East Oregon Vacation! Ideas & help?

My wife and kids are going to fly from Florida to spend 10 days scouting out Eastern Oregon with plans to move to the area in a year or so. We have to bring the kids because my wife (and I) can't leave them for more than a few days. So, they're coming. My daughter is 5 and the twin boys will be just over a year old.
Since we are flying into Seattle and driving down to Portland with plans to visit the coast, Eugene and other areas of Eastern Oregon, we thought renting an RV would be better than hotel hoping with kids and all.
So, I've been checking that out on line.
WHAT I'D LIKE FROM YOU ALL--

- ANY SUGGESTIONS ON RV RENTALS?
- DO YOU KNOW ANY INDIVIDUALS THAT WOULD RENT OUT AN RV?
-ANY SUGGESTIONS ON THINGS TO DO AND SEE WHILE THERE?
-ANY EVENTS TO CATCH FROM JULY 25 TO AUG 3 IN THE AREA?
-ANY HOTEL OR CABIN RENTAL IDEAS? (with a tight budget in mind)
-ANYTHING I SHOULD KNOW?

Thanks, Bill (freakwentflyer)

 

Any Oregonians out there? Oreganites, Oregonese or even Oregasms?

 

oregon is boring but if you can check out the saturday market in Eugene its sweet

 

Oregon is boring? Sounds great.
I knew about the Eugene Market and plan to make that.
Thanks for the tip, though.

When I was a young man, I bored easily. Moved to LA for some fast lane living. Enjoyed it for many years, then to Florida for a different flavor. Now I'm bored with the UN-boring. Bored with the right winged south, and the increasingly commercial beaches, and looking for a natural beauty get away. Oregon sounds good to me. We have three little kids so we won't be hitting the night clubs.
ANYMORE SUGGESTIONS, anyone?

 

Hi Bill---tried to message you but have to wait until my daughter comes home.She seems to have an actual brain re:computer stuff.Went to the Sat.Market last weekend .Just a few miles away for me.-----I'll be back-----scratcho--------

 

P.S.---you all look great in your pic-cute kiddies!

 

what i meant by boring was the fact that most of oregon that is not a city like eugene or portland is filled with rednecks, ranchers, and republicans. the smaller towns aren't very liberal

 

Hey Shaina- I know what you mean. Where we live now (Floridabama) is rightwing and ignorant EVERYWHERE, in town or out.

SCRATCHO- How's it going? Did you get my message?

 

You couldn't be more wrong. I've been to almost every state and Oregon is hands down my favorite.

I also disagree about everyone not in a city being a redneck, just because we're not yuppies doesn't mean we are rednecks. Besides, who cares about the people? I love Oregon for the beautiful nature.

 

I would go see the Steins Mountains if I was in Eastern Oregon, they are spectacular and there is a beautiful drive where you can see tons of scenery. There are also cool hotsprings and warm lakes.

 

Auntie Thesis, (just a bit of Monty Python there)
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check into the Steins Mountains, are they near Eugene?
Are saw your gallery pics of you and your boyfriend at Crater Lake. Great shots.
Again, thanks.

As we most likely wil rent an RV to roam about in, I'd like some suggestions on were to park/camp that is convenient to Eugene and then another place in Portland area. Any and all suggestions welcomed!

 

Bill--you and your family are welcome to park an RV in my driveway when you're here in Springfield --Eugene area.We have an outlet right outside next to the driveway for lights & such.If you're going to Seattle first ,I don't know of any RV places.Here,I do.Hey,I even have a shower and kitchen here!Feature that.--------keep in touch--------scratcho---------------------

 

Hey Scratcho!
Thanks for the offer. I may just take you up on that, however the wife has it in her head she wants to be in an RV park so she and my daughter can run around and play and such. Will definately visit with you though. Been looking foward to it.
We will be in Portland first, then staying in Eugene area for the last weekend of July. Do you know of any cool parks that have RV parking closer to town if not right in town?

We are scouting the east Oregon area with the idea of moving there in about a year. We can't wait to get out of "Bush" country. This town only has a right wing and I'm tired of flying in a circle.
Tell me, are there any festivals around about that time? What are some things, places around Eugene/Springfield to visit? My wife is a photographer so keep that in mind. Where's a good area to live? We'll be starting all over when we do move so, is there an area with moderate housing prices but good schools, parks and safety in mind? That is, with a more left of center kind of vibe.
Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Bill--pm me your address and I will get some chamber stuff coming your way--also I'll check out RV parks.Also I'll send you the Eugene weekly--it'll pretty much show you what the area is about----------scratcho----------

 

Did you get my PM Scratcho?

So far we have the airline tickets, and we found a place to rent an RV for $600 wk with 100 miles per day free (should be enough). There are so many RV parks, but just like to get more info of which would be the best ones.
We want to start with a few nights in Portland, close to town, then up to Astoria for a night , then down to Florence for a night, then over to Eugene somewhere close to town but in a kid friendly park area. We may make a trip over to Bend as well. Anymore suggestions or ideas?
I really thought I'd see a lot more responses to this thread. Maybe I should have titled the thread, "Drug crazed naked hippies seek Oregon info?"

 

So far everyone has mostly mentioned places in Western Oregon. Granted, you really should check out those amazing cities. But if you are in Eastern Oregon, you should check out the Owyhee Canyon Lands in SE Oregon/SW Idaho. Simply breathtaking scenery. The Millican Valley trails near Bend (Central Oregon) are also really cool. Also, don't forget Crater Lake in Southern Oregon. I worked as a contract employee for the Bureau of Land Management for a couple of years. I have thousands of photographs. I'll get some scanned into the gallery for you. I am so happy for you guys!!!!!

 

Thanks W.O.- We have a dvd on Oregon and have seen (on screen) the areas you speak of. Believe me, when we finally do move out there, we will see it all eventually. For now, since we only have 10 days, we wish to check out the area in which we're considering moving to.
We are going to fly into Portland and pick up the RV, then drive over to Canon beach area for a night and the next day. Work our way down to Florence for a few nights, then to Eugene, then go back up to the river area just east of Portland. Then after 7 nights we turn in the RV and spend 3 nights in a swank hotel in Portland.
Love to see the pics. Let me know when you post them.
Thanks.

 

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I just wanna warn you.... When my husband and I moved to Oregon two years ago, we spent two weeks in the eastern part of the state and discovered that it was MORE redneck/republican/nasty than the midwest (where we moved from!). I'm sure each town is different, but I'd stay away from Ontario, Oregon and the smaller towns around there. I saw some really deliverance-type stuff going on there.

I love western Oregon but you will not catch me going east of Bend unless I have to! It's too scarey out there.