“Just because gas is high doesn’t mean you have to pitch a tent in your backyard,” said Doreen Loofburrow, director of travel for AAA Oregon/Idaho. “There are a lot of things for you to do and see in our own area, a lot of places many people probably haven’t ever visited or haven’t been to in a long time.”

For quick getaways easy on the odometer and the pocketbook, consider the following Washington and Oregon destinations.

Mount Rainier National Park

• What: Mount Rainier National Park is a mix of old-growth forest, historic buildings, meadows, hot springs, lakes and temperate rainforest.
• Where: Mount Rainier National Park is about three hours northeast of Vancouver. To reach the park, go north on Interstate 5, then east on U.S. Highway 12. Head north on state Highway 7, then east on state Highway 706.
• Why: Mount Rainier National Park offers hiking, camping, climbing and educational opportunities. There are more than 260 miles of trails in the park. Some hikes are less than a mile and one loop is 93 miles. There are intensities to fit every fitness level.
  For kids ages 6 to 11, the park offers a Junior Ranger program. Those interested should stop by a visitor’s center and pick up a free Junior Ranger Activity Book. Activities include a scavenger hunt, word searches, coloring pages and puzzles. When kids complete the book, which can take anywhere from a couple hours to a couple days, they receive a badge and a certificate. From late June through Labor Day, the park also offers free guided activities for kids led by park rangers.
  The entrance fee for the park is $15 per noncommerical vehicle, good for seven days. Camping and climbing may require additional permits, as well as reservations.
  The Paradise Inn in the national park reopened in May after two years of renovations. Built in 1916, the historic inn has 121 guest rooms, a restaurant, a cafe and a gift shop offering American Indian crafts. Rooms range from $99 to $228 a night.
  Even if you’re just visiting for the day, though, you can still enjoy the inn’s views and cuisine.
  Most breakfast and lunch entrees at the Paradise Inn Dining Room are $10 to $12. Dinner entrees are $17.75 to $28.50. A children’s menu is available for those 11 and younger. Breakfast is $4.95, and lunch and dinner are $5.95.
• Info: Mount Rainier National Park, nps.gov/mora, 360-569-2211. For the Paradise Inn, see rainier.guest
  services.com or call 360-569-2275 or 360-569-2400.

Ocean Shores

• What: An artsy community on the Washington coast developed by singer Pat Boone in the 1960s, Ocean Shores boasts about six miles of sandy beaches open to the public.
• Where: Ocean Shores is about a three-hour drive from Vancouver. Go north on Interstate 5. Follow signs to Aberdeen, going west on U.S. Highway 12, then west on state Highway 109. Follow signs to Ocean Shores, taking state Highway 115 south.
• Why: Ocean Shores has activities to appeal to outdoorsy types and shopaholics, children and adults. The community has 23 miles of lakes and canals. People can rent an electric, pedal or fishing boat or canoe for a closer look at herons, ducks and fawns. Ocean Shores Electric Boat Company offers canoes and pedal boats for $20 an hour. Fully covered and enclosed electric boats are $75 an hour. Fishing boats are $30 for one hour or $75 for the day. Coupons are available at the Ocean Shores Visitor’s Information Center.
  For landlubbers, Apollo Activities provides surreys, all-terrain vehicles, mopeds and bicycles. Moped rentals are $21 for an hour, three-wheeled peddle bikes are $8 per hour, four-person surreys are $25 for an hour or $15 for half an hour, two-person surreys are $15 for an hour or $10 for half an hour, and four-wheelers and sand go-carts are $14 for 15 minutes.
  Chenois Creek Horse Rentals offers guided horseback rides on the beach for $20 an hour. Nan-Sea Stables has a three-and-a-half hour introductory horsemanship class priced at $60.
  For $38, golf lovers can play 18 holes at Ocean Shores Golf Course. Monday through Thursday, it’s $30 for seniors 60 and older.
  Beyond outdoor activities, Ocean Shores is known for its many art galleries and antique shops. Visitors can peruse midcentury American pottery at Gordon’s Antiques & Collectibles and photography, blown glass and paintings by local and regional artists at Fusions: The Artist’s Gallery.
  For more free fun, travelers can visit the Ocean Shores Interpretive Center. There they’ll find hands-on, interactive displays, including mammal skins and bones, shells, rocks, artifacts from the Catala shipwreck and a scale model of the Chow Chow Bridge.
  When hunger strikes, check out the views from Waves Restaurant & Bar in the Best Western Lighthouse Suites Inn while enjoying signature dishes such as beer-battered fish and chips and clam chowder. Most breakfasts are $5.95 to $9.95. Lunches range from $5.95 for a soup and sandwich combination to $15.95 for a prawn and scallops meal. Dinners are $12.95 to $23.95. Children’s menu items are $2.99 to $3.99 for breakfast, and $5.99 to $7.99 for lunch and dinner.
  Alec’s by the Sea also is known for fish and chips, as well as its family-friendly atmosphere. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. Prices range from $7 to $15 for lunch, $10 to $25 for dinner and $4 to $6 for children’s meals.
  If one day in Ocean Shores isn’t enough, the Gitche Gumee Inn & Suites and Sands Resort are popular lodging options for families. Sunday through Thursday at the Gitche Gumee, a room is $69 and an apartment is $129, plus 11.3 percent tax. On Fridays and Saturdays, prices are $99 for standard rooms and $159 for apartments. Weekly rates are available as well. Gitche Gumee units have golf course views, and the complex has indoor and outdoor heated pools, as well as two game rooms and a weight room. All units are pet-friendly and guests receive a complimentary continental breakfast. Rooms at the Sands are $89 to $269 a night, plus tax, during the summer. The hotel has indoor and outdoor heated pools, hot tubs, complimentary continental breakfast and is located on the sand dunes. Some rooms have ocean views and some are pet-friendly.
• Info: oceanshores.org; tourismoceanshores.com; Ocean Shores Visitor’s Information Center, 800-762-3224, 120 W. Chance a La Mer N.W.; Ocean Shores Interpretive Center, 360-289-4617, 1033 Catala Ave. S.E.; Ocean Shores Electric Boat Company, 360-289-0487, 952 Point Brown Ave. S.E.; Apollo Activities, 360-289-3830, Ocean Shores Mall Unit 1, 172 W. Chance a La Mer; Chenois Creek Horse Rentals, 360-533-5591, on the beach across from the Best Western Lighthouse Suites Inn; Nan-Sea Stables, 360-289-0194, 255 state Highway 115; Ocean Shores Golf Course, 360-289-3357, 500 Canal Drive N.E.; Gordon’s Antiques & Collectibles, 360-289-3980, 317 Damon Road; Fusions: The Artist’s Gallery, 360-289-2811, 834 Point Brown Ave. N.E.; Alec’s by the Sea, 360-289-4026, 131 E. Chance a La Mer N.E.; Waves Restaurant & Bar in the Best Western Lighthouse Suites Inn, 360-289-3440, 491 Damon Road; Gitche Gumee Inn & Suites, 360-289-3323, 648 Ocean Shores Blvd. N.W.; and Sands Resort, 800-841-4001, 801 Ocean Shores Blvd.

Skamania Lodge
and surrounding area

• What: Skamania Lodge is a rustic mountain resort sitting on 175 wooded acres in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
• Where: The lodge is about an hour from Vancouver. Head east on state Highway 14. Immediately after entering Stevenson city limits, turn left on Rock Creek Drive, then go left on Skamania Lodge Way.
• Why: The lodge offers views of the gorge, a summer concert series and access to the area’s many draws, including hiking trails, waterfalls, wildflowers and the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway.
  A night at the lodge ranges from $253 to $413, plus 9-percent tax.
  But you needn’t be a guest to explore the lodge’s grounds and many of its amenities. A day pass to use the resort’s exercise facility and locker room with dry sauna, hot tubs and showers is $7.
  The lodge also has a full-service spa, with prices ranging from $48 for manicure to $65 for a pedicure to $295 for an 80-minute couples massage.
  For $80, golf enthusiasts can play 18 holes. The price includes cart rental, bottles of water and a set of golf balls.
  Venturing about 30 miles east of the lodge, adventurers can take a white-water rafting trip on the White Salmon River. A half-day excursion arranged through Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys is $65 per person for one to 11 adults, $60 for 12 to 17 adults and $55 for children 12 and younger and groups of 18 or more adults.
  After working up an appetite, travelers can eat a picnic lunch or head back to the lodge’s Cascade Dining Room. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast ranges in price from $2.25 to $12.25. There’s a champagne brunch offered Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $27.95. Lunch is $7 to $16. Dinner is $9 to $34. Children’s meals are $4 to $6.
• Info: Skamania Lodge, skamania.com, 509-427-7700, 1131 S.W. Skamania Lodge Way, Stevenson; Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, www.fs.fed.us/r6
  /columbia, 541-308-1700; and Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys, zooraft.com, 800-366-2004, 1248 state Highway 141, White Salmon.

Ridgefield National
Wildlife Refuge

• What: The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge has 5,283 acres of marshes, grasslands and woodlands. Two areas, the Carty Unit and the River ‘S’ Unit, are open to the public.
• Where: The refuge is in Ridgefield, about a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver. Head north on Interstate 5, then take exit 14 and go west on Pioneer Street. To reach the River ‘S’ Unit, turn left on South Ninth Avenue or Hillhurst Road. The refuge entrance is about three-quarters of a mile up the hill on the right side of the road. To reach the Carty Unit, turn right on Main Avenue and go north for one mile. The refuge entrance is located on the left side of the road.
• Why: At the River ‘S’ Unit, there are walking trails and a driving tour for looking at birds, plants and other wildlife. At the Carty Unit, visitors will find walking trails and the Cathlapotle Plankhouse, a full-scale replica of a Chinookan-style cedar plankhouse. The Cathlapotle Plankhouse is open weekends from noon to 4 p.m. and for special events.
  Day admission to the refuge is $3 per vehicle. An annual pass is available for $15.
• Info: fws.gov/ridgefield
  refuges/RNWRHome.htm, ridgefieldfriends.org, 360-887-4106.

Astoria, Ore.

• What: Founded in 1811, Astoria is a beach community on the Columbia River with a strong sense of history. “The Goonies” was filmed here in the mid-1980s.
• Where: Astoria is on the northwest tip of Oregon, about two hours from Vancouver. Take Interstate 5 north to Longview. Take exit 36 and follow signs to U.S. Highway 30 on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. Go west on Highway 30 to Astoria.
• Why: Visitors to the Astoria area can alternate between trips back in time and outdoor recreation opportunities.
  A good way to orientate yourself when you first arrive is a ride on the Astoria Riverfront Trolley. The restored 1914 trolley runs for three miles along the Columbia River. The ride lasts about an hour, during which time a volunteer conductor discusses Astoria’s history and attractions. Tickets are $1 for a single ride and $2 for all-day access.
  Another way to get a good overview of the community is by visiting the Astoria Column. This 1926 structure is 125 feet high and has 164 steps winding to the top. The tower is closed for renovations this summer, but the surrounding park is still worth visiting for sweeping views of the area. There is a $1 annual parking fee.
  Another popular destination for families is the Columbia River Maritime Museum. The museum traces the evolution of maritime transportation from the days of dugout canoes through the present. Visitors can walk the bridge of a World War II warship and see a 44-foot motor lifeboat plow through a wave in a simulated rescue mission. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, $4 for youth ages 6 to 17 and free for children 5 and younger. AAA members get $1 off.
  The Heritage Museum offers another glimpse into Astoria’s past, with everything from American Indian artifacts to clothing from the Victorian era. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and AAA members and $2 for children.
  For a slice of Victorian life, consider visiting the Flavel House Museum. This historic 1885 Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion has been restored so that its furnishings and architectural details are consistent with the time period. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors 65 and older and AAA members, $2 for youth ages 6 to 17 and free for children 5 and younger. Family passes are $15 and include up to three adults and four children.
  Fort Clatsop National Memorial commemorates the time in the early 1800s when the Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered in what is now Astoria. The facility includes a reconstructed fort, a museum, trails and a picnic area. Admission is $3 for adults and free for those 15 and younger and National Park pass holders.
  Across Young’s Bay, just a few minutes from Astoria, Fort Stevens State Park offers camping spots, hiking and biking trails and fishing and swimming opportunities. The park also is home to the Peter Iredale shipwreck. The entrance fee is $3 per vehicle, and allows access to any Oregon state park for the day. A $25 annual permit is available as well.
  When it’s time to grab food, Cannery Cafe is a popular destination known for its views of the Columbia River. Breakfast ranges from $4.75 to $16.50. Lunch is $8 to $20. Most dinner entrees are $12.50 to $36. Children’s menu items are offered for those 12 and younger and range in price from $4 to $9.50.
  Pig ‘N Pancake has several outposts along the Oregon coast. The Astoria restaurant was established in 1967 and offers 35 different breakfast options served all day. It also serves steaks, pastas and seafood. Most breakfasts are $2.95 to $12.25. Lunches are $8.10 to $16.95. Dinner is $8.95 to $17.95. Children’s breakfast items are $2.95 to $5.50. Lunch and dinner are $3.25 to $4.95.
  Lodging options in the Astoria area include campsites and yurts, as well as hotels and bed and breakfasts. The Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites and the Astoria Dunes Motel are both located on the riverfront near trolley stops, and both have heated indoor pools and offer some pet-friendly rooms. A night at the Holiday Inn costs $149 to $329, plus 10-percent tax. A room at the Dunes Motel is $65 to $150, plus tax.
• Info: Astoria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce, oldoregon.com, 800-875-6807, 111 W. Marine Drive; Cannery Cafe, 503-325-8642, 1 Sixth St.; Pig ‘N Pancake, 503-325-3144, 146 West Bond; Astoria Dunes Motel, 503-325-7111, 288 W. Marine Drive; Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 503-325-6222, 204 West Marine Drive; Columbia River Maritime Museum, 503-325-2323, 1792 Marine Drive; Flavel House Museum, 503-325-2203, Eighth and Duane streets; Heritage Museum, 503-325-2203, Sixteenth and Exchange streets; Astoria Column, 503-325-2963, 2199 Coxcomb Drive; Astoria Riverfront Trolley, 503-325-6311, 1 Basin St.; Fort Clatsop National Memorial, 503-861-2471, 92343 Fort Clatsop Road; and Fort Stevens State Park, 503-861-1671, 100 Peter Iredale Road, Hammond, Ore.

MARY ANN ALBRIGHT can be reached at maryann.albright@columbian.com or 360-735-4507.