Oregon

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TRAVEL GUIDE

Portland

What distinguishes Portland, Oregon, from the rest of America's cityscapes? Or from the rest of the world's urban destinations for that matter

Downtown

Portland has one of the most attractive, inviting downtown centers in the United States. It's clean, compact, and filled with parks, plazas

Southeast

Bounded on the west by the Willamette River and on the north by Burnside Avenue, the city’s Southeast quadrant comprises several of Portland

Northeast Portland

Containing the Rose Garden basketball arena, the Oregon Convention Center, Lloyd Center Mall, the Alberta Arts District, and some of the city

Bend

Bend, Oregon's largest city east of the Cascades, is once more one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, recovering abundantly from the

Crater Lake National Park

The pure, crystalline blue of Crater Lake astounds visitors at first sight. More than 5 miles wide and ringed by cliffs almost 2,000 feet high

Nob Hill

Fashionable since the 1880s and still filled with Victorian houses, Nob Hill is a mixed-use cornucopia of old Portland charm and new Portland

Pearl District

Bordering Old Town to the west and downtown and the West End to the north, the Pearl District comprises a formerly rough-and-tumble warren of

Eugene

Eugene was founded in 1846, when Eugene Skinner staked the first federal land-grant claim for pioneers. Eugene is consistently given high marks

Hood River

This picturesque riverside community of about 7,200 residents affords visitors spectacular views both of the Columbia River and snowcapped Mt

Astoria

The mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific at Astoria, the oldest city west of the Rockies and a bustling riverfront getaway with a creative

Pendleton

At the foot of the Blue Mountains amid waving wheat fields and cattle ranches, Pendleton is a quintessential Western town with a rip-roaring

Ashland

As you walk Ashland's hilly streets, it seems like every house is a restored Victorian or Craftsman operating as an upscale B&B, though

Joseph

The area around Wallowa Lake was the traditional home of the Nez Perce Indians—the town of Joseph is named for Chief Joseph, their famous leader

Sisters

If Sisters looks as if you've stumbled into the Old West, that's entirely by design. The town strictly enforces an 1800s-style architecture

Old Town/Chinatown

The Skidmore Old Town National Historic District, commonly called Old Town/Chinatown, is where Portland was born. The 20-square-block section

Medford

Medford is the professional, retail, trade, and service hub for eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. As such, it offers

Dundee

Dundee used to be known for growing the lion's share (more than 90%) of the U.S. hazelnut crop. Today, some of Oregon’s top-rated wineries are

Newport

Known as the Dungeness crab capital of the world, Newport offers accessible beaches, a popular aquarium, the coast’s premier performing-arts

North Portland

Long dismissed as the city’s "fifth quadrant," North Portland has come into its own in recent years, as the comparatively low cost of real estate

Baker City

During the 1860s gold rush, Baker City was the hub of the action. Many smaller towns dried up after the gold rush, but Baker City transformed

Salem

The state capital has a rich pioneer history, but before that it was the home of the Calapooia Indians, who called it Chemeketa, which means

Lincoln City

Lincoln City is a captivating destination for families and couples who want to share some time laughing on the beach, poking their fingers in

Newberg

Newberg sits in the Chehalem Valley, known as one of Oregon's most fertile wine-growing locations, and is called the Gateway to Oregon Wine

Florence

The closest beach town to Oregon's second-largest city, Eugene, charming and low-keyed Florence delights visitors with its restored riverfront

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach is a mellow but relatively affluent town where locals and part-time residents—many of the latter reside in Portland—come to enjoy

Bandon

Referred to by some who cherish its romantic lure as Bandon-by-the-Sea, Bandon is both a harbor town and a popular vacation spot, famous for

Yachats

The small town of Yachats (pronounced "yah- hots ") is at the mouth of the Yachats River, and from its rocky shoreline, which includes the highest

Prineville

Prineville is the oldest town in central Oregon, and the only incorporated city in Crook County. Tire entrepreneur Les Schwab founded his regional

Grants Pass

It's the Climate!" So says a confident 1950s vintage neon sign presiding over Josephine County's downtown. Grants Pass bills itself as Oregon

Brookings

The coastal gateway to Oregon if you're approaching from California, Brookings is home to a pair of sterling state parks, one overlooking the

Gold Beach

The fabled Rogue River is one of about 150 U.S. rivers to merit Wild and Scenic status from the federal government. From spring to late fall

Bay Area: Coos Bay and North Bend

The Coos Bay–Charleston–North Bend metropolitan area, collectively known as the Bay Area (population 27,000), is the gateway to rewarding

Tillamook

More than 100 inches of annual rainfall and the confluence of three rivers contribute to the lush green pastures around Tillamook, probably

Seaside

As a resort town, Seaside has somewhat spruced up its kitschy, arcade-filled reputation and now supports a bustling tourist trade, with hotels

Pacific City

There's a lot to like about Pacific City, not the least of which is that it's 3 miles off Oregon's busy coastal highway, U.S. 101. That means

Manzanita

Manzanita is a secluded and gorgeously situated seaside community with only a few more than 500 full-time residents—but a growing following

Hermiston

Although its population is just more than 17,000, Hermiston is the urban service center for nearly three times that many people in the expansive

Hillsboro

Hillsboro offers a wealth of eclectic shops, preserves, restaurants, and proximity to the valley's fine wineries. In the past 20 years Hillsboro

Redmond

Redmond sits at the western end of Oregon's high desert, a handful of miles from the Deschutes River and within minutes of several lakes. It

Lakeview

At 4,800 feet, Lakeview is the highest town in Oregon. For years, it had been anchored by the Old Perpetual Geyser at Hunter's Hot Springs,

Welches and Zigzag

One of a string of small communities known as the Villages at Mt. Hood, Welches's claim to fame is that it was the site of Oregon's first golf

McKenzie Bridge

On the beautiful McKenzie River, lakes, waterfalls, and covered bridges surround the town of McKenzie Bridge and wilderness trails in the Cascades

Oregon City

Historic Oregon City was the destination for thousands of pioneer families who traveled the Oregon Trail from St. Louis. Several of Oregon's

Jacksonville

This perfectly preserved town founded in the frenzy of the 1851 gold rush has served as the backdrop for several Western flicks. It's easy to

Klamath Falls

The Klamath Basin, with its six national wildlife refuges, hosts the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the contiguous United

Government Camp

This alpine resort village with a bohemian vibe has several hotels and restaurants popular with visitors exploring Mt. Hood’s ski areas and

Roseburg

Fishermen the world over hold the name Roseburg sacred. The timber town on the Umpqua River attracts anglers in search of a dozen popular fish

Depoe Bay

Depoe Bay calls itself the whale-watching capital of the world. The small town was founded in the 1920s and named in honor of Charles DePoe

Port Orford

The westernmost incorporated community in the contiguous United States, Port Orford is surrounded by forests, rivers, lakes, and beaches. The

Corvallis

Corvallis is a small city that's best known as the home of Oregon State University and its Beavers athletic teams. Driving the area's economy

McMinnville

The Yamhill County seat, McMinnville lies in the center of Oregon's thriving wine industry. There is a larger concentration of wineries in Yamhill

Yamhill-Carlton

Just outside the small towns of Carlton and Yamhill are neatly combed benchlands and hillsides, an American Viticultural Area (AVA) established

Southwest

Technically, downtown Portland is in the city’s Southwest quadrant, as are most of the attractions included in the aforementioned West Hills

La Grande

Home to Eastern Oregon University, a small state college, La Grande is a quiet little city of 13,000, which sits at the center of the Grand

West Hills

Forming a natural western border of downtown and Nob Hill, the West Hills extend as a high (up to around 1,000 feet in elevation) ridgeline

Enterprise

The seat of Oregon's northeasternmost county, Enterprise is surrounded by some of the region's most rugged natural beauty. Though the town itself

Reedsport

The small town of Reedsport owes its existence to the Umpqua River, one of the state's great steelhead-fishing streams. Hikers appreciate the

Forest Grove

This small town is surrounded by stands of Douglas firs and giant sequoia, including the largest giant sequoia in the state. There are nearby

Around the Mountain

Majestically towering 11,245 feet above sea level, Mt. Hood is what remains of the original north wall and rim of a volatile crater. Although

Tigard

Cascade Locks

In pioneer days, boats needing to pass the bedeviling rapids near the town of Whiskey Flats had to portage around them. The locks that gave

Historic Columbia River Highway

The oldest scenic highway in the United States is a construction marvel that integrates asphalt path with cliff, river, and forest landscapes

Frenchglen

Frenchglen, the tiny town near the base of Steens Mountain, has no more than a dozen residents, and in the off-season offers no basic services

Ontario

At the far eastern edge of Oregon, less than 5 miles from the Idaho border, Ontario is the largest town in Malheur County. Its 11,400 residents

Albany

Known as the grass-seed capital of the world, Albany has some of the most historic buildings in Oregon. Some 700 buildings, scattered over a

John Day

More than $26 million in gold was mined in the John Day area. The town was founded shortly after gold was discovered there in 1862. Yet John

Gleneden Beach

Gleneden Beach is a small vacation town known primarily for the famed Salishan Resort, which is perched high above placid Siletz Bay. This expensive

Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego is an affluent residential community immediately south of Portland, between the Willamette and Tualatin rivers. Located in Clackamas

Burns

Named after poet Robert Burns, this town was the unofficial capital of the 19th-century cattle empires that staked claims to these southeastern

Hells Canyon

This remote place along the Snake River is the deepest river-carved gorge in North America (7,900 feet), with many rare and endangered animal

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The geological formations that compose this peculiar monument cover hundreds of square miles and preserve a diverse record of plant and animal

Halfway

Halfway, the closest town to Hells Canyon, got its name because it was midway between the town of Pine and the gold mines of Cornucopia. The

Cave Junction

One of the least populated and most pristine parts of southern Oregon, the town of Cave Junction and the surrounding Illinois Valley attract

Umatilla

Waldport

The small town of Waldport attracts many retirees and settlers seeking an alternative to the expensive beach resorts nearby. It has a memorable

Toledo

Troutdale

A suburb just east of Portland, Troutdale—with a cute, walkable downtown—is the western gateway to the 74-mile-long Historic Columbia River

Jordan Valley

The canyon country of the 280-mile Owyhee River extends through parts of Nevada, Idaho, and southeast Oregon, a sparsely populated area of deep

North Bend

Rockaway Beach

Diamond

Though it's tucked into a verdant little valley just east of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the unincorporated community of Diamond has an

Brownsville

Portland

What distinguishes Portland, Oregon, from the rest of America's cityscapes? Or from the rest of the world's urban destinations for that matter

Bend

Bend, Oregon's largest city east of the Cascades, is once more one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, recovering abundantly from the

Eugene

Eugene was founded in 1846, when Eugene Skinner staked the first federal land-grant claim for pioneers. Eugene is consistently given high marks

Hood River

This picturesque riverside community of about 7,200 residents affords visitors spectacular views both of the Columbia River and snowcapped Mt

Astoria

The mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific at Astoria, the oldest city west of the Rockies and a bustling riverfront getaway with a creative

Pendleton

At the foot of the Blue Mountains amid waving wheat fields and cattle ranches, Pendleton is a quintessential Western town with a rip-roaring

Joseph

The area around Wallowa Lake was the traditional home of the Nez Perce Indians—the town of Joseph is named for Chief Joseph, their famous leader

Sisters

If Sisters looks as if you've stumbled into the Old West, that's entirely by design. The town strictly enforces an 1800s-style architecture

Ashland

As you walk Ashland's hilly streets, it seems like every house is a restored Victorian or Craftsman operating as an upscale B&B, though

Medford

Medford is the professional, retail, trade, and service hub for eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. As such, it offers

Dundee

Dundee used to be known for growing the lion's share (more than 90%) of the U.S. hazelnut crop. Today, some of Oregon’s top-rated wineries are

Newport

Known as the Dungeness crab capital of the world, Newport offers accessible beaches, a popular aquarium, the coast’s premier performing-arts

Baker City

During the 1860s gold rush, Baker City was the hub of the action. Many smaller towns dried up after the gold rush, but Baker City transformed

Salem

The state capital has a rich pioneer history, but before that it was the home of the Calapooia Indians, who called it Chemeketa, which means

Lincoln City

Lincoln City is a captivating destination for families and couples who want to share some time laughing on the beach, poking their fingers in

Newberg

Newberg sits in the Chehalem Valley, known as one of Oregon's most fertile wine-growing locations, and is called the Gateway to Oregon Wine

Florence

The closest beach town to Oregon's second-largest city, Eugene, charming and low-keyed Florence delights visitors with its restored riverfront

Bandon

Referred to by some who cherish its romantic lure as Bandon-by-the-Sea, Bandon is both a harbor town and a popular vacation spot, famous for

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach is a mellow but relatively affluent town where locals and part-time residents—many of the latter reside in Portland—come to enjoy

Yachats

The small town of Yachats (pronounced "yah- hots ") is at the mouth of the Yachats River, and from its rocky shoreline, which includes the highest

Prineville

Prineville is the oldest town in central Oregon, and the only incorporated city in Crook County. Tire entrepreneur Les Schwab founded his regional

Grants Pass

It's the Climate!" So says a confident 1950s vintage neon sign presiding over Josephine County's downtown. Grants Pass bills itself as Oregon

Brookings

The coastal gateway to Oregon if you're approaching from California, Brookings is home to a pair of sterling state parks, one overlooking the

Gold Beach

The fabled Rogue River is one of about 150 U.S. rivers to merit Wild and Scenic status from the federal government. From spring to late fall

Bay Area: Coos Bay and North Bend

The Coos Bay–Charleston–North Bend metropolitan area, collectively known as the Bay Area (population 27,000), is the gateway to rewarding

Seaside

As a resort town, Seaside has somewhat spruced up its kitschy, arcade-filled reputation and now supports a bustling tourist trade, with hotels

Hermiston

Although its population is just more than 17,000, Hermiston is the urban service center for nearly three times that many people in the expansive

Tillamook

More than 100 inches of annual rainfall and the confluence of three rivers contribute to the lush green pastures around Tillamook, probably

Hillsboro

Hillsboro offers a wealth of eclectic shops, preserves, restaurants, and proximity to the valley's fine wineries. In the past 20 years Hillsboro

Redmond

Redmond sits at the western end of Oregon's high desert, a handful of miles from the Deschutes River and within minutes of several lakes. It

Manzanita

Manzanita is a secluded and gorgeously situated seaside community with only a few more than 500 full-time residents—but a growing following

Pacific City

There's a lot to like about Pacific City, not the least of which is that it's 3 miles off Oregon's busy coastal highway, U.S. 101. That means

Klamath Falls

The Klamath Basin, with its six national wildlife refuges, hosts the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the contiguous United

Lakeview

At 4,800 feet, Lakeview is the highest town in Oregon. For years, it had been anchored by the Old Perpetual Geyser at Hunter's Hot Springs,

Welches and Zigzag

One of a string of small communities known as the Villages at Mt. Hood, Welches's claim to fame is that it was the site of Oregon's first golf

Jacksonville

This perfectly preserved town founded in the frenzy of the 1851 gold rush has served as the backdrop for several Western flicks. It's easy to

Oregon City

Historic Oregon City was the destination for thousands of pioneer families who traveled the Oregon Trail from St. Louis. Several of Oregon's

McKenzie Bridge

On the beautiful McKenzie River, lakes, waterfalls, and covered bridges surround the town of McKenzie Bridge and wilderness trails in the Cascades

Depoe Bay

Depoe Bay calls itself the whale-watching capital of the world. The small town was founded in the 1920s and named in honor of Charles DePoe

Corvallis

Corvallis is a small city that's best known as the home of Oregon State University and its Beavers athletic teams. Driving the area's economy

Government Camp

This alpine resort village with a bohemian vibe has several hotels and restaurants popular with visitors exploring Mt. Hood’s ski areas and

Port Orford

The westernmost incorporated community in the contiguous United States, Port Orford is surrounded by forests, rivers, lakes, and beaches. The

Roseburg

Fishermen the world over hold the name Roseburg sacred. The timber town on the Umpqua River attracts anglers in search of a dozen popular fish

La Grande

Home to Eastern Oregon University, a small state college, La Grande is a quiet little city of 13,000, which sits at the center of the Grand

Yamhill-Carlton

Just outside the small towns of Carlton and Yamhill are neatly combed benchlands and hillsides, an American Viticultural Area (AVA) established

McMinnville

The Yamhill County seat, McMinnville lies in the center of Oregon's thriving wine industry. There is a larger concentration of wineries in Yamhill

Forest Grove

This small town is surrounded by stands of Douglas firs and giant sequoia, including the largest giant sequoia in the state. There are nearby

Around the Mountain

Majestically towering 11,245 feet above sea level, Mt. Hood is what remains of the original north wall and rim of a volatile crater. Although

Enterprise

The seat of Oregon's northeasternmost county, Enterprise is surrounded by some of the region's most rugged natural beauty. Though the town itself

Reedsport

The small town of Reedsport owes its existence to the Umpqua River, one of the state's great steelhead-fishing streams. Hikers appreciate the

Ontario

At the far eastern edge of Oregon, less than 5 miles from the Idaho border, Ontario is the largest town in Malheur County. Its 11,400 residents

John Day

More than $26 million in gold was mined in the John Day area. The town was founded shortly after gold was discovered there in 1862. Yet John

Frenchglen

Frenchglen, the tiny town near the base of Steens Mountain, has no more than a dozen residents, and in the off-season offers no basic services

Cascade Locks

In pioneer days, boats needing to pass the bedeviling rapids near the town of Whiskey Flats had to portage around them. The locks that gave

Historic Columbia River Highway

The oldest scenic highway in the United States is a construction marvel that integrates asphalt path with cliff, river, and forest landscapes

Tigard

Albany

Known as the grass-seed capital of the world, Albany has some of the most historic buildings in Oregon. Some 700 buildings, scattered over a

Burns

Named after poet Robert Burns, this town was the unofficial capital of the 19th-century cattle empires that staked claims to these southeastern

Gleneden Beach

Gleneden Beach is a small vacation town known primarily for the famed Salishan Resort, which is perched high above placid Siletz Bay. This expensive

Lake Oswego

Lake Oswego is an affluent residential community immediately south of Portland, between the Willamette and Tualatin rivers. Located in Clackamas

Hells Canyon

This remote place along the Snake River is the deepest river-carved gorge in North America (7,900 feet), with many rare and endangered animal

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The geological formations that compose this peculiar monument cover hundreds of square miles and preserve a diverse record of plant and animal

Halfway

Halfway, the closest town to Hells Canyon, got its name because it was midway between the town of Pine and the gold mines of Cornucopia. The

Cave Junction

One of the least populated and most pristine parts of southern Oregon, the town of Cave Junction and the surrounding Illinois Valley attract

Toledo

Waldport

The small town of Waldport attracts many retirees and settlers seeking an alternative to the expensive beach resorts nearby. It has a memorable

Umatilla

Troutdale

A suburb just east of Portland, Troutdale—with a cute, walkable downtown—is the western gateway to the 74-mile-long Historic Columbia River

Jordan Valley

The canyon country of the 280-mile Owyhee River extends through parts of Nevada, Idaho, and southeast Oregon, a sparsely populated area of deep

Brownsville

North Bend

Rockaway Beach

Diamond

Though it's tucked into a verdant little valley just east of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, the unincorporated community of Diamond has an

The Oregon Coast

If you aren’t from the Pacific Northwest, Oregon’s spectacular coastline might still be a secret: it's less visited and talked about than California

The Willamette Valley and Wine Country

The Willamette (pronounced "wil- lam -it") Valley has become a wine lover’s Shangri-La, particularly in the northern Yamhill and Washington

Eastern Oregon

Travel east from The Dalles, Bend, or any of the foothill communities blossoming in the shade of the Cascades, and you'll find a very different

Central Oregon

After a day on the Sunriver bike paths, a first-time visitor from Europe shook her head. "This place is paradise," she declared. It's easy to

Southern Oregon

Southern Oregon begins where the verdant lowlands of the Willamette Valley give way to a complex collision of mountains, rivers, and ravines

The Columbia River Gorge

When glacial floods carved out most of the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last Ice Age, they left behind massive, looming cliffs where

Mt. Hood

The Multnomah tribe call Mt. Hood "Wy'East," named, according to popular legend, for a jealous lover who once sparred over a woman with his

Outside Crater Lake National Park

Klamath Falls and Ashland, both south of the park, and Roseburg, to the west, are the three main gateways to Crater Lake National Park. Other

The Dalles

The Dalles lies on a crescent bend of the Columbia River where it narrows and once spilled over a series of rapids, creating a flagstone effect

Crater Lake National Park

The pure, crystalline blue of Crater Lake astounds visitors at first sight. More than 5 miles wide and ringed by cliffs almost 2,000 feet high