Exploring the Pacific NW Series – It’s no secret that we love to travel and explore. . . and although we’ve traveled all over the country – some of our all-time favorite places are located close to home – here in the Pacific Northwest. For this reason, I’m working on a Pacific NW travel series – featuring some of our favorite destinations – and I hope you’ll come along for the ride!
Skamania Lodge (Stevenson, Washington)
The first time I visited Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington was about 18 years ago when I attended a work conference on government communications (back when I was fresh out of college and working for the City of Tacoma). I remember pulling up to the lodge and my jaw dropped – what a majestic lodge nestled in the hills. . . with an impressive view of the Columbia Gorge. The conference was great. . .but I knew I had to bring my husband back for the lodge. . . and since then I’ve been back a handful of times – both for getaways with my husband and fun-filled trips with the kids – each time as special and exceptional as that very first trip.
Let’s talk about location. . .for those of you in the Pacific Northwest, it’s an easy drive from the Seattle/Olympia/Portland areas. Nestled in the Columbia River Gorge, Skamania Lodge is in Stevenson, Washington – you’ll find it about 40 minutes east of Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. It’s about a 2 hr and 20 minute drive from our house in Olympia, Washington. The drive. . . it’s beautiful. I love the Columbia River Gorge – the views are breathtaking and there are a ton of things to do in the area.
We have two kids – ages 11 and 14 – who are pretty much full-size adults, so we opted for a room with two double beds. When selecting your room, you can pick between river view or lodge view – and you have the option to select the top floor for the best views. In my experience (we’ve stayed in all types of rooms) you can’t go wrong with any of them. I do LOVE the river view from the top floor – it’s majestic, and a real treat – but any room will be a relaxing refuge.
Parking is free (yay!) and as soon as you get checked into the lodge, you’re greeted with this gorgeous view from the lobby. We’ve stayed at a lot of hotels before but I believe the view from the Skamania Lodge is one of my all-time favorites.
And the fireplace in the lobby doesn’t hurt either. . . it’s one of the most cozy and comfortable lobbies I’ve ever been in. You’ll often find people relaxing, reading, playing cards, enjoying a glass of wine. . . or just watching the fire in the lobby.
We arrived around 4:30 p.m. after a busy day in Portland, Oregon. . .so we were hungry and ready to eat. You have two choices for on-site dining. For a finer dining experience you can eat at the Cascade Dining Room (reservations suggested). . . but we wanted something less formal and quick, so we stopped into the River Rock Lounge (no reservation needed, first come, first served). Look at the view from that table!
The husband and kids each got a burger and fries. . . and the Skamania Steelhead Chowder. Would recommend both!
I got the Lodge Seafood Salad – which has fresh crab, poached shrimp, smoked Steelhead, tomatoes, avocado, roasted beets, baby field greens and Louie dressing. It was delicious. Nothing better than eating fresh Steelhead salmon on the Columbia River.
After dinner we went straight for the hot tubs and pool. If you’re headed to Skamania Lodge – you really should pack your swimsuits – there are so many opportunities to soak your stress away! You’ll find this whirlpool indoor hot tub (surrounded by windows to take in the Pacific NW views) in the pool area, but you can also choose this incredible outdoor whirlpool hot tub. . .
The outdoor hot tub is one of my favorites. . . on a chilly PNW day, it’s such a treat to sink into the hot water and enjoy that view and the relaxing sounds of the nearby rock fountain.
The outdoor hot tub is limited to adults after 6 pm – which I can appreciate for those weekends away when you want a more relaxing experience.
We had fun playing in the indoor heated pool with the kids (I love that it’s heated!). It’s a nice big pool, so there is plenty of room to move around. Again – how beautiful is this pool location? Attached to the pools you’ll find both men’s and women’s locker rooms (also with hot tubs) and a fitness center for those trips when you want to get a workout in! Nearby is the Waterleaf Spa – a real treat for some selfcare and pampering.
After the pool, we went exploring outside. The first thing I had my kids do was take this photo. . . because I wanted to recreate the same photo I took nearly 10 years before. . .
Taken on one of our very first family trips to Skamania Lodge – this photo of my son and daughter was taken in February 2013 (ages 5 and 2 years old) sitting on a rock on the front lawn. I love that Skamania is that kind of place for us – one that as a family we can go back to, over and over again – exploring together each time. Here’s hoping they let me recreate the photo again the next time we go – not sure how many more times they’ll agree to it 😉
And since we’re going down memory lane, here’s a photo from 2013 of my son checking out the pool – something both of my kids can’t get enough of – both when we went in 2013 and this time around.
After exploring the grounds and recreating our old photo, we took a seat in the chairs on the lawn to watch the sunset. You’ll find Adirondack chairs scattered throughout the area and it’s the perfect spot to catch up while you watch the sun go down.
For those chillier nights, you can watch the sunset from the fire pits. . . we bought a s’more kit from the gift shop and enjoyed s’mores at sunset. I’ll spare you photos of my kids trying to gracefully eat ooey-gooey chocolate and marshmallows – but it made for another special memory with breathtaking views. As fast as these years are going with my kids (seems like yesterday I took that photo of them as babies on that rock), I’ll do whatever I can to slow things down and soak up these years with my kids. And things sure seem to slow down and settle in while we are at Skamania – something I’m so grateful for.
After a good night’s rest I woke up around 5:15 and quietly snuck down to the lobby to watch the sunrise. This is something I hadn’t done when my kids were younger (I’d be getting every wink of sleep I could). . . but this trip, it was a true treat.
The lobby was quiet and I was one of only a few people out on the lawn. Even though it was a brisk morning in May, I couldn’t stop watching. The birds were singing, the sky was slowly lighting up. . .and I watched the sunrise for over an hour.
Then I grabbed my book from the room and a cup of complimentary coffee from the lobby and I spent another hour hanging out, watching the day get started through those big picture windows in the lobby. Something as simple as a fire in the fireplace, hot coffee in my cup, earbuds with my favorite music, a comfortable chair, a good book – and this view. . . it all comes together to create a blissful morning that I cherished.
After grabbing a cup of coffee for my husband, I headed back up to the room just in time for the kids to be heading down for one last dip in the pool before we headed to breakfast. The kids worked up an appetite and we opted for the delicious breakfast buffet in the Cascade Dining Room. It was wonderful, very filling – and again, we had a breathtaking view.
After breakfast, we headed over to the golf course for a little fun and family competition. Did you know Skamania Lodge has golf? They sure do! You can pick between the Gorge 9 (walking course), the Little Eagle 18 (putting course), and disc golf!
The setting is gorgeous – surrounded by tall trees and all beautifully maintained – we enjoyed a rare, sunny spring morning on the course. It had been a while since we had golfed and we all commented about how much fun it was – and that we needed to do it more often.
We did keep score. . . but at the end of the day, I’d say we were all winners because we spent a couple hours outside, being active, being together. . .
No phones. . . no distractions. . . just time together, laughing and having fun.
I’m so grateful for moments like this – time together, exploring, doing something new and enjoying time outside in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. If golf isn’t your thing. . .there are so many other options on the property!
You can go hiking. . . there are three on-property trails and dozens of others trails in the area. We have done the trails on previous trips – even with the kids when they were younger. You can see all kinds of birds, plants and wildlife and lots of pretty vistas on the hikes.
But there is also so much more to do. . . in fact, there are so many local activities that there is a comprehensive Skamania 2022 Summer Guide (how cool is this)? It includes summer activities, events and even upcoming golf tournaments – so you can stay. . .and play!
Multnomah Falls is a great place to visit – not far from Skamania. . . here’s a picture of my kids when we went back in 2013.
And the Bonneville Fish Hatchery is another option on your way to/from Skamania Lodge. My kids loved exploring the hatchery during previous trips to Skamania!
The wonderful thing about Skamania Lodge being in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area – is there is so much to see and do in the area that you can easily spend multiple nights at the lodge and still not see it all in the area.
In fact, we’re already planning what we want to do on our next trip to Skamania . . . we all agreed we must try the Zipline Tour and the Aerial Park the next time we stay at Skamania. It looks like an exhilarating and fun family bonding experience.
Regardless of what you do while you’re there . . . I hope you get a chance to experience Skamania. . .and see this view for yourself. Pictures can’t do it justice. If you visit this summer – you’ll have to let me know how it goes and what activities or accommodations you (and/or your family) liked best! Here’s to making memories, spending time with family and soaking up these gorgeous Pacific Northwest vistas.
Sponsored post – In exchange for me sharing my honest experience about our stay at Skamania Lodge, our room and golf was comped by Skamania Lodge. I’m always truthful about my reviews regardless of compensation or comps. I hope you enjoy Skamania as much as we do.
Lovely post, Heather! Your kiddos are growing up so quickly; I’m been enjoying your posts for many years. This looks like a wonderful place to visit!