Seals on the coast.

In Crescent City we found out that there was a Seal Harbor.  The husband really wanted to go to the Aquarium...but this was free and outside!  Aiko thought they were amazing.  She would yell out at them and they would just make all sorts of ruckus.

For some reason I don't have any photos of the actual seals, but I promise they were there.  Plus, we saw otters playing and lots of bird poop.

Tripping back from Crater Lake

Portland Coast // Day 4 // Fernwood Hike

I was kind of done at this point...we'd been to the Trees of Mystery, The Redwood Forest, Klamath City, and then the husband wanted to go do this Fern hike.  I mean, I was pooped, the kids were pooped.  In the end, he won.  It's a good thing too, because it was like Fern Gully. 

One minute we're in the Redwoods, the next we are in the sandy beaches next to the ocean and then you hike a few miles inland and BAM! 

You've found fern gully. 

  

Both sides of the cliffs were just covered in ferns. 

   

Little Brother became quite obsessed with his hand.  He would just stick it out and then gaze at it for hours.  Mama wanted to join in on the fun too. 

I can't even tell you how green it was, just amazing. 

Do you guys own Chacos?  Because, really, that's all I wore this entire trip.  I've had them for over 10 years.  Sadly, I forgot the husband's somehow, so he couldn't gallop through the water like brother and I. 

So remember how I said we hiked in through the beach...well, apparently, it's also were some elk hang out too.  I thought elk were in the high mountains, not hanging out next to the beach.  

Aiko thought it was crazy too. 

These lovely flowers grew in the dustiest part of the road.  They were so lovely and noteworthy I had to take a picture.

Portland Coast // Day 2 // Sea Lion Caves // Mile Marker 179.3

One of the most touristy things on the Oregon Coast and I felt the NEED to check it off my list.

There is this cave where the sea lions go and one can pay to watch them.  You take an elevator down in the side of a cliff to get to the cave.

Which, we went the wrong time of the year, because there were no sea lions, not a single one.  Well, there were fake ones and a skeleton of one.  Nonetheless, we paid the $17 per person to go down to the cave.

When will we ever be able to ride an elevator into a sea lion cave area? 

Never.  Besides, we saw a whale.

We went on a super cool hike.

Plus, we got to look out the original entrance to the cave.  It's worth going down if you ask me.  It was beautiful.  They have this old picture of how they used to climb hundreds of wooden stairs down into the caves.  It looked amazing.

Portland Coast // Day 1 // Leaving on a Jet Plane