Hello! Need your advice please!
We have our second trip to OR late Oct to attend an Oct 29 wedding in Portland. First trip was last Spt and we briefly saw Portland, the Gorge, stayed an overnight in Willamette Valley and drove through Eugene and up the coast. This time, we plan to get in around Oct 22 and have about 4-5 days to explore b4 the wedding festivites begin (we are guests). I feel like we're stuck between summer fun and winter skiing. What can we do the last wk of OCtober in Oregon?
Land in Portland, rent a car and head
to Bend/Sun River maybe? Circle back through Hood river? Shld we hit more wine country? We are pretty active and like to stay busy. We want to take a few days around the wedding to visit neighborhoods as our goal is to move there asap (from Chicago). Thanks everyone!

That time of year you can run into some bad weather - not always - sometimes we get some decent stretches of weather but it will at least be cool - so you might want to consider a few things:

1. Stay in Portland and do mainly inside activities such as art galleries, shopping, just cruising around getting acquainted with Portland's neighborhoods.
2. Take a country drive somewhere to check out the fall foliage - some good places would be the Gorge/Hood River Valley, the Cascade footfills (perhaps around the Silverton/Mt Angel area), the Coast Range, or Yamhill county.
3. Another nice place to check out in the fall is Sauvie Island - close to Portland - about 20 minutes west on Highway 30.
3. Head over to the Bend area - October should be nice over there, although cool.

Developer friends of mine plan for rains to set in around October 15, so rparis is right; hope for sun, but plan for rain. That is, unless you head to Bend, where temps will be in the mid-50's, but dry.

I think you're on the right track. Unless you want to spend time at the coast, maybe do 1-2 days in Portland, 2 in central Oregon, and 1 in wine country. For central Oregon, I'd suggest either Bend/SunRiver area, or Black Butte Ranch, 30 miles NW of Bend. Both areas are great for sightseeing, hiking, fishing, etc.

If you're golfers, disregard all other recommendations and head to Bandon Dunes.

check website for Portland walking tours
phone 503-774-4522
They have several walking tours of the city- one that I have always wanted to do is the "Epicurian Walking Tour" in which they take you to variety of food vendors in the Pearl District - you get to eat and walk at the same time .

Great info, especially like the food tour! We'll plan Bend but have a backup for staying closer to POrtland so we can play it by ear with the weather. I like to super plan but won't worry about reserving much ahead those first 4 days as it will depend on the weather where we end up. I don't mind cool/cold, obviously crossing fingers against the rain. I'm also not familiar with Sauvie Island so will check into that. thanks!

Hi eroz! www.sauvieisland.org is a nice website for more info on Sauvie Island. We hosted a couple of shows there in the past. It's gorgeous countryside and in October they have a really cool pumpkin patch.

We have only been in the summer months and had lots of fun picking gorgeous bouquets of flowers and berries there. There are few beaches there, Collins Beach is Clothing Optional. Enjoy your trip! ***kim***

>>Collins Beach is Clothing Optional. <<

In late October?? Yikes!

Lee Ann

glad your back on line Kimamom. Missed your Oregon postings the past couple of weeks. You were most helpful, when we were planning our Oregon coast trip, last spring.

Thanks, glad to be of help. We get reealy busy in the Fall with back to school stuff (we raised 17,000 for the hurricane victims) water polo games and tourneys and an upcoming wedding next month. DD was nominated for Homecoming Princess, also.

We hope to be back in the Oregon area next month to help set up some exhibits at the Maritime Museum for the bi-centennial in Astoria. I miss traveling, but hey I get to go to Rocklin, CA soon and dine at the Horseshoe Grill, what could be better than that, LOL! ***kim***

Ahhh, I remember those years, I was Homecoming Queen, it was cool

But ! back to the question ... I had no idea that we have nude beaches here in Oregon!! It is so cold! lol..

eroz,
don't know if you are interested but the Portland Art Museum is having some great shows, an exhibition from the Hesse family..
www.portlandartmuseum.org

The Pearl:
http://portlandtribune.com/pearl/

Hope this helps..

Scarlett--There is also a nude beach in the Gorge at Rooster Rock, lol! That was always a bathroom break on the way to/from college, lol!

LOL, makes me wonder about the girls who know where all the nude beaches are

I was looking for a wool sweater to wear out tonight, I cannot imagine going to the beach in a bathing suit in Oct, much less a birthday suit lol.

Then I won't tell you about swimming in the ocean in November at night

capecodshanty, I remember reading some of the posts when you were planning your trip. Beachbum was very helpful ..I look forward to seeing Bandon too. A friend of ours has a golfing husband who goes there to play, I want her to go with him next time. What was the place you liked?

Hi Scarlett,
Your right- beachbum was very helpful. Just wish we had had more time, for we discovered so much to do, see and experience! I'm sure you are discovering this now that you are living in Portland also.
We stayed at the Bandon Dunes, where the Hoosier( my DH) played a round of golf. Naturally, that was the only day, in the entire trip that it rained! It is lovely, while he golfed, I wandered around Bandon, the beach, the lighthouse, and had a great time-even in the rain. We had dinner at the Wild Rose Bistro- a small place in Old Town, and run by a young couple from Northern California. The wife is the chef, and he handles the front of the house. Food was wonderful- and, because it is small, people so friendly and helpful. Two local couples, waiting for their table ,pulled up chairs beside ours, and we had great conversation-
We loved Oregon!

Aahhh.... Bandon Dunes. I'm sure your husband would agree it's even good in the rain, capecodshanty.

Does everyone else think Sauvie's Island is worthy of time on a second visit to Portland? I'd lived here years before I went out there. And besides the nude beaches, I'm wondering what the attraction is. When our kids were younger, we used to take them there for Halloween pumpkins, but... Am I missing something?

kimamom, I'm wondering if there's a connection between the "shows" you "hosted" and Collins Beach. Come on.. fess up!

I agree with Beachbum that Sauvie is a lovely place but not sure its worthy of a special trip if you just have a few days to enjoy Oregon.
Havent been to the nude beach though.

Your dates are very close to Halloween and it brings back memories of many years of trucking after the kids in the cold and rain (and brandy flasks)!
So, checking out the neighborhoods and while you're at it, the traffic, our wonderful restaurants (Nuestra Cucina on Division), Mt. Hood, McMenamins and Laurelhurst Theaters for pizza, beer and movies. And marvel at our many parks. I didn't know about the epicurean walking tour that sounds great. Where will you be staying?

I am hoping my friend can come out here soon with her husband when he plays at Bandon again.
Perhaps the nude beach is where some husbands go when the wives are checking out all the restaurants? LOL
Yes, capecod..I am enjoying living here so much. Since we are still enjoying good weather, we tend to walk everywhere all day and eat out for dinner, giving us a nice chance to explore many aspects of the city. Once it starts raining, I know I will be inside more, so I am saving that for now.
eroz,
There will be a wonderful exhibit at the Portland Art Museum when you are here..I think a wine country tour is a great idea..
Speaking of Bend..has everyone heard about the "bump" the geologists have found? lol, I move here and Bend grows a volcano!!

I did read about the "bump" the other day; hopefully it will stay "as is" for many a year!

Beachbum,Hoosier loved Bandon Dunes. it made him more anxious to golf in Scotland! here on the Cape, we have a links course,on the ocean, in the National Seashore, overlooking the Highland Light in Truro. Only 9 holes, but I believe the oldest link course in the States, it is difficult at times to concentrate on your golf game- one is too busy looking from bay to ocean!