7 reasons to visit Oregon

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In July 2022 the whole world is going to Eugene Oregon – and that’s only a ‘slight exaggeration’. With the city hosting the World Athletics Championships nearly 200 countries will be sending athletes to compete.

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While the lens of the world will be on the city of Eugene, there are plenty of reasons to visit Oregon now, then, and after, says Greg Eckhart, of Travel Oregon.

“The best way to see the state is by guide,” says Eckhart. “And we’ve made it easier with Oregon’s Why Guides program” (short for ‘why guides are the best way to explore Oregon’).

In Oregon wide-open spaces extend through seven diverse regions, lush valleys produce some of the world’s best wine and ancient forests cascade down mountains to the sands of the Pacific Ocean.

The seven regions in Oregon are the seven best reasons to visit:

1. Greater Portland

A bustling urban core famous for its craft beer, donuts, and maker culture, ringed by communities that touch forests and farms, rivers and rolling hills.

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Proof that Oregon still knows how to inspire craft beer lovers, Steeplejack Brewing recently opened in Portland to those eager to raise a pint in this grand centenarian chapel turned brewery. Stunning stained-glass windows stretch above the brewery’s tanks and a refurbished bar, and pews serve as banquettes for the wooden tables. Head brewer Anna Buxton focuses on English-and-Scottish-style pub beers and cask-conditioned ales.

Where to eat:  Hundreds of food carts, organized into dozens of “pods,” or clusters all around the city. Try Stretch the Noodle where Xuemei and Duane Simard’s hand-stretched noodles are so popular they attract a steady line.

Where to stay:  Portland’s artsy Central Eastside neighborhood has added the Hotel Grand Stark. The stylish setting includes vintage furnishings and modernist art.

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Use a Why Guide:  Lost Plate Food Tours, a small, family-run business that takes guests off-the-beaten-path to explore the Portland neighborhood restaurants, bars and food carts.

2. Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge

An outdoor wonderland east of Portland that borders the river gorge which separates Oregon and Washington State and overflows with waterfalls, scenic vistas and the state’s highest peak, Mt. Hood – home to three ski resorts, including Timberline Lodge, which boasts the longest ski season in North America.

Follow the East Gorge Food Trail, one of Oregon’s nine official food trails, to family-owned farms, farm stands, orchard u-pick, canneries, farm-to-table experiences, historic hotel lodging and expertly crafted cider, wine and beer that circle Mt. Hood.

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Where to eat:  Oregon’s Brigham sisters, members of the Native American Confederation Tribe, share their generations-old family tradition of fishing through the Brigham Fish Market. The menu showcases wild, native-caught fish from the Columbia River.

Where to stay:  The Historic Balch Hotel, a three-story building with 20 guest rooms was built in 1907 by Charles P. Balch, a local rancher. The bricks were made on his ranch.

Use a Why Guide:  MountNbarreL Guided Tours offers cycling tours, private vineyard tastings and seasonal u-pick on the Hood River.

3. Oregon Coast

Dotted with historic lighthouses, fishing villages, sand dunes and dramatic scenery, the Oregon Coast provides free access to all 584 km of the state’s coastline.

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Ride the wind and waves of the mighty Columbia River aboard the Arrow No. 2, a historic 53-foot tugboat. Led by owner and captain Mark Schächer, Arrow Tugboat & Tour Company explores the working waterfronts and maritime history in and around Astoria.

Where to eat:  Bowpicker Fish and Chips in Astoria is a converted, stationary boat with a walk-up window selling fish ‘n’ chips. Don’t miss the Albacore tuna lightly beer battered and fried to perfection.

Where to stay:  In Coos Bay, Oregon, Bay Point Landing is a modern camping resort with Scandinavian-inspired cabins, Airstreams and luxe RV sites. Go clamming at low-tide on the private beach (they provide the gear), or go for a swim in the salt water indoor heated pool.

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Use a Why Guide: South Coast Tours provides fully equipped tours showcasing the pristine waterways from Coos Bay to Brookings-Harbor.

4. Willamette Valley

Oregon’s largest wine region spills over with woodsy cityscapes cradled by vineyards and farms, inspiring oenophiles and adventurers. Today, there are more than 700 wineries and 1,000 vineyards growing 72 grape varieties.

Winter may just be the best time to visit Oregon’s wine regions. After the final grapes are plucked from the vines, the whole tempo slows down and visitors who brave the season to enjoy winter wine touring have the tasting rooms – and winemakers – to themselves.

Don’t miss the Oregon Truffle Festival held annually in January or the truffle hunting tour offered by Prestige Wine Tours. Venture into a Douglas fir grove accompanied by a local guide and Italian Lagotti Romognoli truffle dog to search for native Oregon truffles.

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Where to eat:   Xicha Brewing Co. in Salem, Oregon is a contemporary taproom and restaurant with a Latin focus, it offers Pan-Latin dishes and a festive patio.

Where to stay:  The Independence Hotel is Oregon’s only boutique hotel on the Willamette River. The river-view rooms spark both adventure and relaxation, while offering touches of luxury.

Use a Why Guide:  Specializing in customized unique travel experiences, America’s Hub World Travel & Tours offers individual and group package excursions around Portland, to the Willamette Valley wineries, and beyond.

5. Central Oregon

A high-desert playground for hiking, cycling, rock climbing, fly fishing, rafting, golfing and skiing. Think: All the adventures of Whistler, but with the climate of the sunny Okanagan.

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Fort Rock is a national landmark which rises out of the barren, immense flatness of Oregon’s high desert. An enormous near-circle of towering jagged rock walls make it seem like a fort. As you walk around inside, imagine the early Native Americans who canoed to and from what was then an island.

Where to eat:  Wild Rose is local favourite in Bend, offering regional specialties from Northern Thailand. Every dish crafted at the Wild Rose comes from a family recipe held close by Chef Paul Itti and his wife and co-owner, Ampawan.

Where to stay:  The stylish, restored Hotel Redmond is just 15 minutes from Bend. An SCP property, the hotel has 49 rooms furnished with regionally-sourced materials.

Use a Why Guide:  Offering naturalist-guided trips Wanderlust Tours’ guides leads you to the quiet of Central Oregon’s lakes, rivers, forests and caves. Don’t miss their Moonlight & Stargazing Tours by snowshoe in winter and by canoe in summer.

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6. Eastern Oregon

Cowboy culture, history and adventure collide – along canyons, twisting rivers, alpine wilderness, lonesome ghost towns and geological wonders like Oregon’s Painted Hills.

The Thomas Condon Paleontology & Visitor Center offers fossil displays, colourful murals and a fishbowl paleontology laboratory for visitors to enjoy and gain a deeper understanding of the unique geology of this region.

Where to eat:  Historic Baker City, was a central hub for trading in the 1900s due to gold and timber. Its Main Street and downtown buildings now house modern restaurants and retailers like Sweet Wife Baking serving breakfast, brunch and baked goods in a charming parlour.

Where to stay:  River Lodge and Cabins is nestled along the banks of the Columbia River in Boardman. Here, the river currents, private beach, colourful sunsets and small-town vibes inspire deep conversations and relaxing moments.

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​Use a Why Guide:  Go Wild American Adventures offers backpacking and stargazing in the Elkhorns and the Wallowa mountains, day hikes and paddling, beginner fly fishing, historic walking tours and glamping retreats.

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An ethos of arts and culture (thanks to the Tony award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival) thriving in a land known for its wild rivers, deep caves, stark Alvord Desert and the awe-inspiring Crater Lake.

At Oregon Caves National Monument, deep within the Siskiyou Mountains, are dark, twisting passages that await your discovery. Eons of acidic water seeping into marble rock created and decorated the wondrous “Marble Halls of Oregon.”

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Where to eat:  Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue was named the World’s Best Cheese beating out 3,800 contenders from 42 countries, to take home the top prize at the 2019 World Cheese Awards.

Where to stay:  Located on 3,600 acres along the southwest shores of Klamath Lake, Running Y Ranch Resort has an array of fun things to do within easy reach, including hiking, kayaking, geocaching and skiing. Golf, tennis and basketball are also available on site.

​Use a Why Guide:  Orange Torpedo Trips guide adventurous travellers on river-running vacations. With paddle in hand guests can experience inflatable kayaking trips, rafting trips, raft supported trail running and hiking adventures, and lodge to lodge salmon and steelhead fishing.

Provided by Tourism Oregon