2 Best Sights in Hermiston, Eastern Oregon

Eight miles south of Hermiston, just off Interstate 84, lies a little town at the intersection of the Oregon Trail and the transcontinental railroad. On the short walking tour of downtown, approximately an hour, mounted plaques tell the story of the town's historic buildings, including the Chinese House/ON&R Railroad Museum (now filled with railroad artifacts) and 10 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. Other draws include a fun pub, the Wheat and Barley, and a small winery, Sno Road, which occasionally offers live music performances.

The warm, wood-finished tasting room at Sno-Road Winery is a must-visit, offering sips of well-crafted Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, and Tempranillo as well as occasional music on Friday evenings. If a lot of the townsfolk seem to be wearing spandex, you're probably visiting in late February or early March, when riders in the annual Echo Red to Red mountain-bike race almost double the city's population.