Oregon Travel Guide

GALLERY

Rugged beauty, locavore cuisine, and indie spirit are just some of Oregon’s charms. The Pacific Northwest darling is home to hip Portland, whose happening foodie and arts scenes are anchored by an eco-friendly lifestyle. Smaller cities draw you in, too: you can sample microbrews in Bend, see top-notch theater in Ashland, and explore maritime history in Astoria. Miles of bike paths, hikes up Mt. Hood, and rafting in the Columbia River Gorge thrill outdoor enthusiasts. For pure relaxation, taste award-winning Willamette Valley wines and walk windswept Pacific beaches.

Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Oregon

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Fodor's Pacific Northwest: Portland, Seattle, Vancouver & the Best of Oregon and Washington

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Fodor's Complete Guide to the National Parks of the USA: All 63 parks from Maine to American Samoa

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Fodor's The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West: with the Best Scenic Road Trips

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Fodor's Inside Portland

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FODOR'S FINEST

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The Surfsand Resort Cannon Beach, Oregon

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Guidebooks for Every Journey

Fodor's Oregon

Easy Planning
Local Writers
Itineraries
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Fodor's Pacific Northwest: Portland, Seattle, Vancouver & the Best of Oregon and Washington

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Local Writers
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Fodor's Complete Guide to the National Parks of the USA: All 63 parks from Maine to American Samoa

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Fodor's The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West: with the Best Scenic Road Trips

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Local Writers
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Fodor's Inside Portland

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Top Destinations

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Portland

What distinguishes Portland, Oregon, from the rest of America's cityscapes? Or from the rest of the world's urban destinations for that matter? In a Northwest...

The Columbia River Gorge

When glacial floods carved out most of the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last Ice Age, they left behind massive, looming cliffs...

The Willamette Valley and Wine Country

The Willamette (pronounced "wil-lam-it") Valley has become a wine lover’s Shangri-La, particularly in the northern Yamhill and Washington counties between Interstate 5 and the Oregon...

The Oregon Coast

If you aren’t from the Pacific Northwest, Oregon’s spectacular coastline might still be a secret: it's less visited and talked about than California's coast, but...

Astoria

The mighty Columbia River meets the Pacific at Astoria, the oldest city west of the Rockies and a bustling riverfront getaway with a creative spirit...

Bend

Bend, Oregon's largest city east of the Cascades, is once more one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, recovering abundantly from the hard-hitting recession...

Dundee

Dundee used to be known for growing the lion's share (more than 90%) of the U.S. hazelnut crop. Today, some of Oregon’s top-rated wineries are...

Crater Lake National Park

The pure, crystalline blue of Crater Lake astounds visitors at first sight. More than 5 miles wide and ringed by cliffs almost 2,000 feet high...

Bay Area: Coos Bay and North Bend

The Coos Bay–Charleston–North Bend metropolitan area, collectively known as the Bay Area (population 27,000), is the gateway to rewarding recreational experiences. The town of Coos...

The Dalles

The Dalles lies on a crescent bend of the Columbia River where it narrows and once spilled over a series of rapids, creating a flagstone...

Seaside

As a resort town, Seaside has somewhat spruced up its kitschy, arcade-filled reputation and now supports a bustling tourist trade, with hotels, condominiums, and restaurants...

Manzanita

Manzanita is a secluded and gorgeously situated seaside community with only a few more than 500 full-time residents—but a growing following among weekenders from the...

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument

The geological formations that compose this peculiar monument cover hundreds of square miles and preserve a diverse record of plant and animal life spanning more...

Hermiston

Although its population is just more than 17,000, Hermiston is the urban service center for nearly three times that many people in the expansive and...

Halfway

Halfway, the closest town to Hells Canyon, got its name because it was midway between the town of Pine and the gold mines of Cornucopia...

Baker City

During the 1860s gold rush, Baker City was the hub of the action. Many smaller towns dried up after the gold rush, but Baker City...

Eastern Oregon

Travel east from The Dalles, Bend, or any of the foothill communities blossoming in the shade of the Cascades, and you'll find a very different...

Outside Crater Lake National Park

Klamath Falls and Ashland, both south of the park, and Roseburg, to the west, are the three main gateways to Crater Lake National Park. Other...

Redmond

Redmond sits at the western end of Oregon's high desert, a handful of miles from the Deschutes River and within minutes of several lakes. It...

Gold Beach

The fabled Rogue River is one of about 150 U.S. rivers to merit Wild and Scenic status from the federal government. From spring to late...

Joseph

The area around Wallowa Lake was the traditional home of the Nez Perce Indians—the town of Joseph is named for Chief Joseph, their famous leader...

Pacific City

There's a lot to like about Pacific City, not the least of which is that it's 3 miles off Oregon's busy coastal highway, U.S. 101...

McKenzie Bridge

On the beautiful McKenzie River, lakes, waterfalls, and covered bridges surround the town of McKenzie Bridge and wilderness trails in the Cascades. Fishing, skiing, backpacking...

Pendleton

At the foot of the Blue Mountains amid waving wheat fields and cattle ranches, Pendleton is a quintessential Western town with a rip-roaring history. It...

Sisters

If Sisters looks as if you've stumbled into the Old West, that's entirely by design. The town strictly enforces an 1800s-style architecture. Rustic cabins border...

Forest Grove

This small town is surrounded by stands of Douglas firs and giant sequoia, including the largest giant sequoia in the state. There are nearby wetlands...

Mt. Hood

The Multnomah tribe call Mt. Hood "Wy'East," named, according to popular legend, for a jealous lover who once sparred over a woman with his rival...

Newberg

Newberg sits in the Chehalem Valley, known as one of Oregon's most fertile wine-growing locations, and is called the Gateway to Oregon Wine Country. Many...

Around the Mountain

Majestically towering 11,245 feet above sea level, Mt. Hood is what remains of the original north wall and rim of a volatile crater. Although the...

Hood River

This picturesque riverside community of about 7,200 residents affords visitors spectacular views both of the Columbia River and snowcapped Mt. Hood. More than 40 civic...

Government Camp

This alpine resort village with a bohemian vibe has several hotels and restaurants popular with visitors exploring Mt. Hood’s ski areas and mountain-biking and hiking...

Welches and Zigzag

One of a string of small communities known as the Villages at Mt. Hood, Welches's claim to fame is that it was the site of...

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach is a mellow but relatively affluent town where locals and part-time residents—many of the latter reside in Portland—come to enjoy shopping, gallery-touring, and...

Bandon

Referred to by some who cherish its romantic lure as Bandon-by-the-Sea, Bandon is both a harbor town and a popular vacation spot, famous for its...

Florence

The closest beach town to Oregon's second-largest city, Eugene, charming and low-keyed Florence delights visitors with its restored riverfront Old Town and proximity to one...

Brookings

The coastal gateway to Oregon if you're approaching from California, Brookings is home to a pair of sterling state parks, one overlooking the ocean and...

Prineville

Prineville is the oldest town in central Oregon, and the only incorporated city in Crook County. Tire entrepreneur Les Schwab founded his regional empire here...

Depoe Bay

Depoe Bay calls itself the whale-watching capital of the world. The small town was founded in the 1920s and named in honor of Charles DePoe...

Southern Oregon

Southern Oregon begins where the verdant lowlands of the Willamette Valley give way to a complex collision of mountains, rivers, and ravines. The intricate geography...

Gleneden Beach

Gleneden Beach is a small vacation town known primarily for the famed Salishan Resort, which is perched high above placid Siletz Bay. This expensive collection...

Ashland

As you walk Ashland's hilly streets, it seems like every house is a restored Victorian or Craftsman operating as an upscale B&B, though that's not...

Lincoln City

Lincoln City is a captivating destination for families and couples who want to share some time laughing on the beach, poking their fingers in tide...

Cave Junction

One of the least populated and most pristine parts of southern Oregon, the town of Cave Junction and the surrounding Illinois Valley attract outdoors enthusiasts...

Newport

Known as the Dungeness crab capital of the world, Newport offers accessible beaches, a popular aquarium, the coast’s premier performing-arts center, and a significant supply...

Grants Pass

"It's the Climate!" So says a confident 1950s vintage neon sign presiding over Josephine County's downtown. Grants Pass bills itself as Oregon's white-water capital: the...

Port Orford

The westernmost incorporated community in the contiguous United States, Port Orford is surrounded by forests, rivers, lakes, and beaches. The jetty at Port Orford offers...

Jacksonville

This perfectly preserved town founded in the frenzy of the 1851 gold rush has served as the backdrop for several Western flicks. It's easy to...

Yachats

The small town of Yachats (pronounced "yah-hots") is at the mouth of the Yachats River, and from its rocky shoreline, which includes the highest point...

Klamath Falls

The Klamath Basin, with its six national wildlife refuges, hosts the largest wintering concentration of bald eagles in the contiguous United States and the largest...

Corvallis

Corvallis is a small city that's best known as the home of Oregon State University and its Beavers athletic teams. Driving the area's economy are...

Medford

Medford is the professional, retail, trade, and service hub for eight counties in southern Oregon and northern California. As such, it offers more professional and...

Eugene

Eugene was founded in 1846, when Eugene Skinner staked the first federal land-grant claim for pioneers. Eugene is consistently given high marks for its "livability."...

Roseburg

Fishermen the world over hold the name Roseburg sacred. The timber town on the Umpqua River attracts anglers in search of a dozen popular fish...

Hillsboro

Hillsboro offers a wealth of eclectic shops, preserves, restaurants, and proximity to the valley's fine wineries. In the past 20 years Hillsboro has experienced rapid...

Cascade Locks

In pioneer days, boats needing to pass the bedeviling rapids near the town of Whiskey Flats had to portage around them. The locks that gave...

McMinnville

The Yamhill County seat, McMinnville lies in the center of Oregon's thriving wine industry. There is a larger concentration of wineries in Yamhill County than...

Historic Columbia River Highway

The oldest scenic highway in the United States is a construction marvel that integrates asphalt path with cliff, river, and forest landscapes. Paralleling the interstate...

Salem

The state capital has a rich pioneer history, but before that it was the home of the Calapooia Indians, who called it Chemeketa, which means...