Help! My family is visiting & I don’t know what to do with them…
Even though I’m in my late forties, I still get little butterflies in my stomach when I see my parents' Washington or Idaho license plates in our driveway. Second only to the hundred dollar bill that has fallen out of my birthday card every year since I was born, having my parents visit is always incredibly special. Trying to plan anything with aging parents who have varied interests and a teenager can be challenging, but here are a few tried and true activities we’ve all enjoyed.
Friday night we usually stay home and order pizza, spaghetti, and raviolis from Nonna Emilia Ristorante Italiano. The pizza at Nonna’s is one of a kind. It’s round in shape, but cut into squares and is typically missing a piece or two by the time I get it home. They cook everything home style so you get lots of bold flavors that hit the spot after a long day of traveling. Their meatballs are the size of a baseball and fall apart tenderly when they are lifted onto your fork of spaghetti noodles. Oh, and their cheese raviolis covered in a white sauce with a skillfully placed dollop of red sauce on the top is the perfect combo for those of us that are indecisive. We usually eat until the elastic on our sweats won’t stretch any further, visit and play board games.
My dad and I walking the dogs at Sellwood Riverfront Park.
My Dad is a big outdoor lover, so he’s always up for a quick hike or dog walking adventure. While the rest of the family eases into their morning, we enjoy running our dogs at Sellwood Riverfront Park. This is an awesome park with restrooms, easy parking, and an impressive off-leash, grassy area and off-leash beachfront. Our big Bernedoodle loves the water and especially loves bobbing for her ball! There is an easy to navigate dirt trail that follows the river which makes for fantastic people watching. Everyone here is in the best mood because of the adorable dogs, the tranquil water, and a city view that’s unbeatable. After we’ve worn the pups out we like to stop for a super secret car taco from Taco Del Sol. Yes, please!
My parents aren’t that into city adventures so we opt for something with a great indoor/outdoor vibe like Topgolf. With spacious bays where the whole family can relax comfortably, it’s a really fun place to hang out, rain or shine. We usually feast on finger-licking wings, a soft, warm, jumbo pretzel with mouth watering cheese sauce, and a huge selection of burgers and drinks. Oh, and my teenager (and the rest of us for that matter) is obsessed with the donut hole dessert with injectable fillings! Who doesn’t love to make their own donut? Each family member gets their turn to hit a ball with the clubs provided and tries to get it in the target areas on the range. No prior golfing skills are required and if you’re lucky, you might even get a few pointers from one of their free golf pros! We always have a blast at Top Golf keeping score, talking mad trash, and stuffing our faces with really good grub!
After our big adventures we often split off for a little afternoon R&R. My Dad and husband usually end up grabbing a beer and watching the Portland Timbers or Portland Trailblazers on TV. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew head to one of our favorite Chinese foot spas like Tea Massage in Tigard. For around $45/per person you can get an incredible foot and leg massage using traditional Chinese Reflexology. When you leave, you will feel like you’re walking on clouds. The red, puffy chairs, calming music, and warm water are the perfect way to ease into the evening. Afterwards, we caffeine up with a quick run to Dutch Bros Coffee for our favorite iced latte or sugar-free freeze!
We always enjoying dining at one of Portland’s many Teppanyaki restaurants such as Fuji's Grill and Sushi. It’s an outstanding, local Japanese style steak house hidden in a nondescript strip mall. The chefs put on a thrilling dinner show complete with onions turned into a volcanic fire and shrimp that gets tossed like juggling clubs. They serve up heaping piles of fried rice, noodles, steak, chicken, shrimp, scallops or tofu and veggies that are so good even the kids will eat them without rioting. Their sushi is also fantastic and incredibly fresh if that’s more of your vibe. Regardless of what you select for dinner, you will leave with a happy heart and a full belly!
Even though we’d likely be just as happy doing nothing, sharing experiences like these when my parents visit always enhances the memories that were made. I am reminded every visit that we are all getting older and our time together isn’t always promised. Each meal, game of cards, golf challenge, or recipe we make together is special. I love my family and any time I get to spend with them is a bonus, especially given our distance and busy lives. These visits produce the same kind of euphoria that a fresh $100.00 falling out of a birthday card does, but the hug goodbye is worth far more than anything money could ever buy.