Explore Oregon

Field-biologist-turned-beekeeper Matt Allen launched Apricot Apiaries in Kimberly.

The Accidental Apiary

A curiosity became a buzzing business written by Joni Kabana Tucked away on one of the most gorgeous stretches of the North Fork of the John Day River sits a honey stand chock full of honey and wonder. From various seasonal flavors of raw honey to exquisitely crafted beeswax candles to sweet honeystix that can be tucked in your workday pocket, this little hand-built stand is well worth a slow and meandering drive through Eastern Oregon high desert’s sweeping vistas to reach it. After moving to Kimberly in 2009 while splitting his time working as a field biologist in Nevada, Matt Allen purchased two beehives to fulfill his curiosity of insects and biology. Quickly, his hobby turned to obsession and launched Apricot Apiaries to sell not only honey and bi-products, but also queen bees, nucs and pollination services for fruits and nuts. Situated next to Thomas Orchards (another fruit-loving reason…

The trail networks around Boise make it a mecca for runners and their dogs.

Boise

Big outdoors and a small Basque community make this Idaho locale worth a springtime getaway written by James Sinksphotography by Visit Idaho Wednesdays and Fridays on Grove Street in downtown Boise, a line of hungry noontime patrons forms outside the Basque Market, as a giant pan of steaming saffron-seasoned paella simmers on an outdoor stove. The biweekly culinary pilgrimage celebrates the city’s Basque heritage, which traces to the influx of immigrants that began arriving in the 1800s from near the France-Spain border. Initially searching for gold in the West, Basques were sought to tend the huge flocks of hungry sheep that once chomped their way through the surrounding high country and range. Today, the Idaho state capital is home to the continent’s biggest Basque community and, while many cities have Chinatowns, Boise boasts the Basque Block. Roam between former boarding houses and shops, experience authentic Iberian fare like pintxos (think…

Oregon Caves National Monument in Southern Oregon is a fascinating tour of the unexepected underworld.

Cave Junction Trip Planner

A town built around a dog’s discovery written by James Sinks Is it southwest Oregon’s Redwood Highway into Cave Junction, or are you following the yellow brick road? Maybe both. The ribbon of asphalt meanders through odd foliage to whimsical art and mystical creatures (and real lions), to where houses float above the ground, to fields of intoxicating flowers, and to where you can gain plenty of courage (at least, the liquid sort). No munchkins—true—but plenty to munch on. And while you won’t find Toto, Dorothy’s trusty companion in The Wizard of Oz, the community owes much to a different famous dog, Bruno. In 1874, Bruno and a hunter named Elijah Davidson were tracking a bear when the dog disappeared behind underbrush. Davidson followed and found himself in the stunning crystallized caverns that now anchor the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. Today tens of thousands of visitors annually roam…

A treehouse guest suite at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Washington.

Skamania Lodge

written by Kerry Newberryphotography by Skamania Many adventurous travelers are familiar with Skamania, the historic resort that’s set on 175 acres of woodlands in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most magnificent natural spaces. Located in the tiny town of Stevenson, Washington, the 254-room upscale lodge greets guests with a grand 85-foot lobby fireplace and captivating views of the Cascade Mountains and the Columbia River Gorge. But imagination truly comes to life when you stay in one of their elegantly designed treehouses. All six treehouses—which will expand to nine this summer—soar into the forest canopy as high as forty feet in the air. A stylish inside-outside gas fireplace adds warmth to the modern spaces along with cabin-inspired, simple decor that let’s nature star. Decadently spacious with abundant windows, no matter where you turn, you feel immersed in the grove of surrounding Douglas fir trees. Add in thoughtful perks from private fire…

The Farm Store at Chocolate Flower Farm in Langley on Whidbey Island.

A Chocolate Lover’s Paradise

A flower farm located in the small Whidbey Island town of Langley is a wonder of cacao-themed plants written by Joni Kabana photos by Chocolate Flower Farm Chocolate lovers know their hometown favorites and often seek the best chocolatiers in any given town. But do they know that there are plants that look and smell like chocolate?  Tucked away in the state of Washington on Whidbey Island in the small town (less than one square mile) called Langley, a cacao lover can be seduced by the virtues of chocolate in various forms of plants and other delectable delights at the Chocolate Flower Farm.  Started in 2005 with a gardener’s love of dark colored plants coupled with a burgeoning love of chocolate, the farm soon expanded its offerings to include chocolate candles, jams, cocoa body butters, rare edible plants and chocolaty seeds to keep the most discerning chocoholic heart content.  Popular…

Phoenix offers desert air with a dash of sprawl. February and March see the flocks of snowbirds descend on the city.

Phoenix

A high desert retreat from the doldrums of winter written by James Sinks No one would blame you for glancing around the room for a Cheshire Cat. It’s a magical world in this dimly lit subterranean speakeasy, where birds are chirping on the speakers, the barkeep is concocting craft cocktails amid greenery, and wall-to-wall video screens offer virtual panoramas of moonlit landscapes. And it’s happening in the most unlikely of places: Down an astroturf stairway in what was once the pit for an oil change shop, northeast of downtown Phoenix, Ariz. On a recent afternoon, we made a reservation at 36 Below—a good idea because the place is tiny, at just 600 square feet—to see if the libations and decor lived up to the hype. We weren’t disappointed in either, especially the smokey whiskey one that arrived in a mock Faberge Egg. The basement bar, hidden beneath what is now…

Volcanic rock and wildlife are the towering themes in Eastern Oregon's Leslie Gulch.

Destination Isolation

Eastern Oregon’s Leslie Gulch is an unexpected journey in time and beauty written by Joni Kabana One of the most remote areas of Oregon has miles of sculpted rock formations that were formed millions of years ago. Getting there takes a bit of stamina and a tough vehicle, but once you arrive, there is no doubt you will feel like it was worth the planning and effort. Towering volcanic rock, in various sizes and shapes, line the road in Leslie Gulch, located east of the Owyhee Reservoir in Oregon’s Malheur County. The soil is unique in this location and is conducive to growing rare plant species. If you love watching wildlife, mule deer, California Bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain elk and assorted coyotes and bobcats frequently roam the isolated landscape. Rock hounds will feel like they are in heaven, but collection of rocks and vegetation is strictly prohibited, as well as…

Domaine Serene is one of the area wineries with a Tuscan experience and gorgeous rows of pinot noir grapes.

McMinnville

Once the middle of nowhere, this locale is now the heart of Oregon wine country written by James Sinks Fifty years ago, the editors of Sunset Books published an eighty-page Travel Guide to Oregon, chockablock with maps, photos, and lists of the Beaver State’s can’t-miss destinations, from the coast to Timberline to Hells Canyon. In it, there’s no mention of anything in McMinnville. Not even a suggestion to tap the brakes. What a difference a half century, and a few hundred wineries, can make. Today, McMinnville is the epicenter of Oregon’s wine world, and the home to 34,466 people now is a leading fixture on recommended tourist itineraries, including international bucket list destinations for aficionados. Head into the rolling countryside in any direction and you’ll find vineyards next to vineyards, and vintners ready with stories, appetizers and cuvées. The city hosts the ritzy International Pinot Noir Celebration every summer. And…

The holidays in Bovarian-themed Leavenworth are like walking into a snowglobe with good beer.

Leavenworth

Compete your holiday shopping—and find beer and deer—in the PNW’s premier Christmastown written by James Sinks Pretty much anywhere, you can open your wallet and browse for holiday gifts. Yet few places—at least, on this continent—can approach the kitschy yuletide charm of Leavenworth, the Pacific Northwest Christmastown filled with Bavarian-styled buildings, beers, bratwurst, and boutiques in Washington’s north Cascades. Festive holiday shopping is only the beginning. Surrounded by snowy and showy 8,000-foot peaks, Leavenworth offers a wonderland of winter outdoor pursuits you won’t find at any strip malls or retail websites. Fly down powdery slopes at Mission Ridge Ski Area; try nordic trails, tubing runs and ski jumping at Leavenworth Winter Sports Club; navigate sledding hills pretty much everywhere; and—once things really cool down—strap on crampons for ice climbing. If that’s not enough to convince you to start making travel plans, there also are horse-drawn sleigh rides with cocoa and…