Here are a few wonderfully short Western U.S. road trips, travel and vacation ideas. Please scroll down to the adventure below or follow the blue links for more.

*ASTORIA, OREGON

*FIVE FERRY LOOP: SEATTLE, OLYMPIC PENINSULA, VICTORIA, SAN JUAN ISLANDS.

*NORTH CASCADES LOOP, WA

*PALOUSE COUNTRY, WA

*HELLS CANYON SCENIC BYWAY, ELKHORN DRIVE NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY LOOP, OREGON.

*OREGON SPRING LOOP, TULIPS! WATERFALLS! BEACHES!

*HIGH LAKES ROAD, WA, MOUNTAIN PEAKS AND LAKES.

*NORTH CASCADES LOOP, WA

*PALOUSE COUNTRY, WA

*COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE; OREGON, WASHINGTON LOOP.

*OLYMPIC PENINSULA LOOP, WA.

*VANCOUVER ISLAND, B.C., CANADA.

*OKANOGAN LOOP DRIVE.

*CURRENT EXHIBIT, ASSIGNMENT

Columbia River Gorge; Oregon and Washington Loop

Begin this loop on either side of the Columbia River at Longview, WA or Portoland, OR and follow the loop east, over the bridge at The Dalles, and back. This example begins in Portland, which gives the best light for a morning drive east. The loop is a wonderful weekend. If you plan to dawdle and photograph, hike, or paint, a week would be easy to spend. Here we drive east from Portland exiting Route 30/I84 at Troutdale to pick up the Historic Columbia River Crown Point Highway (whew) also known as the Old Gorge Highway and start through an area of waterfalls. Further east we stop at Rowena, outside Hood River, then cross at The Dalles and head up the Dalles Mountain Road on the WA side. Next is back west, stopping at Catherine Creek before finishing at Longview. That skips 90% of what there is to do! From wine to windsurfing, to wildflowers, hiking and biking, "The Gorge" is for all.