Doggie Nirvana

If there is such a place as dog heaven, it's going to look a lot like Kelley Point Park. This large 93-acre park is one of Rosey's favorite places and ranks high on my list of great spots for hiking, picnicking and, like I said in the previous sentence, taking your dog. Located at the mouth of the Willamette where it meets the Columbia, it's the perfect place to walk along the sandy beach next to the river, throw sticks and enjoy a view of wildlife, a working river and the giant ships that load and unload cargo on the other bank.

Created on a spit of land in 1984, in the 1840s the park was originally meant to be developed into "the Manhattan of the Northwest" by New Englander Hall J. Kelley. When he realized his grand scheme was often underwater, he gave up and went off in search of other projects. But when it fell into the hands of the Port of Portland, the agency covered the flood-prone peninsula with tons of river dredgings to create the park as we know it today. The dogs of Portland salute your failure, Mr. Kelley!