Ok holiday party people – we’re in the home stretch! It’s time to turn on your Out of Office replies and put all the boring work in a pile and hide it. You have a week left to squeeze in as much fun as possible and so here are a few of our favorite PDX classics to try or return to with the whole family.

Trains!

Oregon has a bizarre abundance of holiday trains that offer a fun way to soak up the seasonal spirit. There’s the Oregon Rail Heritage Center’s Holiday Express Train (running through Dec 18th) which offers adult, child and family pricing and runs every 90 minutes. A great adventure to take the Polar Express-obsessed kids on!

For those inclined to roadtrip, there’s more holiday train fun to be had all over the state like the Candy Cane Express with hot cocoa and cookies roundtrip from Garibaldi to Rockaway Beach.

Boats!

Bundle up and head down to the Willamette to take in the light show on the water. The 68th Annual Christmas Ships celebration boasts boats decked out in holiday lights in a sparkling floating parade along the river. Check the schedule to see what bridge parade works for you! (Runs thru Dec. 21st)

(Photos from christmasships.org)

Lights!

Peacock Lane – You know it, you love it, it’s the classic SE PDX street of storybook charmers illuminated from the sidewalk to the rooftops with about a zillion lights and cutouts and inflatables that run the gamut from classic Grinch to pop culture darlings like Chewbacca and Buddy the Elf. Dec 17th is the last pedestrian-only night and after that it’s open to pedestrians & cars alike. Fill that Yeti with cocoa and have a blast.

Donate!

Today (Friday Dec. 16th) is the final day of the Windermere Foundation’s Share the Warmth 2022 campaign. If you have any coats or blankets you could part with, there are many PDX families who would really appreciate them. All Portland Windermere offices will happily accept. Find the closest location to you here.

Happy Holidays & may you have a fun, fabulous next week with friends and family!