Traveling in the Columbia River Gorge as a Neurodivergent Family

Spring is the perfect time to explore Mt. Hood Territory and the Columbia River Gorge! The weather is pleasant, the wildflowers are blooming, and crowds are few. We spent four days exploring some of the best neurodivergent-friendly places with our kids.

Craving a sweet breakfast? Joe’s Donuts in Sandy is the place for you! We each chose a favorite treat, plus a few extras to try out.

From maple bacon bars to lemon curd to Boston cream to chocolate with sprinkles, the still-warm donuts were just what we needed to fuel our adventures. My personal favorite was the Pershing, a huge, deep-fried cinnamon roll topped with maple icing!

Now that we were all fueled up, we headed over to the Sandy River Delta, a natural area with plenty of trails through forests, meadows and wetlands. We took the Confluence Trail, an easy, 1.2 mile walk through meadows and forest.

We spotted several banana slugs, chipmunks, and birds along the way. We also found some tree stumps that had been cut down by beavers or nutria! 

The Confluence Trail culminates with the Bird Blind Installation, a functional art space by Maya Lin. My teens especially appreciated the emphasis on sustainability and environmental impact that the Bird Blind represented.

Ant Farm Cafe and Bakery offers fresh food and good community. Our sandwiches and wraps were delicious, and the mocha was top-notch.

Our next stop was the Jonsrud Viewpoint above the Sandy River Valley. The mid-afternoon lighting and the clear day made for fantastic views of the cloud-topped Mount Hood and other nearby features. My kids loved using the telescopes and interpretive signs that help them find land formations along the historic Oregon Trail.

Cryptids like Bigfoot are one of my AuDHD daughter’s special interests, so she flipped when we visited the North American Bigfoot Center in Boring. She would gladly have spent the entire day here absorbing all the information and discussing it with fellow enthusiasts who visited.

Cryptology works up an appetite so we headed to Full Sail Brew Pub for some burgers and fries. The casual atmosphere and quick service was exactly what we needed after a long day of exploring.

We were glad to wrap up the day at Best Western Plus Hood River Inn. Our Riverside Suite was spacious and comfortable, with a full kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the river.

My kids get the credit for finding the best breakfast stop on our trip: Egg River Cafe in Hood River. The eggs Benedict with salmon was the perfect savory breakfast dish for my daughter. But the real showstopper was my cinnamon roll French toast topped with cream cheese icing. Crisp edges, soft center and the slightly tangy topping made it the best French toast I’ve ever had!

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is a must-see for anyone new to the Columbia River Gorge area. The exhibits help explain the geology and formation of the Gorge, as well as the history and development of the area, with plenty of hands-on learning opportunities throughout. My son loved the activities in the Explorers room, especially balancing the barge. The Museum staff is happy to accommodate sensory needs, just call ahead for assistance.

The Discovery Center is also the starting point for the Dalles Riverfront Trail, a 6.5-mile paved path that leads to Riverfront Park in downtown Dalles. The spring wildflowers were in full bloom, and we saw plenty of birds as we strolled.

Spooky’s was the natural choice for a chill lunch break. Can’t go wrong with a buffet lunch, video games, and an afternoon nap!

Dinner at Solstice was phenomenal - the locally sourced ingredients and creative pizza toppings like nettle pesto made it hard to decide what to order. Be sure to save room for dessert! We ordered four different desserts, and each one was a masterpiece - the slightly smoky, toffee-like budino was my favorite.

Kickstand Coffee was our breakfast destination the next day. The gorgeously colored donuts on display were an easy yes - we had to try each flavor! We also ordered the avocado toast and the liege waffle, which were both excellent.

Then we went to the historic train depot for our spring train ride on the Mount Hood Railroad. Everything about the depot and train experience is vintage and cheery, and the staff is dedicated to making it fun for kids and adults alike.

The train ride is the perfect way to relax and enjoy beautiful weather and scenery on the way out to The Fruit Company. My kids loved the chocolate-covered cherry snacks, as well as the postcard to color and mail to their siblings back home.

In the afternoon we decided to check out the Bonneville Dam facilities. This engineering marvel is full of things to do and see, and my kids loved participating in the free Junior Ranger Program. The fish ladder room was so interesting, even though it was still early in the season so there were fewer fish- we’ll just have to come back in the fall to see more! 

After exploring the Dam Visitor Center, we stopped by the fish hatchery to meet Herman and his companions. Herman is a 10-foot sturgeon living in a pond at the hatchery, and we loved seeing all the fish at various life stages.

We grabbed tacos and burritos from Lake Taco to enjoy at our hotel suite. The friendly, quick service and fresh, homestyle food was exactly what we needed at the end of a busy day.

We couldn’t skip Broder Ost for breakfast in Hood River! My teen daughters decided to try the Danish pancakes, and were delighted with the soft, warm sweet puffs. The fritters and mocha were the perfect start to my day. We headed out to Cascade Locks for a sternwheeler cruise shortly afterwards.

We’ve decided that the absolute best way to see the Columbia River is from the sternwheeler. The views of the riverbanks, birds wheeling around and an occasional seal near the Dam make the cruise a constant source of interest and curiosity. Cruising underneath the Bridge of the Gods was unforgettable!