Be forewarned, inflation has hit Oaks Park. Yesterday was the first sunny day of the spring break and the first week that Oaks Park is open, so it seemed like a match. I took the girls in the van and picked up their cousin. On the way out of town, I took $100 bucks out of the ATM thinking that would cover the day, but my math was way off. Of course topping off the gas tank took 40.
Last time I was at Oaks Park, the ride bracelets were about 16 bucks. Now that Eliana is over 48 inches tall, we have to pay the full price of $43 for a ride bracelet and Ivy got her own clocking in at $22. Bye-bye cash. This doesn’t include the midway games and those are five bucks apiece individually or $40 for a 10 game ticket. With all of Portland and surrounding areas on spring break, the line was significant by noon. Pre-buying tickets online didn’t help for time, because those people still had to go through the same ticket booth as everyone else.
By the time we had bracelets, it was almost 1 o’clock and everybody wanted lunch; thank goodness for Apple pay. The prices for the park’s food are comparable to fast food everywhere. You can also pack your own lunch and sit in the picnic area by the trees on the lawn.
I appreciate a small park, because I felt comfortable letting the nine-year old girls go on some rides by themselves since everything is close by. I can barely watch the tilt-a-whirl let alone go on it. I think the attendance is limited to a few thousand where the big parks down south have 50,000 people a day. Also, The little kid rides had short lines, the longest was about 15 minutes. I can’t believe how many rides Ivy is tall enough for.
Later, we stoped at the food trucks for shave ice; $30 for two larges and two smalls. The line for that was long there too, partially because all the children wanted to pick all their flavors, but also because the one worker training the other worker. It was a nice break to sit together and refresh from standing on pavement. The park’s spring schedule is noon to five which was enough time for the kids to be satisfied, but not bone tired. The girls rode the Ferris wheel, and the family train ride through the riverfront area was a pleasant way to end the day.
