Travel Portland, the Rose City's official tourism bureau, offers an ever-changing - but always great - series of seasonal package deals called "Portland Perks". The various Portland Perks packages give you the opportunity to save on restaurants, parking,  attractions, and more. Currently, visitors who book and travel between now and March 31, 2012, can get $72 off a second night's stay. The 23 Portland-area hotels participating in this particular "perk" include the Governor Hotel, Hotel Fifty, Skamania Lodge, and The Resort at the Mountain. The package combines a two-night hotel stay with continental breakfast for two each morning, free parking, and the $72-off, second night saving.  As icing on the cake, they provide a Portland Perks coupon book so you can save even more at local restaurants, attractions, shops, and activities.

Astoria, Oregon, which celebrated its bicentennial in 2011, is quite the fun and interesting place to visit. It all starts with the location, where the great Columbia River empties into the  Pacific Ocean. The combination of local rivers, lakes, ocean, wetlands, and forests creates an amazing and scenic outdoor playground. Astoria's colorful history is evident all around, from the charming Victorian homes to the many museums and historic places. There's great food - try the Blue Scorcher Bakery Cafe or the Bridgewater Bistro - and cordial lodging. Here are my recommendations for the best fun things to to in Astoria, Oregon.

Yellowstone Association Institute, Yellowstone National Park's official partner for education, offers a variety of learning programs for park visitors. These programs come in a variety of formats and include field seminars, lodging and learning, private tours, and backpacking classes. Topics cover everything from wildlife to photography to art to history. Yellowstone Association Institute has added 23 new courses to this year's schedule; new topics include making your own Yellowstone video, wilderness route-finding, and fly-fishing for families. New hiking courses include a backpacking expedition around the base of Electric Peak and another through the heart of Yellowstone's canyon country, as well as day-hikes off-trail on the northern range and through lake country. Other exciting new courses:

• Lamar Wildlife Getaway -  three days of wildlife watching, hiking, meals, and lodging at the Lamar Buffalo Ranch
• Grizzly Bears and Humans: Can We Get Along? - a look at grizzly/human interaction
• Raptors Over Yellowstone - a course that meets up with the Yellowstone Raptor Initiative

Lewis and Clark enthusiasts love visiting Montana, and Montana has a lot to offer Lewis and Clark enthusiasts. Throughout the state, visitors can find themselves standing where the Corps of Discovery once stood, or exploring the same landscape where the Corps once traveled. Here are some new articles in my growing series covering Lewis and Clark sites in the Northwest. You'll find out what the Lewis and Clark Expedition did in each region, and what sites you can visit today.

• Lewis and Clark Sites in and near Helena MT
• Lewis and Clark Sites in Southwest Montana
• Lewis and Clark Sites near Missoula MT