Oregon is the state for outdoor adventure. It is nestled between Washington State to the north and California to the south. You might not think of Oregon as a water state, but the Columbia River runs through the northern border between Washington State, and the Snake River separates its eastern border from Idaho. While the rocky Pacific coastline is the western border. The state is dotted with lakes and plenty of places to explore. Tourists and locals alike visit the many national parks and recreation areas that are located throughout the state for all kinds of outdoor activities, from hiking, boating, sailing, fishing, and more.
Oregon is known for its laid-back vibe and high quality of living. It was even number four on the list of best states to live in.
From beautiful countryside to friendly people and fairly low cost of living, it’s easy to see why so many people love spending time in Oregon.
To put this extensive list together, 24/7 Tempo consulted various regional and national websites like the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Tourism Commission, and the Oregon Secretary of State.
1. Portland
Portland is the biggest city in the state of Oregon and one of the coolest cities in the Pacific Northwest. The city slogan is “Keep Portland Weird”. You may be familiar with the city from the comedy show Portlandia, where Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein showcase different characters and stereotypes of the quintessential Portlanders. Even if you haven’t seen the show, you will love exploring this unique city. Portland has a lot to offer. Book lovers will enjoy spending hours getting lost in Powell Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore. Coffee lovers and foodies will enjoy the local coffeehouses and vast culinary scene. Nature lovers can explore the Japanese Garden, hike Mt. Tabor, and take an urban walking tour. And beer lovers can taste different beers from the city’s many microbreweries. There is something for everybody in the city of Portland.
2. Crater Lake
Gorgeous Crater lake on a summer day
Crater Lake is located in southeastern Oregon, and it is a volcanic crater lake created by the eruption of Mount Mazama 7,700 years ago. The first thing you will notice about Crater Lake is the deep blue color of the water. Crater Lake is one of the things Oregon is known for because it is the deepest lake in the United States and in the top ten of the deepest lakes in the entire world. Visitors come to the lake to enjoy the surrounding recreation area, where you can hike, mountain bike, and fish between June and September. There is lodging at the lake and boat excursions to go out and look at the two island formations in the middle of the lake. Swimmers may be disappointed because the lake is extremely cold, and swimming is only permitted in two areas.
3. Hood River
Kiteboarding Wind Sail Surfing in Columbia River Gorge Oregon Washington Surf
Hood River, Oregon, is a small town on the Columbia River. The town is most famous for being the “Windsurfer capital of the World.” It’s a unique spot in the always-windy Columbia River Gorge and makes for excellent windsurfing. But that is not the only water sport that locals enjoy; there is wind foiling, kayaking, and more in this area. It is close to Portland, just one one-hour drive, and the surrounding mountains have excellent hiking trails. Plus, the culinary scene here is quite impressive for such a small town. And there are several breweries, so if windsurfing isn’t your thing, you can enjoy a beer and watch the water. Hood River makes a great day trip, and it’s worth the time to come and explore.
4. Haystack Rock
Cannon Beach, Oregon coast: the famous Haystack Rock in the golden light before sunset
You might recognize one of the most well-known landmarks on the Oregon coast, Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach, from the movie The Goonies. The basalt rock formation stands 235 feet tall and is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors can explore the tidepools, and at low tide, you can walk out to Haystack Rock. The whole area is beautiful and teeming with wildlife like birds, sea lions, and crabs. During the Spring and Summer, you can see the tufted puffin birds, too. This is a great place where you can spend time outdoors on the historic Oregon coast.
5. Mount Bachelor
View of Mount Bachelor in Oregon with a reflection in a lake
Outside of Bend, Oregon, in the middle of the state is Mount Bachelor. Mount Bachelor is a dormant volcano in the Cascade Mountian Range. While it is a volcano, it’s also a place for winter fun. The area has been open at ski resort since 1958, and people who love to have fun in the snow come from all over during the winter months to ski, snowshoe, sled, and snowboard. Mount Bachelor has a reputation for being one of the best places to ski, and the resort is one of the biggest in the area. But if you don’t like to have fun in the snow, you can still enjoy the mountain in the summer when the hiking trails are open, and the chair lift runs during the summer, so you can go all the way to the summit and explore.
6. Sea Lion Caves
Sea Lion Caves - Florence Oregon USA
The town of Florence, Oregon, which is halfway down the Oregon coast, is home to the Sea Lion Caves. The sea caves are the largest sea caves in the U.S. and make for a great family excursion. It is located right off Highway 101 and is not your typical roadside attraction. The Sea Lion Caves is a wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary that first opened in 1932. It is privately owned and their mission is on education and preservation of the abundant marine life.
Visitors can go year-round. In the winter, the sea lions are mostly in the caves, and in the spring and summer, during breeding and birthing season, the sea lions are predominantly in the rocky areas outside the caves. But it is not just sea lions. You can see whales, especially during their migration south between December and January and when they return back up north in June and July.
7. Oregon Shakespeare Festival
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival takes place between March and October in the city of Ashland, Oregon, near the California border. The festival is a regional repertory theatre, and throughout the season, the festival puts on plays and one-person shows. They have traditional Shakespearean plays plus contemporary plays. The festival offers a unique cultural experience and is a must-see for anyone visiting Oregon.
8. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
Late summer at Umpqua Lighthouse and the Oregon Dunes National Park.
This one-of-a-kind recreation area is on the Oregon coast between Florence and Coos Bay. The sandy area is a place to have fun. It is the largest coastal sand dunes in North America and one of the cool things Oregon is known for. The Oregon Dunes are over 100,000 years old and are part of the Siuslaw National Forest. The recreational area is perfect for hiking, camping, swimming, boating, paddling, and wildlife watching. This is truly a unique piece of Oregon and worth a visit.
9. Hell’s Canyon
Hells Canyon National Recreation AreaHells Canyon National Recreation Area
It’s not as big as the Grand Canyon, but Hell’s Canyon is definitely worth visiting. It is in eastern Oregon along the Snake River, where the state borders Washington and Idaho. The canyon is ten miles long and 7,993 feet deep, making it the deepest canyon in North America. Hiking, camping, and whitewater rafting are just some of the fun things to do in Hell’s Canyon.
10. Depoe Bay
Panorama view of rocky coastline of Oregon coast in Depoe Bay city, United States
Off the infamous coastal Highway 101 sits Depoe Bay. Depoe Bay is the world’s smallest navigable harbor, with only six acres of harbor. The small harbor was featured in several films, most notably in the fishing scene from Jack Nicholson’s film One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The area’s other claim to fame is that it’s known as the Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast, because gray whales are regularly spotted. Visitors can explore the beaches and tidepools at The Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area, or charter a fishing boat for a day on the water; these are just some of the fun things to do in Oregon’s Depoe Bay.
11. Tillamook Cheese Factory
Tillamook is a small town about 20 minutes inland from the rocky shores of the Oregon Coast. The coolest thing to see in Tillamook is the world-famous Tillamook Cheese Factory. The factory offers tours, and you can see how the magic comes together to make some amazing cheese. But the best part of visiting the Tillamook Cheese factory is that after the tour, you can spend time in the gift shop that sells, you guessed it, lots of cheese. The sales room has plenty of tasting boards so you can sample all the different cheeses. If you love cheese, then put this tourist attraction on your list of places to visit in Oregon.
12. Oregon Trail
Replica government covered wagons along the old Oregon Trail at the foot of Scotts Bluff National Monument.
History buffs will enjoy following the footsteps of the Oregon Trail. During the 1840s and 1860s, brave men and women left the eastern United States and forged a path to the West on the Oregon Trail. There are several places in Oregon where you can visit and learn more about the historic migration that affected the population of the United States. The Tamastslikt Cultural Institute outside of Pendelton is one of those places. The institute is the only museum on the Oregon Trail that examines the historical significance from the point of view of the indigenous population. The museum tells the history of the Oregon Trail and how it affected the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum is another place full of exhibits about life on the Oregon Trail. And right outside of Baker City is the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, which has exhibits and living history demonstrations to give visitors a glimpse into the Oregon Trail.
13. Astoria
Village of Astoria, OR in spring on the bank of the Columbia river where it meets the Pacific Ocean
The coastal town tucked away in the Northwestern corner of Oregon is Astoria. The picturesque coastal city is the oldest city in the state. It’s cute and quaint and has been featured in several films, including The Goonies, Free Willy, Into The Wild, and Kindergarten Cop. The town holds several festivals each year, including The Fisher Poets Gathering, which showcases writers sharing stories related to the fishing industry, and the Dark Arts Festival, which highlights the arts of glassblowing, blacksmithing, and dark beers. This is a great city for creative folks.
14. Pacific Crest Trail
Sign for the Pacific Crest trail, with Mount Adams in background
The Pacific Crest Trail, known as the PCT to avid hikers and mountaineers, is a hiking trail that runs from California through Oregon and Washington to the Canadian border. The infamous hiking trail is the backdrop in the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed, which was later a film by Reese Witherspoon. The PCT cuts through the center of the state with lots of smaller hikes for those who want to try the PCT but don’t have the time to dedicate to the entire trail.
15. Mt. Hood
Mount Hood is an active volcano about an hour’s drive southeast of Portland. The mountain is part of the Cascade range and is open year-round for snow skiing. Climbers, trekkers, and mountaineers travel from all over to climb this majestic mountain. It is one of the amazing things that Oregon is known for and a true symbol of the state.
16. Wreck of the Peter Iredale
Shipwreck Oregon Coast
There are several real-life shipwrecks on the Oregon coast, and the one that is most visible is the wreck of the Peter Iredale. The famous shipwreck happened in 1906, when the four-masted steel schooner ran aground, and the structure is still visible. It’s a cool site, and you can get up close and personal with this piece of history. Visit at low tide for the best experience.
17. Oregon Country Fair
Outside of Eugene, Oregon, the community of Veneto is the site of the annual Oregon Country Fair. The fair is a three-day music and art festival where you can find all kinds of hand-crafted pieces, from woodwork to leather to jewelry and decorations. The Oregon Country Fair hosts over 300 artists and fills 17 stages with musical acts and performers. Each year, the festival draws people from all over, with an annual attendance of 45,000. The people make it magically, and the wooded setting makes it beautiful. Oregon is the perfect place for creative, free-spirited folks, and the fair is the perfect place to showcase the beauty of the state and the people who call it home.
18. Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve
When you visit the Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, you will marvel at the immenseness of the caves. The caves are located south of Grants Pass near the border with California. They have 15,000 feet of passageways that have been carved into stone over time, turning the original limestone caves into marble. Visitors can explore the caves and the park that sits on 4,554 acres. There are several nearby places to camp and hike.
19. Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls waterfall in the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, along the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Multnomah Falls is just outside of Portland, along the highway that runs along the Oregon-Washington border that follows the Columbia River. The waterfall has two tiers of basalt cliffs and is the tallest waterfall in Oregon at 620 feet. The roadside attraction is open year-round, with hiking trails and a scenic viewpoint. In the winter, the falls sometimes freeze, making for great photos. The Multnomah tribe has an origin story for the falls that tells the tale of a young woman who jumped off the cliff in a selfless sacrifice to save the village, and after her death, water started falling from the cliffs.
20. Antelope, Oregon
The land outside Antelope, Oregon, lies about 65 miles from the Columbia River and has a unique history. In 1981, the desolate mountains area was transformed into a thriving religious community by the Rajneesh Movement, made famous by the Netflix documentary Wild Wild West, which tells the story of the community and chaos that overtook the area. The disgraced commune left the area in 1985, and Antelope has reverted to a ghost town. These days, the famous ranch that sits 18 miles from Antelope is home to youth ministries, Young Life, and a summer camp.