Three Excellent Country Clubs in the Portland-Vancouver Area

I spend quite a bit of time in the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan area (some refer to this as the PDX region), traveling there and visiting friends. I frequently am at several of the country clubs in the area, and have had fairly pleasant experiences that I would like to share with you. Here are three of my favorite county clubs, all located within 45 minutes of downtown Portland.

Club Green Meadows
7703 NE 72nd Ave
Vancouver, WA 98661-1699
http://www.clubgreenmeadows.com

Club Green Meadows is really a nice country club. I have spent many pleasant afternoons and evenings here with friends. The buildings are getting a little older and do not feel as up-to-date as some of the newer country clubs, but it still has a nice cozy feeling to the whole establishment. There is a large golf course to hit up, several basketball courts (I've played BBall on them several times, they are in great condition), a video game arcade room (I wasted loads of quarters there), club house, restaurant, indoor and outdoor swimming pool, bowling alley,racquetball and squash courts, running track, conference rooms (I attended a lot of birthday parties in these rooms), tennis courts and much more. It is a fairly complete country club with a slightly older feel to the entire place, but it is still well-kept and enjoyable. It's not as convenient as some of the other locations in the area, but it's only one interstate exit north from the popular Vancouver Westfield Shopping Center, so consider a membership today!

Royal Oaks Country Club
8917 NE Fourth Plain Blvd.
Vancouver, Washington 98662
http://www.royaloaks.net

Royal Oaks Country Club is one of finest country clubs in the region, sporting a highly-rated golf course (18 holes) amidst a lovely forest, pro shop, club house with dining rooms, a large outdoor pool, and a big fitness center. Personally, I spent hours and hours in their outdoor pool, soaking up the (few) summer sunshine rays available. I really enjoyed their facilities and found everything superbly top-notch. Everything seems quite perfect about this country club in the center of Vancovuer, except for its surroundings, as the area it is in is not the nicest. However, once you enter the fenced and gated Royal Oaks, it feels nicely isolated from some of the more run-down parts of Vancouver found nearby. If you are a golf fanatic, do not overlook this course, as it was ranked as one of the top 5 courses in all of Washington by Golf Digest Magazine!

Lakeshore Club
2401 Northwest 94th Street
Vancouver, WA 98665-6237
http://www.lakeshoreac.com

Lakeshore, named for its closeness to Vancouver Lake, is another country club I have frequented. Its focus is on swimming, tennis, and exercise facilities. From what I remember (I could totally be wrong), Lakeshore has one of the largest swimming pools, even bigger than the one at Royal Oaks. Lakeshore has both an outdoor and an indoor swimming pool, wading pools for the kiddies, and offers swimming lessons for those just learning to swim. I took tennis lessons on their outdoor courts and enjoyed playing (or attempting to play) here. There is several quality indoor racquetball courts to choose from at Lakeshore, definitely a great option for those who enjoy the fast-paced play of racquetball. Finally, the facility sports loads more of other athletics and workout facilities, and I always felt like this club had an active, vibrant, and healthy work-out atmosphere to it. Check it out, especially if you live or are visiting the Hazel Dell portion of Vancouver.