Tualatin Rates High With Seniors

I search for what are called Outstanding Communities and recently I came across a contest seeking such.  Millions of dollars are at stake as a panel of judges seek out the best economic revitalization projects in the country. It’s called “America’s Best Communities.” Low and behold, up came Tualatin, Oregon. Ever heard of Tualatin, seniors?

Pronounced TU-A-LA-TIN, this is a dynamic, vibrant community of 27,000, conveniently located 12 miles south of Portland and 30 miles north of Salem, the state capital. The name of the city is taken from the Tualatin River, which flows along most of the city’s northern boundary.

Tualatin is often referred to as the community of “Rocks, Bones, Water and Wonders.” This senior was curious about those bones and discovered that the town has loads of Ice Age History. Geological historians agree that a series of Ice Age floods, bursting down from the Montana and Canadian border, over 15,000 years ago, define Tualatin’s geography and left lasting clues about prehistoric life.

 Adventurous Seniors Enjoy Tualatin

Tualatin is a short distance to adventure: skiing, snowboarding, and sledding on majestic Mt. Hood in the Cascade Mountain Range, family-friendly summer water activities on the central Oregon Coast, national-level wind-surfing or parasailing on the Columbia River, while enjoying the natural beauty of Multnomah Falls in Columbia Gorge National Recreation Area. Senior travelers, let that perk up your ears and draw your attention to a great place for a visit.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley, features year-round fun, from exciting festivals and outdoor recreation to distinctive shopping, to experiencing the Ice Age history of this unique region. Ever eat a crawfish/crayfish/crawdad or mud puppy? All the same. I have down in Louisiana where folks feast on them regularly.

 Seniors Take in Crawfish Festival

Tualatin has an annual Crawfish Festival and along with that a Cork & Kegs Festival. The 2016 event will be held on August 5th- 7th. In 1951 the First Annual Tualatin Crawfish Festival took place. It was during this year that crawfish had inhabited the Tualatin River to excess. Thus, the idea of Crawfish Festival was born. Through the years, this hugely successful festival has grown to an average number of 12,000 attendees annually.

So Tualatin is distinctive for many reasons, including a host of unrivaled community events all year long that favor folks of all ages. I’d love to watch the annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta. It is a zany series of races in boats made out of…get this… giant pumpkins. This family-friendly event gets bigger and better every year.

Seniors, set your GPS for Tualatin and enjoy all that the town has to offer. It looks like a great place to live and to visit! -jeb