Explore Oregon

A scenic view of powerful waterfalls in Daredevil Country, Oregon, during sunset, showcasing rugged terrain, cascading water, and dramatic natural beauty.

Twin Falls Idaho Adventure Guide

Southern Idaho’s Twin Falls attracts risk-takers and thrill-seekers written by James Sinks | photography by Visit Idaho Adrenaline comes from two primary places: your adrenal glands and Twin Falls, Idaho. Built at the edge of a 500-foot-deep canyon carved by the Snake River, the community of some 55,000 people is a scenic stepping-off point—and for daredevils, a jumping-off spot—for a plethora of pulse-quickening and sense-satisfying adventures. The most renowned of local risk-takers was legendary stuntman and frequent bonebreaker Evel Knievel, who gained worldwide attention just over a half century ago when he planned to soar across the canyon on a rocket motorcycle. In September 1974, with a rowdy crowd watching and television cameras rolling, the stuntman—wearing his signature white leather jumpsuit—hit the throttle in his steam-powered “X-2 Skycycle” and flew up a ramp. But the attempt fizzled when his parachute prematurely ejected on takeoff. The rocket spun downward into the…

Oregon coast landscape featuring rocky formations, ocean waves, and misty mountains, highlighting natural beauty and outdoor serenity in Oregon.

Cannon Beach Oregon Guide: Haystack Rock, Coastal Trails & a 3-Day Itinerary

Celebrate art, serenity and Oregon’s open coast at timeless Cannon Beach written by James Sinks The USS Shark was in trouble. The year was 1846, and the military schooner was listing near the treacherous Columbia River bar. Desperate to stay afloat, the captain ordered the crew to throw nonessential weight over the side. Among the items chucked overboard: cannons. While the boat ultimately sank, the crew survived. So did the cannons. One of them was later rediscovered near a towering sea stack called Haystack Rock on the north coast. More than a century after the shipwreck, the metal memento became the formal namesake of one of Oregon’s most popular beach destinations, when the artsy hamlet of Cannon Beach incorporated in 1957. An hour west of Portland at the junction of U.S. Highway 101, drivers destined for the nearest Pacific beach face a more-than-directional decision. Want a party? Bumper cars, boisterous…

Exterior view of the Lightwell Hotel & Spa with illuminated sign on rooftop during sunset, showcasing the building's architecture and vibrant evening atmosphere.

Lightwell Hotel & Spa

written by Kerry Newberry Walk through the doors of the Lightwell, and you know instantly: This place has stories—and serious style. Housed in the former 1904 Waucoma Building, this century-old Hood River landmark has been meticulously reimagined as the city’s first full-service hotel in more than a century, following a three-year restoration rebuilt from the studs up. Inside, the design strikes a balance between heritage and modern polish. Rich oak finishes, classic wainscoting and a statement fireplace nod to early twentieth-century elegance, while the original elevator cab—now reinstalled as a glowing sculptural light above the front desk—adds a striking, can’t-miss-it twist. Art plays a central role in shaping the mood, from Blaine Franger’s evocative photographs to Michelle Yamamoto’s vibrant paintings. Historic details further anchor the space, including a baby grand piano once owned by Hood River trailblazer Ola Bell and a wall of archival images from the History Museum of…

People working on the Salmonberry Trail restoration in a forested area, installing or repairing railway tracks as part of the Oregon trail development.

The Salmonberry Trail Super Project

An 82-mile multiuse trail that will be a generational treasure for Oregonians written by Isabel Max | photography by Salmonberry Trail Foundation Through forest draped in thick fog, rust-orange rails guide me forward, narrowing to a point 20 meters ahead. I hike on an abandoned railroad, first laid in 1911 by Japanese, Irish, Swede, Austrian, Greek, Russian, Bulgarian and Norwegian immigrants, now a ghost in a filigree frame of overgrowth. Between the ties, diverse mushroom species grow. Cutting through time comes the cheerful voice of Caroline Fitchett. She draws my attention to a newt flipped on its back, its orange belly wriggling in the leaves. “Nothing is the same on the Salmonberry Trail,” she said. “That’s what makes it so fascinating and adventuresome.” Fitchett is the executive director of the Salmonberry Trail Foundation, the nonprofit leading a legacy project to build an 82-mile pedestrian trail on top of the historic…

Beautiful view of Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa overlooking the ocean at sunset, with a scenic island in the background, showcasing Oregon’s stunning coastal landscape.

Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa

written by Kerry Newberry | photography by Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa On a brisk, moonlit night, I peer into tide pools, mesmerized by wispy sea anemones. Our local guide knows every creature that calls the intertidal zone home. When rain begins to patter, we wander just a few minutes across the beach to our luxe lodging at Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa. One of the coast’s most celebrated escapes, Headlands is a study in thoughtful design. Warm, lodge-like interiors—leather couches, sheepskin throws, intimate fireplace nooks—are balanced by contemporary touches like sea-grass light fixtures and sculptural branch chandeliers. Expansive windows frame rolling dunes, surfers carving waves and the striking silhouette of Haystack Rock, seamlessly bringing the outside in. Perched on a bluff with every room facing the ocean, the lodge invites lingering. But it’s the adventure offerings that truly elevate the stay. By dawn, I was skimming over swells in…

Unique display at Portland’s Temple of the Weird showcasing quirky artifacts and spooky memorabilia.

Portland’s Peculiarium: A Temple of Weird

Something Peculiarium this way comes in an already-odd city written by Joni Kabana Peek through the door of The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium in Northwest Portland, and you’ll swear you’ve stumbled into the dreams of a mad scientist, or maybe the nightmares of an imaginative child who never quite grew up. This offbeat museum-shop hybrid is equal parts art installation, curiosity cabinet and love letter to all things bizarre. You’ll find walls lined with glowing alien fetuses, cryptid exhibits and framed photos that seem to follow you with knowing eyes. There’s even a “surgery experience” that lets brave visitors pose as the patient (or the doctor!) under bright, eerie lights. Founded in 2011 by self-described “collector of the curious” Mike Wellins and friends, the Peculiarium celebrates Portland’s proud weirdness with a wink and a grin. Each room brims with oddities that blur the line between fact and fiction, humor and horror. But…

Ancient redwood tree towering in California's forest, showcasing its massive trunk and lush green canopy. Perfect for illustrating California's natural beauty and giant trees.

Wander and Wonder In California’s Redwood National and State Parks

Dreamlike and misty, winter is a serene time to explore Redwood National and State Parks written by James Sinks The world can make you feel small, sometimes. Among those times, in a very good way, is when you are being absolutely dwarfed by the world’s largest trees, and maybe embracing a few. Endangered California coastal redwoods—the tallest of them reaching more than 350 feet and alive since the era of Jesus—once thrived in some 2 million acres along the Pacific coastline. That was before the 1850s, when the Gold Rush lured legions of European settlers west. The trees were too massive to cut for the region’s Indigenous peoples, who saw the trees as sacred and lived among them, but the new arrivals had big saws. Local tribes were decimated and in some tragic cases slaughtered, and the volumes of lumber helped feed mills and the new economy. For the next…

Two elk in a winter landscape with moss-covered trees in the background, showcasing Oregon's diverse wildlife during the winter season.

Wild Winter: Oregon Wildlife Watching Guide

Reunite with the natural world when it seems asleep—but isn’t written by Cathy Carroll Winter is often mistaken for a season of dormancy—but look closer. You’ll see a natural world alive with drama and beauty, from tens of thousands of snow geese taking flight over the Klamath Basin, to herds of Roosevelt elk moving through the Coast Range, to whales migrating through the Pacific. Guides and naturalists can deepen the experience, helping you spot these animals while sharing insights into how species and ecosystems are interconnected—and deepening our perspective on how we fit into the natural world. Here are some guided and unguided experiences to consider. LONESOME DUCK RANCH | CHILOQUIN Klamath Basin Birding Tens of thousands of snow geese are resting on wetlands of the Klamath Basin, a fine feathered duvet of aviary serenity. Then the entire flock launches, turning the sky white, the black tips of their wings…

Nestled on Mount Hood’s slopes, Government Camp offers a picturesque winter retreat with endless alpine adventures.

Government Camp: The Ultimate Mount Hood Winter Base

Government Camp bustles with the needs and delights of its winter visitors written by James Sinks Once, as winter approached, you didn’t want to be anywhere near Government Camp. On the southern flank of volcanic Mount Hood, this is where heavy-laden clouds from the Pacific begin dumping moisture—and keep dumping. In the era of the Oregon Trail, westward caravans were loathe to get caught here by inclement weather along the steep and slow-to-navigate Cascade-crossing toll route, known as the Barlow Road. The community at the top got its name in 1849 after U.S. Cavalry troops en route to Fort Vancouver abandoned wagons and supplies amid heavy snows. Times have certainly changed. These days, rather than a place to escape from, Government Camp is one of Oregon’s premier winter destinations to escape to. Just an hour from Portland when conditions are clear, the laid-back alpine hamlet sports four downhill ski areas,…