Travel Tips

This section of my Virtual Tourist pages provides a list of some of the most recent changes that I have made, with direct links to the changed items. Listing is by newer material at the top. You can usually tell where I have been recently due to the number of changes made to certain sections - but not always. Sometimes it is just a matter of having just found some neat photos in my collection.

Effort continues in basic housekeeping. For example, when I first joined VT, only one photo per tip was allowed. Today, it is five. Many tips can be vastly improved with more photos.

Camas, Washington has been added, as well as a couple of tips there.

East Wind added to Cascade Locks

Bonneville Dam visitor's center and fish ladder and the Cascade Fish Hatchery added to Bonneville.

Amtrak Cascades added to Washington.

Beacon Rock has been added, and includes Beacon Rock Summit Trail and the Day Use Picnic Area. When you see the travelogues Views from the Trail and Most Astonishing Trail in the Northwest I think you will agree this is the most astonishing trail in the northwest.

Santa Cruz has been added, with photo sets River Baptism 1 and River Baptism 2.

Added photos of El Malpais National Monument to Grants since that location isn't yet part of the VT location database.

Hansen Wildlife Refuge has been started - not done yet, like many other items started recently.

Samaipata added - only a few photos from 2001, but they are at least here now.

Seattle and related efforts are mostly completed. Best starting point is the Seattle Visits Travelogue.

Many minor changes too small to mention, but now Jamison Square is listed

After a number of minor changes, Pigeon Butte Trail and Hazelnut Hill added to William Finley Wildlife Refuge

Matt Schekel Memorial added to East Portland

Cabell Marsh Trail and Cabell Marsh Kiosk and Cabell Lodge are part of Finley Wildlife Refuge

Willamette Mission State Park now has a tip about the Civil War Battles

Champoeg has recently been expanded, including more photos and information about the Museum Displays at the park.

Baskett Slough NWR now has tips for the Morgan Reservoir Trail, the Cackler Marsh Trail and the Moffitti Marsh Trail.

Efforts continue on Seattle and Bainbridge Island, including many tips and photos.

Washougal: Columbia River Dike Trail, the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and Steamboat Landing Park have been added.

Milwaukie Museum added

Vista Spring Cafe added to Portland Heights.

Laurelhurst Movie Theatre added

Straight from New York Pizza added to Salem, Oregon.

Japanese Gardens improved

Six Corners now features Mazatlan Mexican Restaurant

Oregon City now features better information and updated photographs of the OC Elevator

Seattle Ping Pong Table Sculpture added

The Snag Boat Bend Unit is added to William Finley Wildlife Refuge

John Fietcher House has been added to William Finley Wildlife Refuge

Portland, Oregon now features a few more photos on some of its tips, plus some tips have been edited, updated, and the order of listing changed.

Silver Falls continues, but I have also added Oregon Historical Society Store to my Portland Shopping Tips.

I'm in the process of doing a major update to Silver Falls State Park. I've decided to include photos and descriptions of major features in the park, including some of the various waterfalls. So far, these features include Upper North Falls and North Falls and Drake Falls and the Canyon Trail and Rim Trail and Perimeter Trail.

Milwaukie Soda Fountain has been updated, which it needed to be. The little lunch counter has changed quite a bit since the tip was written on May 24, 2004.

Willamette Mission State Park now has Horse Trails and a few new photos.

Trillium Artisans has two new photos

Nest Watching at Willamette Mission State Park updated

Balch Creek during Snow added

Portland Additions: Buying Unique and Local and a store named Ease added

Tualatin River Wildlife Refuge at High Water photos added

Minto Island at High Water photos added

East Portland now has a photo album of the Jan 2, 2009 snow storm.

Finley Wildlife Refuge has a few tips on it, including Woodpecker Trail, the Homer Campbell Memorial Trail, the Finley Refuge Road Kiosk, the Intertie Trail and the Mill Hill Loop Trail. Plus, I have also put some photos in a photo album of the Jan 3, 2009 visit to the refuge.

Mary's River Natural Park completed, more or less

Bicycle Taxi added to Oyugis

Corvallis Mary's River Natural Park added (after several days of editing - and 3 more photos still need to be added)

William Finley Wildlife Refuge has been started

Tualatin Hills Nature Park with Snow added

The Snow Storm of 2008 that hit Portland has been added

more Vancouver: items outside the Fort started but not really complete yet.

Vancouver now has the Ilchee Statue, the Memorial to Shipyard Workers, the Land Bridge, and Old Apple Tree Park

Baskett Slough Wildlife Refuge has been added, including a few tips.

8 Favorite Photos from the Kastors added to Masai Mara

Eastmoreland now has a travelogue showing fall colors in the Rhododendron Garden.

Portland Memory Garden now has photos

Sain Creek Picnic Area added to Stimson Mill

The Rhododendron Garden Duck Tip has new photos (original photo was there in 2004!)

Oregon has a general State Parks tip for general information about state parks here.

Hood River has Twin Tunnels and Columbia Gorge Highway Trail

Rebuilding Horsethief Lake State Park, with its Native American art works. As of November 5, 2008 I have added a few tips, but the major effort needs to be about rebuilding the stuff that hasn't been updated from June of 2004.

A few new photos and updates on Champoeg State Park added: Blue Heron Picnic Area added and the Warnings Tip updated.

Holgate Station has been added to the Eastmoreland section.

Portland Neighborhoods and Suburbs is a tip linking Portland to surrounding cities and communities.

A few more photos have been added to Sand in the City, as when that tip was written VT only allowed 1 photo per tip.

some New Brooks videos have been added - from the 2008 Great Oregon Steamup.

Brooks now has a travelogue of Steamup 2008

Speaking of steam, the only time I visited Curtis, Washington was on a steam train trip.

3 more photos of Portland Steam Locomotives added.

After many small improvements that aren't worth mentioning, I have now added My Favorite Photos from Cindy L's collection of Oyugis photos.

Beggar's Tick added

Lents Bandstand added

Clackamas has an introduction now.

Willamette Mission State Park has been started - but far from done!

added Nairobi weddings

FPFK Guest House and Great Rift Valley added to Nairobi

My home page has a completely reworked chapter on places I have enjoyed far from home.

Six Corners now mentions the reservation only Photo Blind at the refuge, and a photo of the refuge map on the Six Corners introduction page.

I've Been Framed in east Portland is a great place to get art supplies, if you happen to be a traveling artist.

Corvallis Sculptures has two more photos.

It is possible to tour Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya

Milwaukie has Richard and Hannah Scott Park

Eagle Marsh Kiosk is part of Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge

Yet More Kenya! including Nairobi such as: Nairobi Java and Pizza Inn and you can shop at the Nairobi City Market and the Kazuri Beads store, but you might want to carefully consider if you want to go to the Karen Blixen Museum. For some reason, many people in Nairobi root for Manchester United.

Kenya Continues! For example, there are now photos of traditional food storage houses used in the Oyugis area.

Portland Zoo is completely rebuilt thanks to my 22 Sept 2008 visit.

Efforts continue on Six Corners (Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge).

A recent visit to West Linn allowed me make additions to Willamette and West Linn and Oregon City:
Oregon City: has a bus that looks like a trolley and an elevator for transportation
West Linn has new information and photos, plus the Willamette Falls Locks and the Willamette Falls Locks Museum
Willamette has started with Willamette Park and some basic information

Along with the below Kenya efforts, Six Corners (Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge) is also being added.

Troutdale now features First Friday and the Caswell Gallery.

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is slowly being added.

Center Street Wetlands has been added to Beaverton.

Waldo Park and Tree has been added to Salem

Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge has been added, including Ankeny Hill Overlook, the Pintail Marsh Bird Blind and the Rail Trail

Kenya has started, with the Masai Mara Sopa Lodge in the Masai Mara. More will come as time permits.

Videos are now possible on VT! I have added some of Steamup 2008

Gladstone's Chautauqua Festival has new, improved photos from this year's (2008) event.

I have added a new section to my VT Home Page and made a lot of changes to Vancouver, Washington. All of those changes were simply adding more detailed information to existing tips.

Buellton, California has now been added.

Troutdale has a main photo now at the top of the page.

Taste of Village has photos.

Pier Park has been added to Saint Johns, Oregon.

Small changes continue, but now I have created Eastmoreland and moved Tom Yum, the Eastmoreland Golf Course Restaurant, the Rhododendron Garden, and a few other appropriate tips there. Created Reedwood Community Garden in this section.

Various small changes and updates have been made, but only a few worthy of mention. Taste of Village and Edgefield have been added to Troutdale, while Eastmoreland Golf Course Grill has been added to Portland.

The Barn added to Champoeg State Park

New photos added to Scoggins Valley Park

Small changes have continued, including addition of a Troutdale introduction, and that city's Sunrise Park.

After making a number of small corrections and changes not worthy of specificly being mentioned, I have made some improvements to the Vancouver Introduction Page, including adding two new photographs.

New photos available for the Audobon Society of Portland, including their Wildlife Care Center

Significant improvements have been made on the Saint Johns section, including the Saint Johns Bridge and Cathedral Park

University Park and several tips have been added, and one item I originally had as a Portland tip is now part of that.

A few Photos of Silver Falls State Park added

Forest Grove has a new Travelogue of Photos from the 2007 Chalk Art Festival

Silverton has new stuff, including more photos and an introduction page.

Hollywood (Oregon) is added, including the Beverly Cleary Tribute fountain.

Japanese Garden added

Lyle, Washington and its Klickitat Trail added.

Jackson Bottoms Nature Center is now included, including their preserves.

Gladstone Nature Trail addedSteamup 2007 photos added

Some of Wilsonville's Public Art added.

I found a package of photos of Steam-up 2005 and added them.

Added photos of Champoeg Frisbee Golf Course

Photos of Foz in March 2008 and March 2007 added.

Jackson Bottom added.

Small updates and changes have been made to Tualatin Hills Nature Park and Beaverton Creek Wetlands.

Gladstone, including Cross Park and High Rocks Park and Aimes Park and the Oxford Suites Hotel has been added.

Monument to Oregon Statehood might be a nice place for history buffs to visit.

Not knowing where else to put it, I have added Jenkins Estate Park to Beaverton.

Corvallis now exists! And with it comes The Arts Center and Riverfront Commemorative Park and Peavey Arboretum / McDonald State Forest and a look at an eccentric creation that came from this university town. A few other Corvallis things were added as well.
Oregon Historical Society and Wilsonville's Murase Plaza Fountain is new.

Coast Guard Cutter Alert is new. In fact, Astoria is new.

After several weeks of very minor changes (updating photos, etc) I have added an entirely new country! Zimbabwe and A Few Photos of Victoria Falls from November, 2006.

Laurelhurst has now been added, due to the number of photos taken during the Art Walk (below).

Laurelhurst Art Walk has new photos

Portland Art Museum have been added.

Added two photos of the open market in Londrina.

Three Frontiers Mark has been added.

Turrance Hotel has new photos.

On March 13, 2008 I visited the Bird Park in Foz do Iguacu, and got some better photos than what I had before.

Fish Through Building sculpture added.

South Park Blocks has more photos now.

Japanese American Historical Plaza now has a spot here.

Champoeg State Park and nearby Butteville have been added, including the Champoeg-Butteville Trail and the Butteville Store.

Willamette Falls and Museum of the Oregon Territory and Stone Creek golf course and walking trail added.

Portland again: watch out for Street Lakes and Variable Weather. The Chapman Chimney is a place to watch birds in September.

Portland Shipyard the Bishop's Close and South Parks Blocks added