Washington via Chicago

I assume when you say gorge, you mean Columbia Gorge, not "the Gorge at George." Maryhill is worth checking out. It's a chateau built by a mad railroad magnate that's stuffed full of artwork, including some Rodins, iirc. The same guy had a replica of Stonehenge built nearby. Both are along the highway on the Washington side.

 

+1 I've lived in Washington for over 25 years and just this past summer discovered this place on the drive from Seattle to Bend, OR. It's spectacular. More than well worth the time.

 

I'd have thought that would be well to the east of how you'd get to Bend from Seattle, but I've never been from that direction.

 

I assume you will bring a hand truck.

 

TSA recently enacted a new policy at Sea-Tac and PDX where hand trucks are confiscated on sight. Best to leave it back home.

 

Sounds like this is a road trip? If you find yourself on I-84 in eastern Oregon, you need to stop in at Barley Brown's in Baker City.

 

It's only 15 minutes or so longer per Google Maps, Mapquest, etc. to take the route we took. Rather than I-5 to Portland then east to Bend, we took I-90 then I-82 to Yakima, then proceed south on US-97 all the way to Bend. Took us right through Maryhill. Plus, the drive is not nearly as monotonous as I-5.

 

Depending on the time of day, it might even be quicker than I-5.

Did you check out the weird concrete Stonehenge as well? Probably inspired the label for Hophenge as much as the UK Stonehenge.

 

Personally I'd give a shout out to Red Mountain, but you get the point. This is also wine country, and if hitting wineries are your thing, there's a lot that will jump out at you. If you are returning via Spokane you'll miss the Yakima Valley, which is liberally supplied with wineries (plus Bale Breaker and all the hop fields), but there's a great scenic spot that also happens to be a pretty good winery called Arbor Crest, housed in what once was an elevator magnate's mansion poised on the edge of a cliff on the north side of Spokane Valley.

 

Yes, we went to the Stonehenge replica first. Not nearly as amazing as the chateau/museum.

 

Absolutely right, it's not as amazing, but it's pretty fucking weird.

 

True dat.

 

On the Oregon side of the gorge, not too far east of Portland, there's Multnomah Falls (funny, my phone doesn't know common swear words, but knew Multnomah). It's fairly impressive, and you can hike up to the top without losing too much time.

 

US 97 is way better from Seattle to Bend and into California for that matter. I avoid I5 all the time unless my destination is in the Willamette Valley. Many times I even take US 97 going from Seattle to Hood River. I5 is for tourists and dodging snow.

 

When passing through Spokane, Iron Goat will be in their new digs by then. Best beer in Spokane, IMHO. Steam Plant's beer is pretty ho-hum but the atmosphere is pretty cool (old coal into steam heat plant with 300-foot smokestacks and lots of industrial stuff left inside). If travelling with kids they'd probably dig it.

 

So, going through Yakima Valley?