"More than wines and mountains in Oregon - See aviation history Outside Portland, OR, the area is known for its pinot noirs as it has vineyards balore and beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. And right out there is the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, in McMinnville just a short drive from downtown Portland. I didn't know about this museum before my trip out west but absolutely happy that I came across it. The most notable aircraft at the museum is the Spruce Goose, the largest airplane ever constructed and built entirely of wood. And amazingly, it's only flown once. It was designed by Howard Hughes, from the movie the Aviator, during World War II for the U.S. military and the Spruce Goose demonstrates American ingenuity and history. The museum houses a huge collection of aircraft both historical and modern as well as spacecraft too. The museum is actually comprised of 3 separate hangar-type structures so it's expensive and makes for great sky and space exploration even if you're stuck on the ground. There's also a movie theater so you can make a full day and of course, it's great for kids ages 2 to 87. Many of the workers here are former military veterans volunteering their time, which only adds to the experience because they're part of the history that you see around you. When we drove up to the museum, I felt like an 8 year old because you can see the large shiny aicraft through the massive glass walls of the museum. It was such a unique place and you can't help but come away feeling like you want to fly too. By Miki Kamijyo"
