Explore Oregon

Mike-Haverkate

Turn “Black Friday” Red: Thanksgiving Weekend Wine Tasting

It’s the morning after Thanksgiving. A mix of post-feast cooking aromas, family and guests lingers throughout the house. Could there be a more perfect time to get out into the crisp autumn air, drive bucolic roads through towering firs and stop at wineries to drink some of Oregon’s – and the world’s – best vintages?

State-Park

Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Differing from the wooded mountains of many Oregon state parks, Cottonwood Canyon is an 8,000-acre view into Eastern Oregon’s grasslands. The lower John Day River winds through the park, where wildlife viewing is abundant. Opened in September, the park is set up to be a hub for rafting, fishing, mountain biking, horse treks and backpacking. Day-use and camping facilities will be completed by December.

Downtown-McMinnville

Road Reconsidered: Tracing Terroir and Local Culture on Highway 18

Highway 18 may be a utility corridor carrying motorists from the mid-Willamette Valley to the Oregon Coast and back, but there are lots of gems to discover, especially if you divert onto Old 18. If you take this less-traveled road, you’ll find, among other things, that the natural resource industry of the old order is holding its place alongside the next-gen resource based industry. Oregon’s agricultural transformation from timber to grape is nowhere more evident than here.

bluebanana

Road Reconsidered: Highway 82

JACKIE BURGOYNE CALLS IT HER SEVENTY-SIX-MILE OFF-RAMP. Her turn-of-the-century bed and breakfast lies near its eastern terminus in Enterprise. Highway 82 snakes east from la grande at interstate 84

northeastern oregon, milton freewater, eastern oregon

Milton-Freewater

I’ve worked for the city ever since, and despite a debilitating back injury on the job a few years ago, the city has kept me under its wing—nurturing me back from physical devastation by encouraging me to change career paths from lineman to community development supervisor. 

Horse_Riding

Riding

THE MANY ROLES OF HORSES IN MODERN-DAY OREGON RECREATION

Eastern_Oregon_Mutiny_Brewing

Joseph Oregon

Mutiny Brewing Company | mutinybrew.nfshost.com The new brewery in town not only has a solid beer list, but a menu that surpasses most brewpubs.   Embers Brewhouse | embersbrewhouse.com Summer in Joseph is practically defined by sitting on the patio with a beer and a pizza at this local brewhouse. Live music on the outdoor stage is a nice compliment to the unobstructed view of the mountains. Old Town Cafe | 541.432.9898 The wait can be long, but breakfast in this tiny cafe is worth the wait.   R& R Drive-In | 541.432.9000 Fast food never tasted so good. The independently owned burger and ice cream joint serves cones this size of the Wallowas for less than a buck.   Vali’s Alpine Restaurant | valisrestaurant.com Fine dining, alpine style. Check the website and make a reservation, because this cozy restaurant is tiny and only serves one Central European dish per night.  …