Things to Do in Oregon

Portland’s Pearl District lives up to its evocative title. The small neighborhood in the heart of downtown is packed with local finds, from avant-garde art galleries to craft breweries to fine dining, with many establishments housed in renovated warehouse spaces. Plus, a bike- and pedestrian-friendly trail along the Willamette River accents the Pearl’s waterfront location.

Sitting along the picturesque Deschutes River in central Oregon, Bend's Old Mill District offers some of the city’s best restaurants, stores, art galleries, and event spaces. Once home to a large lumber company, the area now draws visitors with its numerous walking paths lining the river, outdoor cafes, and an outdoor amphitheater for concerts, seasonal festivals, and other events.

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Camp 18 Logging Museum is just a themed restaurant, but all of that logging memorabilia on display is serious business.

The sprawling log cabin-style building that is the Camp 18 Restaurant & Museum is on Highway 26 between Portland and Cannon Beach in the town of Elsie. It was built slowly, starting in the 1970s, as one man's personal dream. He is a former logger and mill owner who personally logged all of the timber used in the building. Don't miss the huge log beam that runs the length of the building – it's 85 feet long, the biggest ridgepole in the United States.

Around the restaurant building as well as inside, you'll see antique logging equipment, tools, other artifacts, and art on display. Near the restaurant is the Camp 18 Loggers' Memorial, honoring loggers who have died and featuring more exhibits of logging memorabilia.

Just outside of Portland, Mt. Hood stands at a majestic 11,249 feet (3,429 meters), making it Oregon’s tallest mountain. The dormant volcano often has steam rising from its fumaroles, adding to the serenity of the surrounding vista. Adventure-seekers who opt to climb the mountain all the way to its summit are rewarded with 12 glaciers at the peak—plus stunning views of the Cascade mountain range, and the valleys and cities below.

The Mt. Hood National Forest covers more than one million acres, including lakes, wilderness areas, mountains, and of course – a vast forest.

First established in 1892 as the Bull Run Forest Reserve, the area was expanded and eventually the name was changed to its current Mt. Hood National Forest in 1924. The forest area extends into six different Oregon counties, is managed by four district offices, has eight designated wilderness areas, and includes 170 recreation sites. Visitors can go hiking, mountain biking, boating, fishing, hunting, camping, mountain climbing, skiing, and horseback riding in the National Forest, among other things. Part of the Pacific Crest Trail crosses into the National Forest.

The towering peak of Mt. Hood – the tallest point in the state – sits in the northern part of the National Forest, and Timberline Lodge has year-round skiing. The forest area stretches from the Columbia River Gorge south about 60 miles through the Willamette Valley, making it a popular destination for people from Portland as well as other cities in Oregon.

Designed for science fans of all ages, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) features five separate halls, eight hands-on science labs, a real submarine, an OmniMax giant-screen theater, and a planetarium. The museum is a science playground, with 200-plus interactive exhibits covering subjects such as climate change, chemistry, the human body, and technology.

Situated on the Oregon side of the scenic Columbia River Gorge, Wahkeena Falls cascades 242 feet (74 meters) in tiers through lush green forest. It’s one of the most popular waterfalls in the area, not only because of its beauty, but also because getting to it requires only a very short hike.

Free, outdoors, and centrally located, the International Rose Test Garden is an easy addition to your Portland vacation. Take time to smell some of the 10,000 roses representing 650 species when you stroll through the active test garden, located in Portland’s popular Washington Park.

Flowing west from the Cascade Mountain Range to the Pacific Ocean, Oregon’s Rogue River spans nearly 200 miles. The Rogue River Valley has its place in the history of the western expansion and early settlement of the United States. Once inhabited by Native Americans and then gold prospectors and pioneers, the river is central to Oregon’s past and present. It is known today for its recreational activities: whitewater rafting, salmon fishing, hiking trails, and forested scenery.

The Rogue River was one of the first designated National Wild and Scenic areas. Biodiversity in the forests is high, with wildlife such as black beers, deer, osprey, river otters, and bald eagles calling its tall trees and rocky riverbanks home. The river’s rushing waters are scenically surrounded by pristine greenery. It remains mostly untouched — the United States Postal Service runs one of the few rural mail boat services here still.

Its forested canyon is considered one of the most beautiful natural areas in the United States.

Forty miles east of Portland, the Bonneville Lock and Dam spans the Columbia River, providing electricity, a navigation lock, fish passage, and recreation areas.

The dam's first powerhouse, spillway, and original navigation lock were completed in 1938 to improve navigation on the Columbia River and provide hydropower to the Pacific Northwest. A second powerhouse was completed in 1981, and a larger navigation lock in 1993.

Lake Bonneville was created behind the dam, and is a popular spot for summer activities like boating and fishing. Fish ladders, part of the original construction, provide pathways for salmon, steelhead, and other native fish navigate past the dam to spawn upstream. Large underwater windows can be found at both the Bradford Island Visitor Center (on the Oregon side) and the Washington Shore Visitor Complex for viewings between April and October.

Locally known as “Portland's Living Room,” Pioneer Courthouse Square sits at the heart of downtown and takes up an entire city block.

Pioneer Square was officially opened in 1984. Prior to that, it had been the site of a hotel (built in 1890) and later a two-story parking garage. When a new and much larger parking garage was proposed in 1969, the idea of creating a public square instead gained momentum, and was the beginning of Pioneer Square. The square takes its name from the nearby Pioneer Courthouse, built in 1875.

One side of the square is a sloped staircase, akin to theater seating and perfect for the many concerts held in the square each year. There is a local TV news station at the square, an information center for the city's public transportation system, outdoor chess tables, and a 33-foot-tall weathervane sculpture that changes at noon each day to show the following day's forecast.

Today, Pioneer Square is home to a multitude of special events throughout the year, including the annual Christmas tree lighting, plays, and concerts, as well as festivals for food, beer, and art. Particularly during the summer, the square is typically quite busy.

Driving around the bend from Portland, the first view many see of the Columbia River Gorge is from the corner of land called Crown Point. The outlook provides an overview of the dramatic scenery and surrounding canyon. On a clear day there is a panoramic view of the heavily forested area, the mountains, and the Columbia River.

The point itself is an enormous rock formation that was caused by multiple lava flows, which once altered the course of the river. Looking to the west, you can see Rooster Rock, another well-loved rock formation that slopes down into the canyon.

With the Vista House constructed on Crown Point at the same time the highway was being formed, it remains one of the best loved visitor stops on the historic Columbia River Gorge Highway and is considered the gateway to the area. Crown Point was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971. It remains a popular stop for both views and refreshments.

Inner Northwest Portland – specifically around NW 21st and NW 23rd – is one of the most popular in the city center for shopping, entertainment, and dining. It also has a memorable nickname: the Alphabet District.

You might not notice the reason for the name immediately, especially if you're taking your time meandering from one shop-lined block to another, but the streets in the quadrant that run east-west are in alphabetical order – from Burnside, Couch, Davis, Everett, and Flanders on up through Wilson. There's an A street further east (Alder), but it doesn't continue up far enough to be part of this district.

The Alphabet District is historically one of Portland's most desirable neighborhoods – there are beautiful Victorian-style houses in the residential blocks and sought-after condo buildings. One of the city's oldest independent movie theaters, Cinema 21, is on NW 21st Avenue. Nature lovers may enjoy staying in this part of the city because of its ready access to Portland's huge city park, Forest Park, which stretches into the hills west of the neighborhood.

Washington Park is a sprawling woodland in Southwest Portland, home to the Oregon Zoo, Portland Children’s Museum, and a series of gardens including the International Rose Test Garden, Hoyt Arboretum, and the Portland Japanese Garden. Cycling paths and walking trails wind throughout the park, providing a convenient nature escape.