1859 Magazine

1859 Magazine

Two women enjoying a relaxing hot tub experience at night, engaging in conversation and smiling, with warm lighting and modern decor in the background.
Adventure, Explore Oregon

Oregon Sauna & Cold Plunge Experiences

Across Oregon, sauna-and-plunge rituals are turning up the heat on connection, calm and date night written by Cathy Carroll Sitting naked in a rustic cedar sauna in the forest along the Breitenbush River, steam rising through slots in the wood floor and sweat beading down my back, I felt my core approaching the same temperature as the earth’s—unsurprising in a sauna perched atop a capped geyser of volcanically heated water from thousands of feet underground. Pushing open the door, I plunged into a clawfoot tub of frigid water—a bracing slap that brought me to my heightened senses. I returned for sweatfest part two and emerged onto the snow-covered deck feeling triumphant, renewed, invincible. Giddy with geothermally induced vigor, I sat on a snow-covered ponderosa pine log, wearing two well-positioned fern fronds and posed for my Christmas card photo. It was years ago, and recipients thought it proved the practice required…

A person fishing in a lush, green river in Roseburg, Oregon, surrounded by tall trees and rolling hills, perfect for outdoor recreation and nature lovers.
Explore Oregon, Trip Planner

Roseburg Trip Planner: 3 Days in the Umpqua Valley

From wine to wildlife, their risks are your rewards written by James Sinks Thankfully, Richard Sommer ignored the naysayers. Sixty-five years ago, the pioneering winemaker planted what would become Oregon’s first commercial pinot noir vineyard, on a former turkey farm outside Roseburg. Since then in Southern Oregon’s scenic Umpqua Valley—now home to some thirty wineries—vintners have routinely followed the instincts of the late “Father of Oregon Wine,” experimenting with new-to-Oregon varietals and yield-boosting innovations and even launching a winery in a former car dealership. Risk-taking spirit has long been a hallmark around Roseburg, the Douglas County seat and onetime Oregon timber capital, from the time mercantile owner Aaron Rose claimed 320 acres in the Homestead Act in the 1850s—and then gave parcels away to attract the railroad and even churches to his new town. Among other notable examples, wood industry giant Roseburg Forest Products began as a Depression-era sawmill with…

Bright breakfast nook with built-in bench, wooden table, and large window letting in natural light, decorated with artwork and a small plant.
Explore Oregon, Lodging

Lucky Duck: A Carlton Wine Country Stay

written by Kerry Newberry | photography by Carter Hiyama/Lucky Duck Want to live like a local in the heart of Oregon wine country? Check into Lucky Duck, where Carlton’s oldest building is now a sleek home base for eating, drinking and settling into small-town life. Upstairs, a newly refreshed two-bedroom guest house occupies the top floor of the 1910 building that once housed Carlton’s first bank. The latest venture from James Beard-nominated chef Kari Shaughnessy and her Hayward team, Lucky Duck puts a distinctly local spin on wine-country hospitality. Think Oregon’s twist on the European “country restaurant with rooms”—an immersive stay where food and drink are central to the fun, not an afterthought. Decorated with earthy ceramics, funky art posters and vintage lamps, the living space has serious cool-aunt vibes. And the kitchen? Chef-worthy, naturally, with Bernal Cutlery knives, Made In cookware and Sabre flatware. Go ahead and plan a…

Relaxing lounge area at The Wine Spa with comfortable chairs, soft lighting, and a calming ambiance in the Pacific Northwest.
Featured

5 Romantic Oregon Getaways for Couples

Oregon’s most-unforgettable romantic escapes written by Jean Chen Smith Romance in Oregon isn’t defined by a single destination—it’s found in the moments shared along the way. Across the state, couples are discovering that the most meaningful getaways aren’t about checking off landmarks but slowing down, reconnecting and embracing experiences that feel both restorative and unforgettable. Here are five of our favorite romantic experiences for two. DUNDEE Wellness & Wine for Two For couples drawn to wine country, few places feel more quintessentially Oregon than The Dundee Hotel. This intimate, twenty-two-room boutique property sits in the heart of Dundee, the small Willamette Valley town widely regarded as the birth-place of Oregon’s modern wine industry. It was here, in the rolling hills surrounding town, that pioneering vintners helped establish Oregon pinot noir on the world stage, forever changing the state’s agricultural and culinary identity. Today, couples can immerse themselves in that legacy…

Beautiful Oregon golf course with rolling greens, a lone tree, and distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Adventure, Explore Oregon

Beyond the Obvious in Oregon

Where art, ancestry and an unhurried coastline reward the curious traveler written by Cathy Carroll Oregon has always rewarded those willing to look past the obvious. This summer three experiences—a sacred homecoming, a reimagined museum and a coastal town seemingly unchanged since 1890—make that case compellingly. Gearhart offers a rare and unhurried step back. In Portland, a decadelong transformation has reinvented the only major art museum between San Francisco and Seattle. And in the Wallowa Valley, the Tamkaliks Celebration offers the chance to experience one of Oregon’s most breathtaking landscapes through the eyes of the people who have always called it home. An Oregon Summer, the Old-School Way Oregon Coast culture as it was at the turn of the last century—unhurried, unvarnished and beautifully analog, unfolds effortlessly in Gearhart—a town that has been quietly, deliberately itself since it was platted as a resort community in 1890. In the mornings, the…

Ultralight backpacker Glen Van Peski shares lessons on purposeful living in take less. do more.
Bibliophile, Live Oregon, Notebook

Glen Van Peski on Living With Less and Finding More

Trail-tested insights reveal how carrying less can create freedom and fulfillment interview by Cathy Carroll Engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and longtime ultralight backpacker Glen Van Peski of Bend believes the best way to move forward in life is by carrying less. In his award-winning book take less. do more.: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker, Van Peski explores how subtracting rather than adding can lead to greater freedom, purpose and joy. Drawing from decades of outdoor adventures and personal experiences, he shares lessons on generosity, gratitude, curiosity and resilience—from investing creatively in relationships to reframing life’s setbacks and learning to embrace failure as part of growth. Through a philosophy rooted in simplicity and service, Van Peski encourages readers to live within their means, deepen connections and create more meaningful lives. He founded Gossamer Gear, a company dedicated to ultralight backpacking equipment in 1998, after he’d…

Vintage gramophone with a large horn, placed on a wooden table with a floral tablecloth, in a room with floral wallpaper and framed artwork.
Explore Oregon, Travel Spotlight

Explore Pendleton’s Underground History

Discover the sultry past of Pendleton through its underground history written by Joni Kabana | photography by Travel Pendleton In the town of Pendleton, history presents itself as you walk alongside old buildings, peruse the interiors of shops and read heritage signage. But did you know remnants of the region’s history are also found underground? The Pendleton Underground offers visitors a fascinating glimpse into a wilder chapter of the American West where legends and stories shaped one of Oregon’s most colorful frontier towns. At street level, downtown Pendleton is charming with brick storefronts and western heritage historical elements with the hum of a modern rural community. But descend a staircase into the Pendleton Underground, and suddenly the atmosphere shifts. Dimly lit tunnels and preserved passageways reveal how early Pendleton operated after dark in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Pendleton was a bustling railroad and wool hub in its boom…

Cozy living room with a vibrant rainbow painted on the wall, a light blue sofa, decorative pillows, a side table with a lamp, and a black cat sleeping.
DIY, Home + Design, Live Oregon

How to Paint a Rainbow Accent Wall

written by Melissa Dalton | illustration by Yu Kito Lee Add a punch of color and whimsy to your home decor by designing your own rainbow mural. ➊ PICK THE PALETTE Choose your favorite rainbow hues, using the acronym ROYGBIV. It stands for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. To do this, go to the paint section or store, and gather color cards from the same brand, with one for each color in the ROYGBIV spectrum. Select the hues that are on the same row of the color cards, i.e. each color is the first or second one down from the top. That way, they will all have the same intensity. ➋ GATHER TOOLS This project can be completed using sample pots of wall paint. Matte or flat sheens will hide wall imperfections. For the paintbrush, we recommend our all-time favorite: the Wooster Shortcut. It’s 2 inches wide,…