Activities
Where the Elk Roam
In Molalla, you can visit Rosse Posse Acres, a real elk farm owned by the Ross Family. The tour begins in the barn. You will learn about these big animals, and you will get to touch real antlers and horns! Then you get to see them up close as the guide (usually Ross family mom Brenda) feeds them. They love whole oats. There is a petting zoo, too! You can pet pygmy goats, miniature donkeys and a miniature horse.
ROSSE POSSE ACRES, Molalla, 503.829.7107, www.RossePosseAcres.com
Ready for LiftOff
T minus 10 seconds! The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville has planes and spacecraft galore. It is home to the world’s largest wooden plane. Nicknamed the “Spruce Goose,” this plane’s wingspan is longer than a football field! You’ll also see the SR-71 Blackbird, the world’s fastest aircraft ever built. And at the new Space Museum, you will see real space artifacts: space food, space suits, rockets, capsules and more. Get ready for liftoff because you’ll get to experience a hands-on missile launch.
EVERGREEN AVIATION & SPACE MUSEUM, McMinnville, 503.434.4180, www.sprucegoose.org
Salem is for Kids!
Did you know that Salem is the state capital of Oregon? There are a lot of fun things to do here. You can visit Salem Riverfront Park, which has a big carousel full of colorful horses you can ride. Nearby is A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village. It was named for the inventor of the Erector Set (he was born in Salem). This fun place has a bubble room where giant bubbles float through the air. It also has a huge outdoor play area. You can climb a three-story Erector Set tower, swoosh down a curvy slide, and explore a village of log cabins and huts. Extra Credit: What is an Erector Set? It is a toy construction set that was really popular in the 1950s.
RIVERFRONT CAROUSEL, Salem, 503.540.0374, www.SalemCarousel.org
A.C. GILBERT’S DISCOVERY VILLAGE, Salem
503.371.3631, http://acgilbert.org
