Day 293 of 365…

It’s once again time for our Annual Christmas Ship Parade! This is the 56th Annual event that runs along the Columbia River and also the Willamette River. Since this site is all about Vancouver, WA we’ll be focusing on the Columbia River schedule as it pertains to us.

If you aren’t familiar with the Christmas Ships each year boat owners ranging from smaller boats clear up to larger yachts decorate their boats and sail the Columbia River for our viewing pleasure. This year the event runs from December 9th through December 21st, 2010. There will be between 55 and 60 ships participating in the parade each night. Check out this fun video showing a little of the parade from last year.

There are outdoor places that you can watch the Christmas Ships along the Columbia River like Wintler Park, Marine Park, all along the Columbia Waterfront Trail and down at the Vancouver Landing Amphitheater. You can also enjoy a nice meal or dessert while sitting in the warmth of Beaches or The Quay Restaurant and Bar. You can also connect to the Christmas Ship Parade on Facebook.

Thursday, December 9th – I-5 Bridge area, Hayden Bay
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM.

Monday, December 13th – I-5 Bridge area, Hayden Bay
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM.

Tuesday, December 14th – I-205 Bridge, 164th Ave on Washington side
At 7:00PM, the Columbia fleet assembles in front of the James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, NE 43rd/Marine Drive and heads upriver to the I-205 Bridge, and will turn back at about SW 164th Ave on the Washington side.

Wednesday, December 15th – I-5 Bridge area, Hayden Bay
At 7:00PM, the Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM.

Thursday, December 16th – James M Gleason Boat Ramp, WA shoreline, Wintler Park, I-5 Bridge area
Columbia Fleet assembles in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive. Tonight the fleet will remain the first hour in the area of the boat ramp, and across the river to the Washington Shoreline. About 8:00PM, the parade will head downriver to the area of the I-5 Bridge. The fleet will be out for about two hours tonight.

Monday, December 20th – James M Gleason Boat Ramp, WA Shores, Wintler Park, I-5 Bridge area
Both the Columbia and Willamette fleets will assemble in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive. Tonight the fleet will remain the first hour in the area of the boat ramp, and across the river to the Washington Shoreline and about 8:00PM, head to the restaurants in the area of the I-5 Bridge.

Tuesday, December 21 – I-5 Bridge area/Hayden Bay
Both the Columbia and Willamette fleets assemble in front of James M. Gleason Boat Ramp, 43rd/NE Marine Drive and turns at the east end of the parking lot to head downriver to the I-5 Bridge Area, arriving at approximately 7:30 PM.

Day 272 of 365…

How am I 272 days into this “little project” and never shared about Beaches Restaurant and Bar? This is a staple place to go down along the Columbia River waterfront. They’ve been bringing fun and good food to us for years. Beaches is a wonderful place to enjoy lunch, dinner, dessert, happy hour and friends! It’s also a great place to enjoy our spectacular views along the Columbia River.

A few of my favorite dishes at Beaches are the BBQ Chicken pizza, BBQ Pork sandwich and their Crab Melt open face sandwich. They all are wonderful! In addition to this favorites of mine they have an incredible happy hour menu. There are so many things to choose from. Not only do they have their afternoon happy hour but they also have another happy hour menu for the late night one. You really need to check this menu out if you haven’t already.

In addition to all these great things you’ll also find some decadently delicious desserts. Tonight I was craving their Almond Shell Roca Basket. This thing will knock your socks off. It’s so good. See for yourself…

Beaches Restaurant and Bar is located at 1919 SE Columbia River Drive, Vancouver, WA 98661 and can be reached at 360-699-1592. You can also connect with Beaches on Facebook.

Of course no trip to Beaches is complete without some salt water taffy.

Day 164 of 365…

After dinner tonight it was the perfect evening to wander down to Wintler Community Park and stroll along the Columbia River. The sunset was wonderful and the temperature just right. This park features 12.5 acres of sandy beachfront to lay in, play in and take in the sights. I personally love watching the planes from PDX come and go. I always wonder where people are off to in their travels.

Rather than blab on more I’d love to share some of the photos I took while there tonight. I hope you enjoy and also hope you get out and explore this beach yourself. On a hot day it can be fairly crowded but it’s still fun.

Wintler Community Park is located at 6400 Beach Drive, Vancouver, WA 98664.

Day 111 of 365…

While driving along Highway 14 in the downtown Vancouver area have you noticed that cool looking curved bridge? It’s been there a few years now. Do you know what it is? Have you wondered about it? Today I’d like to share this bridge with you. This is the Vancouver Land Bridge and it’s purpose is to reconnect Fort Vancouver and the Historic Reserve with the Columbia River waterfront.

Back when the Hudson Bay Company was running things in the area there wasn’t Hwy 14 or the railroad to contend with. People could easily walk from the Columbia River to Fort Vancouver. Now it’s a little trickier. So the plan was made to create a very natural walking path to once again bring these important parts of our world together. Thus, the Vancouver Land Bridge was created.

Access to the Vancouver Land Bridge is quite easy. You can either park along the Columbia River near the I-5 bridge or on the other side near Fort Vancouver. Once you park, you can stroll over this 40 foot wide path to take in the wonderful views and sights. If you haven’t been I’d really recommend it. Today while walking I saw walkers, runners, skaters, bikers and strollers. This trail works for everyone.

Day 90 of 365…

Wow! Can you believe it’s been 90 days since I started this little project? I can’t. That means we are 25% through the 365 Things To Do In Vancouver, WA. I don’t spend much time thinking about the big picture of days, I take each one as it comes. I look at it about the same as eating an elephant… One bite at a time.

Back on Day 1 of 365 I shared one of my favorite things to do, heading down and walking along the Columbia River waterfront. Today for Day 90 of 365 I thought why not stop in at one of my favorite spots on the Columbia River waterfront. McMenamins. I love this place. They serve some awesome food. Wonderful drinks. Have a great vibe about them AND sit right on the Columbia River. How can it get better than that? I can’t even begin to name off all my favorite things here. I will say, get the Cajun tots…

In addition to the McMenamins on the Columbia we also have a second location in east Vancouver. The Columbia River restaurant is located at 1801 SE Columbia River Drive, Vancouver and can be reached at 360-699-1521. The east Vancouver location is at 1900B Northeast 162nd Avenue and they can be reached at 360-254-3950. You can also become a fan of their Facebook page here.

Day 64 of 365…

This is going to be a busy weekend here in Vancouver, WA. Yesterday I told everyone about the Home & Garden Idea Fair taking place at the Clark County Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday. Now I’d like to tell you about another annual event that is in it’s 14th season here in Vancouver.

The International Discovery Walk Festival kicks off this Friday, April 23rd, 2010 with the Mayor’s Friendship Walk and continues throughout the weekend with several walks. There are also biking and swim events on Sunday in addition to the Discovery Walk. Our Mayor Tim Leavitt will be kicking things off on Friday at 3:45PM from the downtown Vancouver Hilton Hotel. To see the entire schedule of the weekends activities the best bet is to head over and check out the entire schedule. I’m hoping to be there at 3:45PM Friday and do the first walk of the event. Hopefully I’ll see some of you while I’m on the walk. Please say hello.

You can also become a fan of the Vancouver Discovery Walk Festival on Facebook.

Day 62 of 365…

It was the mid 1970′s and my dad had the coolest orange Bronco ever. We loved going out four wheeling. Back then one fun place to do this was Frenchman’s Bar. We would weave in and out of the trees on our way down to the beach. We would then drive out to the beach and set ourselves up for the day to fish and play. Even though it’s been over 30 years I still remember it like yesterday.

Well you can’t drive out there anymore but it’s still a great place to fish and play. Whether you want to play on the beach, playground or maybe some beach volleyball this is a great facility. In the video I mention it looks like 12 volleyball courts but their site says it’s 8.

They have public restrooms, covered picnic areas, grassy areas to relax and play plus tons and tons of beachfront along the Columbia River. It really is tranquil. While I was there today a couple showed up with their little one. They had a kite, picnic basket and blankets in hand. I’m sure they had a wonderful time and are creating new memories just like the memories I have. It made me smile…

If you desire to rent any of the facilities or get more information I’d suggest clicking over to their website for all the most current details.

Day 25 of 365…

The weather is a little drizzly. Not exactly a “go play in the park” sort of day. Looking for an indoor activity? Do you like FREE? Have you been to the City of Vancouver’s Water Resources Education Center off of Hwy 14 at 4600 SE Columbia Way? If not, why not check it out. It just so happens that today is Second Saturday.

Second Saturdays at the Water Resources Education Center are not only fun, they’re free! Each second Saturday of the month, from 1 to 3 p.m., kids and their families are invited to explore a different topic through hands-on activities, games and stories. Create bird feeders and other crafts to welcome wildlife to your backyard! Learn about the amazing world of bubbles! Make a piece of art from reused materials! There’s always something new waiting at Second Saturdays!

(Please note: Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.)

Why not take your kids, grand-kids or yourself there and play, explore and learn in a fun and interactive environment.

You’ll experience a variety of hands-on exhibits, educational programs and events. Discover the wonders of water and what that means for groundwater, surface water, aquatic ecosystems, drinking water, conservation, wastewater, solid waste, recycling, hazardous waste, composting and the City of Vancouver’s utility services.

They are open Monday through Saturday from 9AM to 5PM and remember, admission is always FREE.

Today begins a new little project I’m going to attempt. I’ll be posting one new thing to do each day for the next year in Vancouver, WA. Maybe a park to visit. Perhaps a restaurant, fun activity or hidden gem that not a lot of people know about. This will hopefully be a great community resource from the perspective of a lifelong resident who loves his hometown and also a great resource for those looking to relocate to Vancouver.

Day 1 of 365…

Vancouver’s Columbia River waterfront is absolutely beautiful. Whether watching planes, boats, Mt Hood, the I-5 bridge or all the people and wildlife it is always an enjoyable time.

is a great place to hang out on a nice sunny Vancouver day! Today is my wife‘s birthday so we headed out for a bit to enjoy the sun and sand. Rather than driving to the coast, we thought we’d try a nice local beach. Wintler Beach is about 5 minutes from our house and makes for a great getaway. We walked and walked. We taught“tried to teach” the kids how to skip rocks. Our son decided it was more fun to pick the great big ones up and make the biggest splash.

I also built a quick little video slideshow from some photos I took with my new iPhone 3GS. I hope you enjoy them… (I’d embed the video into the blog but Animoto isn’t quite there yet, soon I hope!)

Salmon!

That’s right, it’s almost summer chinook season. Time to enjoy that pink, wonderful salmon meat. Steaks, fillets, smoked, baked, broiled, grilled, wood planked, not cooked at all. So many ways to enjoy this treat that is native to the Pacific Northwest.

I love living here. How incredible that we have the salmon highway right in our own front yard. Yes,the Columbia River is kind enough to be the road of choice for these beautiful fish.

When does the season start?

Summer season for the chinook kicks off this Monday the 22nd of June. This particular 14 day season is for the downstream area of the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam. You will be allowed a 2 fish per day limit through July 5th, 2009. Another cool feature is all fish are fair for the catching this go around. Even the clipped adipose fin salmon are fair game!

Need a guide?

Maybe you want to head out but aren’t geared up to do so. Maybe you want a professional to take you out and hit the river in style? My friend Kevin Emerick owns Playing Hook E guide service and can handle all the arrangements for you. All you need to do is shoot Kevin a call at 360.513.7350 and tell him Dale sent ya. If you’ve never been out with a fishing guide before, you should give it a shot. It really is a fun way to fish!

Now, get out there and catch some fish and remember to get your favorite Realtor a chunk or two of some smoked salmon.

(Photo courtesy of PetitPlat by sk_ under Creative Commons license)