Photos by Cheryl Landes When the fruit trees are in bloom every April in the Hood River Valley, the Mount Hood Railroad hosts scenic train tours through the valley. The 17-mile round-trip tour on the century-old, short-line railroad crosses forests and passes orchards and vineyards with snow-capped Mount Hood in the background. The trip departs … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: The Fruit Blossom Special on the Mount Hood Railroad

Photos by Cheryl Landes In April, when the tulips bloom at the Holland America Flower Gardens in Woodland, Washington, the fields are a carpet of bright colors. The flowers are in plain sight from the road. When the gardens are open, park and walk through designated fields and take pictures. It's a nice place to … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Holland America Flower Gardens in Woodland

Photos by Cheryl Landes From mid-March until early April at the University of Washington Quad in Seattle, pink and white blossoms burst from 29 Somei Yoshino (Yoshino cherry) trees. From a distance, the blooming trees look like rows of giant fans waving at the many visitors and photographers admiring their beauty. It's also a popular … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A cherry blossom walk at the University of Washington

Photos by Cheryl Landes Every year from late March through early April, 100 Akebono cherry trees bloom at the Japanese American Historical Plaza in Tom McCall Waterfront Park in downtown Portland. A group from the Japanese Grain Importers Association gave the trees to the city in 1990. This is one of my favorite local walks … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: A cherry blossom walk at Portland’s Waterfront Park

Benham Falls rushes through a gorge on the Deschutes River near Bend, Oregon. Photos by Cheryl Landes The Pacific Northwest has many waterfalls, and our rugged terrain creates dramatic effects. During a trip to central Oregon last spring, I discovered one that's a short, mostly flat, hike from the trailhead called Benham Falls. It's on … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Benham Falls on the Deschutes River

A view of Lava Butte from the Trail of the Moulten Land in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Central Oregon Photos by Cheryl Landes When anyone mentions volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest, we instantly think of Mount St. Helens. Its last eruption was 40 years ago, but it's still active. Mount St. Helens is … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Trail of the Moulten Land at Newberry National Volcanic Monument

Photos by Cheryl Landes Alpacas are among my favorite animals. They're cute, mellow, quirky, and always have smiles on their faces. One of my favorite places to get my alpaca fix is in Terrebonne, Oregon, at Crescent Moon Ranch. The 42-acre ranch is conveniently located 22 miles north of Bend, the largest city in central … Continue reading Armchair photo tours: Crescent Moon Ranch