!

Museo de Arte Contemporaneo – MAC (Modern Art Museum, Lima)

On the border between Miraflores and Barranco, you’ll see the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo. (It’s just past the Barranco sign.)

This modern art museum is fairly small, making it a quick stop. You can make your way through the exhibitions in an hour. Its works are continually rotating, so you never know what you’ll see.

The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (MAC) also has a little outdoor cafe for quick bites to eat and a drink. Don’t forget to walk the museum grounds to see large outdoor sculptures.

If you’re spending time in Miraflores, you’ll definitely want to read my post on things to do in Miraflores, Lima. It’s one of my most popular posts!

Pedro de Osma Museum

On the other side of Barranco, I definitely suggest you visit the Pedro de Osma Museum. This museum has a completely different feel and exhibits art primarily from the 1600s-1800s. You’ll see how imperialism and Catholicism mixed with indigenous values and religion to create a wholly unique artistic style.

This Barranco museum also holds art and artifacts from Peruvian cultures dating from the fifth century onward.

The Pedro de Osma Museum is housed in the mansion that belonged to the art collector the museum is named after. In the second and smaller building of the museum, you’ll see portraits, art and artifacts from the collector’s family.

I also enjoyed walking around the museum grounds. Its perfectly manicured lawn and palm trees made me feel like I’d traveled back in time—that I might see Pedro de Osma Gildemeister himself pulling up in a horse-drawn carriage.

MATE Museum (Mario Testino photography museum)

Mario Testino is a famous Peruvian photographer who made his name as a fashion photographer. Throughout his career, he photographed portraits of the rich and famous, including Princess Diana, Kate Moss, Madonna and Angelina Jolie. He was also recently accused of sexual harassment and assault by some of the models he worked with—so I leave it to you if you want to visit the MATE Museum. (The museum is a nonprofit, so the money you spend there doesn’t actually go to the photographer.)

I didn’t visit it personally, but some of the people I traveled with went. The MATE Museum focuses on photography, especially that of Mario Testino. It also includes other photography special exhibitions.

When my sister and friends went, they were actually more interested in the visiting exhibition than in the photography. A Peruvian artist had spent four days collaborating with regular ol’ people to create vibrant, spontaneous pieces of art.

Things to do in Barranco, Lima: See all the street art!

There are so many things to do in Barranco, Lima. I loved visiting Barranco museums, shopping in the independent stores, perusing book shops, eating artisan gelato and so much more. Most of all, though, I fell in love with Barranco’s street art!

I’m pretty sure you will, too. If you’re heading to Peru, you should stop in Barranco, even if you’re only staying in Lima for a day. It was one of my favorite neighborhoods in Lima.

And if you’re heading to Machu Picchu, you’ll want to read my post that details visiting Machu Picchu!

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Located about a half-hour from Portland, Oregon in Canby, Villa Catalana Cellars pours delicious wine within its gorgeous grounds. When Hubs, a friend and I recently visited Catalana along with my kids, we immediately noticed how many other families were enjoying this kid-friendly winery, too.

We soon realized why: Villa Catalana is full of thoughtful details that appeal to children as well as the 21+ set. Thankfully, the wine doesn’t suffer: The estate has made gold medal-winning Pinot Noir and liquor.

If you’re looking for a family-friendly winery near Portland, OR, then read on. You’ll find all the details you’ll need to visit Villa Catalana Cellars with kids (or without!). Regardless if you go wine tasting with kids, head out with some girlfriends or take a romantic weekend outing with your beloved, I’m pretty sure you’ll love Catalana as much as we did.

I was not compensated in any way for this post. I discovered and paid for everything during our visit to Villa Catalana Cellars on my own.

Villa Catalana is about to become your new favorite family-friendly winery near Portland

Are you ready to fall in love with this family-friendly winery? Good.

Just be prepared that you might spontaneously crave a glass of wine while reading this blog post.

How to visit Villa Catalana Cellars with kids

When you arrive, you’ll park in a gravel lot and probably be underwhelmed—but don’t turn around! It gets much better than a sad parking lot! You’ll walk up a short hill to get to the estate, which is modeled after a 12th century Spanish villa. Walk around the building to the south side, where you’ll find the entrance to the tasting room.

Your kids will be excited to go explore, but start your tasting or get a glass of wine before you start your adventure! Walking through the gardens with a glass of wine is the best way to wander Villa Catalana Cellars with kids.

Once you have your wine, let your kids lead you throughout the property. You’ll find cacti, a small floating dock on the pond, arbors and a spooky cave guarded by a dragon! (More on that below.)

One safety note: Make sure to keep a close eye on your kids at all times. The pond and the cacti could be dangerous for littles who wander away.

Kid-friendly features of Villa Catalana Cellars

Explore the wide-open grounds

Your kids could care less about Villa Catalana’s award-winning wines; however, they’ll love exploring the estate! Explore the terraced hill overlooking the pond, the olive grove, the covered picnic area and even a little dusty building my kids pretended was a witch’s house.

Play bocce ball

A bocce court alongside the pond is the perfect place to let the kids play—and learn a new game! If you’ve never played bocce before, here are the rules to bocce ball.

Have a family picnic

Large picnic tables are set up under a sprawling arbor next to the bocce court. This is the perfect scene to pop open a bottle of wine and unpack a picnic for the whole family.

Sneak into the Dragon Cave

As you walk alongside a rock-landscaped hill, you’ll come across a cave complete with pretend skulls and creepy candles. Best part, of course, is the 15-foot-tall metal dragon at the cave’s entrance. My girls incorporated the dragon into pretend play the entire time we visited Villa Catalana Cellars.

Discoveries everywhere

Kids who are observant and curious will find plenty to discover at Villa Catalana Cellars. For example, at the end of the uppermost pond, a small outbuilding is open to explore (where my kids pretended to be witches). And in the tasting room, look up—you’ll see gorgeous lamps as well as rare tropical plants the owners of this kid-friendly winery grow on-site.

What you need to know to visit Villa Catalana Cellars

I’m pretty sure you’re ready to zip on over to Villa Catalana Cellars right now. (I am! Want to meet up??!) Here’s what you need to know to visit Villa Catalana Cellars with kids—or without.

• Open hours: Villa Catalana Cellars is open only Saturdays from 1-4pm.
• Address: 11900 S Criteser Rd, Oregon City. The winery is located about a half-hour south of Portland.
• Tastings: Tastings are $10. You can also get a glass of wine for $10. I had a glass of their 2015 pinot noir and loved it.
• Dogs: Dogs are allowed on-leash. It goes without saying you’ll need to pick up after your dogs; I didn’t see a ton of trash cans throughout the property, so you’ll need to carry the waste bags until you find one.

Now you totally get why Villa Catalana Cellars is my new favorite family-friendly winery near Portland. It has everything I’d want when I go wine tasting with kids: A kid-friendly vibe, tons of open space, features children get excited about and, of course, delicious wine.

The next time you go wine tasting with kids near Portland, then, make sure Villa Catalana Cellars is on your route. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Do you have a favorite family-friendly winery near Portland? Have you ever gone wine tasting with kids? I’d love to hear about your experiences below in the comments!

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