Avis Peaceful Retreat on the Columbia in the Heart of the Portland Vancouver Area

Traveling nurse: stayed for 3 months. Wish it was longer. Very safe, gated community. Easy access to Portland hospitals. Family visited on weekends. We docked our 17 foot bowrider and it was amazing to just jump on the boat for a ride after work. If you’re a travel nurse or just looking for a great family getaway, I highly recommend.

I couldn’t have asked for a better place to stay. James’ floating g home was such a treat. Incredibly comfortable, well-stocked & such a beautiful setting. Thank you for opening your home!

The property is great and in a good location in the marina.

We stayed in this floating home from late May till the beginning of September, and it is, as advertised, a very Peaceful Retreat on the Columbia. We miss being there, enjoying morning tea, cocktails or dinner on the deck, watching the parade of boats go by, chatting with the very friendly neighbors, and enjoying the wildlife all around us. There were many different species of ducks, geese, a great blue heron who hung around the moorage, and we even saw a beaver while there. James was a wonderful host who made the check-in process so easy for us and has his home stocked with everything you need. He keeps the house in great repair. The house was clean and appliances all worked great. Our family and friends in the area loved to come to this unique home and experience being on the river with us. We enjoyed launching our kayak off the back dock and jumping in the water to cool down. Also, walks around the moorage allowed you to see many different floating homes and meet interesting people who live in a very special community. The location was convenient drive to downtown Portland or go north and spend some time in revitalized Vancouver, WA.. You could also ride a bike or walk to TriMet to get to downtown. We made day trips up the Gorge and to Mt Hood. We also spent a nice afternoon in Astoria on our way back from the Oregon Coast and were still home in time for dinner. We cannot wait to return and roll on the river again soon.

Enjoyed our stay

We just spent August thru November on this floating home & cannot say enough good things about it. I don’t even know where to begin… James’s floating home was the most comfortable VRBO that we have ever rented. We’ve been using VRBO since 2008, at least 1 to 3 times per year. Everything was thought out & versatile. Comfortable seating & beds and the kitchen did not leave you for wanting anything. The front porch is covered is heaven, we spent many days/evenings out on it. The home’s location in the Moorage could not be better! You see the sunrise out the front windows & the sunset out the back. I loved getting up early in the AM & watching the fog roll in & then just magically disappear. It is pure entertainment watching… every sort of watercraft that you can imagine, plus people fishing, swimming, sail surfing etc. The wildlife is so entertaining, there is even a resident beaver & birdsong fills the air! The moorage is well maintained, as well as being well lite. We walked most nights up & down all the boardwalks & enjoyed the ambiance the lighting offered. I don’t know how many floating homes there are, but there must be at least 150 & they are all different, from sophisticated to whimsical it is pure entertainment. Across from the gated parking lot from the Moorage is a huge shopping center (which can’t be seen from the floating homes), it has Target with a nice sized grocery store, Home Goods, Home Depot, Restaurants etc., so if you don’t want to drive anywhere you don’t have to! The moorage is located right off I5 which makes it ideal to tour OR & WA. You can get to the Zoo, Japanese Gardens, downtown Portland within 10 minutes, Columbia Gorge about a 30-minute drive. Across the river is Vancouver which has a wonderful Riverwalk, is only a 5-minute drive… I could go on & on! James is a jewel. We’ll be back. If you considering an extended stay in the Portland area, I can’t recommend this place enough! It deserves 10 STARS! THANK YOU SO MUCH JAMES!

We had the opportunity to spend three glorious months on this cozy and charming floating house. Great east and west views, quite and convenient to shopping, restaurants and attractions. We had everything we needed, beds were very comfortable all of the appliances, internet, etc. worked great. We have great memories from our stay! Thank you for being a great host and taking care of this gem, so we can come back and stay for the years to come!