I like fun.

     I think that it’s pretty terrible to report that this almost-33-year-old-Oregonian had never been to Crater Lake. Thankfully…I remedied that problem last week. On Wednesday morning, Brent and I dropped Roscoe off at the puppy sitter and packed our stuff and ourselves into the Schlager’s car to make the 5-hour-or-so journey South to Crater Lake. It was fun.

     We love a good road trip, especially with the Schlagers and this drive was oh-so-scenic. From Portland we took I5 to Eugene and then HWY 58 SE through the Willamette National Forest. One word: gorgeous. I’m adding Odell Lake to my list of fun places I’d like to camp/explore. Finally we hit 97 South and then cut back west on Hwy 138 – this was the junction where we started to glimpse snow-capped peaks and where I stopped believing the navigation system. It was reporting many too many minutes to drive the short mileage that we had left. Little did I know we had a slow and curvey road to climb.

     When we arrived at the South entrance to Crater Lake National Park our four passenger vehicle felt like a school bus full of excited kids. We were bursting to get there. We greeted the park ranger with our $10 park entrance fee (per carload) and greedily took the map and the guide that she provided. None of us in the car had ever visited and we didn’t really know what to expect. I read factoids about the lodge, the volcano explosion, the boat rides and such while we rubber-necked at the scenery and took the slow drive up the mountain.  Finally we approached the first look-out area and caught a glimpse of the bluest water you’ve ever seen. The car was filled with exclamations and we jumped out to take in the natural wonder that is Crater Lake. It’s awesome – kind of indescribable – and I don’t think any of us will soon forget that first look.

     We finished the drive to Crater Lake Lodge, stopping at each turn-out to catch a different angle of the lake.  The lodge itself is charming and cool and historic. The huge fire places and the porch lined with rocking chairs were by far my favorite parts. Sitting and rocking in one of the chairs, staring out into the blue beautifulness is just about as good as it gets.

     We really had no idea what to expect from our Crater Lake experience. Now, having been there once, here’s what we learned.

1. It’s a National Park which means it’s filled with hundreds of Griswold types on their family vacations. Rim Village is the worst-most congested area to be – avoid it unless you’re looking for a theme-park experience. The ideal place is the lodge’s great room or porch. They serve cocktails there and appetizers starting at 3PM.
2. The water is pretty unapproachable (much to my water-loving-husband’s dismay). It takes a bit of a hike to get to the water’s edge and the climb back out is equivalent to climbing 65 flights of stairs – we skipped it this time because we were in relaxation mode.
3. The boat ride around the lake and to Wizard Island looks cool (it requires the same hike mentioned above). We didn’t do it this time, because we arrived at 2PM and left the following day at 10am. Next time we’ll plan to be there longer so that we can spend a day at Wizard Island.
4. The rooms are small and clean, but nothing spectacular. We had a lake view which I would recommend (even though the windows are small). Next time I’ll try to get a room with a claw-foot tub.
5. The dining room is fun and replicates the original. There’s an awesome painting of the lake that changes color as day turns to twilight and to dark. The food is just ok, but the ambiance/affordability makes up for it. The wine list leaves something to be desired. We brought a nice Penner-Ash Pinot and we’re glad – corkage fee was only $10 and when you see their wine list – you’ll know why. Bring your own bottle, you’ll be glad you did.
6. Star-gazing is pretty radical. We loved those rocking chairs and made good use of them. It’s cold when the sun goes down, so bundle up.
7. Get up at 5AM and watch the sun rise over the lake. It’s worth it.
8. The history of the place is almost as cool as seeing the lake itself. Take the time to read and or listen to the history (there’s a CD in each room that has an oral history recording).
9. It’s a good place to get engaged?! I’ve never witnessed a public engagement, but on Wednesday afternoon while we were enjoying our cocktails alfresco, a man and a woman got engaged – giant sign hung over the porch-railing style. It was pretty fun to be a fly-on-the-wall during their romantic moment. It’s definitely a beautiful place to make a special memory.

All and all our trip to Crater Lake was super fun. You can see more photos in the Facebook album.

If you’ve been to Crater Lake, leave a comment with a tip, or your favorite memory.