Whether you’re planning a romantic couple’s getaway, a fun-filled staycation for the whole family or just looking to get better acquainted with your local area, each of Oregon’s unique regions offers a rich variety of cultural and entertainment opportunities. Here are just a few:
The verdant Willamette Valley is famous for its storybook farms, colorful patchwork of cropland, and for its wealth of award-winning wineries surrounded by lush vineyards, many of which offer onsite lodging and activities for kids. Some of the area’s lesser known attractions include the 80-acre Oregon Garden in Silverton which boasts Oregon’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, the children’s Discovery Museum in downtown Salem, McMinnville’s Evergreen Aviation Museum and the Baskett Slough Wildlife Refuge- home to over 2000 acres of trailed forest, upland prairie and wetlands.
The Columbia River Gorge river canyon follows North America’s second largest river and encompasses a National Scenic Area spanning more than 290,000 acres along the river border of Oregon and Washington. Outdoor recreational opportunities are nearly endless in this region, with hiking, biking, sailing and windsurfing being the most popular. Additional attractions include the observatory Vista House at Crown Point and the famed Multnomah Falls and the historic Bonneville Dam.
Southern Oregon was the site of Oregon’s own gold rush in the early 19th century and offers an incredible wealth of outdoor and cultural opportunities. Choose from rafting on the Rogue River, camping at Crater Lake, hiking in the gorgeous Klamath Basin or hunting for sea shells along America’s Wild Rivers Coast before seeking out one of the area’s venerable fresh air festivals such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland or the Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville. Luxury and mid-priced lodgings abound in Southern Oregon, and include Guest Ranches for the adventurous traveler.