In reply to: "Is there an entrance fee," the short answer is "No." But with that said, it could be misleading. The Columbia River National Scenic Area overlaps 1000's of acres in both Washington and Oregon states. In those acres are towns, parks, trails, highways, railways, and other features, both man-made and natural. While overall the Scenic Area has no fee, some parts of it might. For example, some of the trailheads have fees. Beacon Rock in Washington has a $10 fee and Eagle Creek and Wahclella in Oregon are $5 each. (Although at this time both Wahclella and Eagle Creek are closed due to fire damage in September, 2017.) Depending upon what things you enjoy, I strongly advise researching the area before you arrive. If you have a specific question, I would be glad to help, since I live nearby and have been all over the Scenic Area. One way, outside of this web site, to explore the area, is Google Earth. You can home in on specific locations and get ground level photos of attractions. You can also get previews of everything in the area. The most popular things in this area are the waterfalls, (particularly Multnomah Falls,) Bonneville Dam and the fish hatchery next to it, the many trails, and camping. There are around 77 waterfalls, some currently inaccessible due to the aforementioned fire. Multnomah Falls can get overcrowded on weekends. There are no fees for Multnomah Falls, it has a tourist gift shop, as well as decent rest rooms. There are also no fees for other nearby waterfalls with trails: Horsetail Falls, Wahkeena Falls, and Latourell Falls, all along old highway 30. Hopefully, by the time you visit, the connector trail between Multnomah and Wahkeena up on the mountain, will have been reopened, if you're into hiking. Be advised that almost all trails in the Gorge are uphill, but the waterfalls mentioned are visible from the road. If you enjoy hiking, Angel's Rest is now open and connects to Wahkeena. Beautiful hike, but so are the other hikes. Each has its own "personality." Hope this helps.

The Columbia River Gorge is a National Scenic Area that encompasses parts of both Washington and Oregon, and covers a large distance from east to west. The most scenic part is along Interstate 84 east of Portland, Oregon, although there are some places in Washington that impress. Depending upon traffic in Portland, and how far into the Gorge you want to go, it is about a 30 minute to one hour drive to most destinations on the Oregon side. As for "the" waterfall, that is a bit of a confusing question, since there are about 77 waterfalls in this area. Swimming "on" a waterfall is an unusual way to express it. I gather that you wish to stand at the bottom of one, in the falls itself. This is not advised for most of the falls here. Most are not accessible in that way, and most are quite powerful. And most are icy cold. I do not recall any falls that has a rep for people standing in them. But...a few areas near falls are popular swimming areas and one trail, the Oneonta Gorge Trail, actually goes up a creek to a waterfall. Eagle Creek has a nice swimming area near Punchbowl Falls. But...a lot of the trails are still closed due to the fire damage in 2017. Check locally to be sure the one you want is open at the time you wish to visit. Friends of the Gorge has a website that keeps up to date with trail access. (This website does not allow links.) Fishing is popular on the Columbia River during the salmon run. By waterfalls, there isn't much to fish for here. Most of the local lakes are well stocked though. One last thing you might wish to do. Open Google Earth and type in "Columbia Gorge." By perusing it you will get a better idea of what to expect.

Which falls?

Happy 50th! Our own 50th is in February! The descriptions you give, leave a lot of leeway open. What part of Oregon do you have in mind? By inland, do you mean the Cascade Mountain Range, do you mean further east? How far south or north do you plan on seeing? Is Crater Lake a consideration, for example. We have been to every part of Oregon. The pretty scenery most people want to see is in the Cascade Range, but there are some other places of interest. Hells Canyon comes to mind. Given the group you mention, I would not recommend Hells Canyon, though, and anything east of the Cascades is hot in summer. Are you flying in and all hoping to stay at the same hotel, or a number of them nearby each other? If so, perhaps Portland is your best bet for keeping everyone in your entourage together and happy. Lots of variety in hotels at different price ranges, and Portland is central to lots of various activities that your group could do collectively or in smaller groups, as it interests them. So, as a starting place to plan this feat, I suggest perusing various hotels in Portland that would meet your needs and desires, where the most members of your party would be happy staying. I don't know your price ranges or style of travel, so to recommend one over the other wouldn't make sense. We stay at Hampton Inns, La Quintas, or sometimes Best Westerns. They are usually consistently good. Holiday Inns are also nice, but they recently started adding "air fresheners" in their lobbies, which scent eventually permeates every room. I don't know if they still do this. But if they do, it would be an issue for anyone in your party that has allergies. (I personally cannot stay there anymore for that reason.) As for activities, Portland has quite a few things to do for such a cross-section of ages. The Rose Garden is world class, as is the Japanese Garden. The Rose Garden is on level ground and is relatively easy for all ages, and even though there is a shuttle that will take you to the front gate of the Japanese Garden, the garden itself requires walking. A toddler might get impatient and cranky here. An older one might not be able to handle the distances and uphill parts, especially if it's hot the day you visit. There is also an excellent, but small, Chinese Garden which would suit about anyone in your group. Portland is known for its restaurants and beer. There are more than enough venues to meet anyone's interests. In fact, their food trucks are well known. Finding restaurants should be easy. Just type "restaurants" when you get to Portland on Google Maps. If you are into video games and pinball, there are a few of those places too. One well known one is Ground Kontrol. (How they spell it.) Pittock Mansion is a beautiful historic mansion open tho the public. Powell's Books is a famous large book store downtown. Into science? OMSI Museum is excellent. Great hands on science for the little ones, and you can tour a submarine too. This is just a sampling. Type "Portland, Oregon" into Google Maps. After it takes you there, type "attractions in Portland, Oregon." You will get lots more ideas. Thirty minutes to an hour (depending how far you go) from Portland is the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Last year it was mostly closed due to a massive fire, but recently things have been reopening as they have been restored. It is a world class hiking area, with trails at all levels. People from all over the world visit. You could literally hike and camp all summer in here if you wanted to. With that said, with so much to see, you might get overwhelmed. Possibly, you could divide your group into ability or interest levels. Those who can't hike do not need to miss out. There are five falls visible from old highway 30, which has recently been reopened, that can be seen from your car or only require a short walk of a few yards: Horsetail, Multnomah, Wahkeena, Shepperds Dell, and Latourell. Multnomah Falls has a lodge that is a restaurant and gift shop. (No rooms.) Above Horsetail Falls Trail is a falls you can go behind, Ponytail Falls; a moderate to easy climb of .8 miles out and back. It goes further, and if it's open at the time, there is a one mile hike to Triple Falls from Oneonta Falls, along the trail that starts at the base of Horsetail Falls. (It might still be in the process of repair from the fire, but I am guessing it will be open by the time you get there this summer.) That last mile is strenuous. Not for those out of shape, but the falls is so beautiful it's on the cover of a falls guide for the whole Pacific Northwest. You can go up a trail to the top of Multnomah Falls. More strenuous, but moderate, not hard. Wahkeena and Multnomah have a crossover trail. You can park by one and do a loop. Moderate climb. Not for those unaccustomed to hiking, but a great trail. Latourell has a 2.3 mile loop. The lower falls is visible from two viewpoints a few yards from the parking lot. The loop trail is fairly easy, especially if you go up to the top of the upper falls first, and not down to the base first. The trail from the base is longer uphill. Other things in the Gorge: A fish hatchery and a tour of Bonneville Dam, both near each other. The tour closes after 5 p.m. On the Washington side of the Gorge is Beacon Rock. (Visible throughout the Gorge.) You can climb to the top on a fairly easy trail. Parking is $10 per car. The trail is a lot of fun but not for anyone afraid of heights. Some of the bridges hang over nothing. The gate closes at dusk. Obviously, there is a lot more to do in Oregon, but hopefully this gets you off to a good start. If you do decide to go inland to the dry side in summer, look up John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. There are three sections nearby each other. Essentially, this will be a day trip. Again, happy anniversary, and I hope you all get along, and I hope you have a great time!

P.S. Bonneville Dam and Hatchery are easy access off I-84 in the Columbia Gorge.

As of yesterday, May 1, 2018, old highway 30 is still closed and so are most trails. There was an update on the local news yesterday. They are anticipating some to be open by mid summer. With that said, if they are open, expect lots of people, since this is a popular area and the fire has closed it. So, everyone here is eager to get into the woods as soon as it's open. If highway 30 is open, depending upon your ability level, there are many falls to see and to hike to. You can see Horsetail, Multnomah, Wahkeena, and Latourell all within yards from your car. If it's open, Elowah is a lesser traveled falls trail with an easy in and back hike, and beautiful falls. All of this depends upon whether old highway 30 is open by the time you arrive. Otherwise, only the Latourell hike is open, as well as the lower viewing area for Multnomah Falls. Beacon Rock and Rodney and Hardy Falls on the Washington side are worthy stops. Be sure to pay the parking fee ($10 last year.) For a more challenging but enjoyable trail, continue on to Hamilton Mountain after seeing the two previously mentioned falls.