My husband and I spontaneously decided to head down to Portland, Oregon over the weekend to celebrate our 15th anniversary. We bought two round-trip Amtrak tickets, booked accommodations, and found a great day trip adventure with Pedal Bike Tours.

We chose the Columbia River Gorge Tour because of its’ combination of biking and hiking while exploring several waterfalls along the way. When we arrived at Pedal Bike Tours early Friday morning, we were excited to hear that no one else had signed up for the Columbia River Gorge Tour. Since it was just the two of us and our guide, Evan, we were able to enjoy a customized tour at our own pace. After a 45 minute drive from Portland, our tour began with views of the Columbia River Valley from the Portland Women’s Forum viewpoint.

From this point, we hopped on our bikes and headed down the Historic Columbia River Highway with instructions from our guide on where to go next. Evan was a great tour guide who added extra miles of biking and additional hikes to our tour while entertaining us with Oregon history throughout the day. Our next stop was the Vista House with more panoramic views of the valley below including our final biking destination.

With record breaking temperatures reaching 90°+, it was so nice knowing our next stop was our first waterfall. After a short distance of bike riding and hiking, it was so refreshing to feel the mist of Latourell Falls.

Another short bike ride and hike brought us to Shepperd’s Dell State Park to view Shepperd’s Dell Falls. I loved exploring the very well maintained, paved trails in this area.

Our next stop was the magical Bridal Veil Falls. As you hike along the trail, it is hidden behind a small slot canyon and a very large rock. Even though several other hikers were around, something about this waterfall felt very private and tranquil.

It was time to get back on our bikes and put some miles behind us. Once again we were riding along the scenic Historic Columbia River Highway twisting and turning our way through the valley. Our next stop was the very popular Multnomah Falls located just off the highway. Because we had already visited this location before, my husband and I chose to bypass it and head to our final destination.

Ponytail Falls was my favorite stop of the day! I enjoyed the short, vigorous hike up to a hike behind the waterfall. Hiking behind a waterfall was something I had only dreamed about up until this point.

This was the perfect ending to another adventure with my best friend. With 15 years wonderful behind us, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.