I lived in Pendleton, Oregon all my life until 8 years ago when we moved to Arizona. I don’t know alot of places to see or go to in Az., but I can tell you a lot about Oregon. Of course, there is lots to see and do in Portland, Or., but there are loads of things to see and do elsewhere in Oregon too. Follow the Columbia River (borders Oregon and Washington) and you will see lots of beautiful views. If you take the old highway (high and curvy) it has some beautiful waterfalls, one of them being Multnomah Falls. It is the second highest year round falls in the nation. If you make it to NE Oregon, stop in at Pendleton. It is a cowboy town, home of the world famous Pendleton RoundUp. That is the second weekend in September. It is week long and loads of fun. You might want to check out the Pendleton Woolen Mills where Pendleton blankets and shirts are made. They have loads of other things also made out of wool so a great place to shop as well as tour the mill. Lots of good places to eat there, but one of my favorites is General Pacific. They have added new places since I’ve been gone so there may be other good spots as well. If you get to the far North eastern corner of Oregon there is a place called Wallowa Lake. It is a beautiful spot with high mountains, called the Little Swiss Alps of America. There is a nice camping spot there with many things to do…..hike, fish, rent a boat, go up the mountain on a tram, ride horses or go-carts, and in September they have the Octoberfest. Central Oregon has Crater Lake, one of the highlights of Oregon, Bend is a good town to visit as well as Eugene and Klamath Falls. If you are into birdwatching following the Columbia River is a good place to see lots of birds, but my favorite spot is Malheur Wildlife Refuge down in SE area near Burns, Or. Spring is a good time to go there as there are loads of birds as well as getting to see deer and other mammels. And of course, I can’t leave out the Oregon coast where you will see fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Loads of good places to eat along the coast. You can also take boat trips out to see the whales. There are so many interesting places in Oregon to see: ghost towns, orchards, rivers, mountains, wineries, etc. that I could go on and on about it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help you out.
Rose – we simply can’t thank you enough for all of those incredible suggestions! They all look incredible, and for sure Wallowa Lake and the coast with the Pacific view are both going to be must see’s for us!
I live in Myrtle Point, Oregon. I have always lived in Oregon. The Botanical Gardens in Charleston outside of Coos Bay on the way to Ocean Beaches is beautiful and you can see the ocean breaking on the cliffs. You can walk down to the Beach from the Botanical Gardens. Also on the way to Botanical Gardens there is Sunset Bay (a enclosed cove beach). In Coos Bay off the Highway 101 is tucked back off the road is Dave’s Pizza. They make their on Gluten Free crust for those who have Allergy Problems. I love the their BLT Sandwich, It also has Canadian Bacon on it with their own Bread. Wonderful Sandwich, Melt in your mouth Sandwich. Don’t forget to go to Bandon, south of Coos Bay. Cute little shops in Old Town Bandon and wonderful fish painted blue Shack Restaurant right by the Boat Dock ( not sure what the name is). Also I have only been there once, but it was wonderful food. Ciccarelli’s Restaurant in North Bend, Oregon a town right beside Coos Bay. We like going to Kozy Kitchen in Myrtle Point and North Bend. I love their Cobb Salad, it’s pretty big. Also up the Coast is Sea Lion Caves. It’s a curvy road to it and the cave stinks from Sea Lions, but it seems that’s something you have to do at least once in your lifetime. Have fun.
Fawn – thank you so much for all of the wonderful suggestions. Love the botanical garden idea, and the little shops and tiny restaurants are exactly what we love to see.
I would list all the places Rose (above) listed as well as adding a few more. Baker City has some nice restaurants, such as Barley Brown’s which also is an award winning micro brewer. The town would not be complete without the Geyser Grand Hotel, which is part of the historical area of town. It was built during the gold rush days. Also, nearby Sumpter, has a gold dredge and museum from this same period. The Snake River scenic byway, is full of breathtaking views and is a must see. Also worth mentioning is the Painted Hills near the tiny town of Mitchell, Oregon. Hope you enjoy your trip! What a wonderful adventure!
Cindy, Geyser sounds really neat, and would love to see all of the old gold rush sites, etc. What are the painted hills all about? Sounds very interesting.
I would agree with all the places that Rose, Fawn and Cindy listed. I live in South Western Oregon, Grants Pass, and have visited most of the places listed. Be aware however that some of those places may not be accessible at the time of year you will be here. Any place in the Cascade mountain range may be heavily snowed in. Crater Lake tries to stay open, but the rim drive will be closed. Wallowa Lake is very nice and the nearby town of Joseph is a great place to visit. Again, winter travel there could be a little treacherous. I have been there over Christmas and the moon shining on the mountains next to the lake is a sight worth seeing. There is also a tram that goes from the lake to the top of the mountain, but I don’t know if it runs in winter. I hope you have a very fun and enjoyable trip.
Thanks for the heads up Dave on the weather! We just had the pleasure of visiting Portland this past weekend – you have a beautiful state! We will keep our fingers crossed for a mild winter so we can experience as much as we can while in Oregon!
A great coffee shop in Cannon Beach is Insomnia Cafe. When we were there last year we had the pleasure of meeting an author of a book signing going on. Great place. If you are going through LaGrande, Hot Lake Hotel would be a great place to stop. Lots of History in these little towns. Safe travels!!
We just moved to salem, or from California and although we haven’t visited the whole state we plan to! If you’re in the capital try visiting Silverton falls it has 10 waterfalls and it about a 5 mile hike all the way around!! Gorgeous!! Obviously, you won’t be able to see everything but the views are great and it’s just amazing living here! I can’t wait to explore! We love road trips so I bet you will have a heck of a time!! Congrats on your journey!
Thank you Susie for all of the info, it all sounds so beautiful and we can’t wait to take it all in! We are loving this journey so much, and it sounds like you have a lot to explore in your new area too! Jim and Mary
I lived in Pendleton, Oregon all my life until 8 years ago when we moved to Arizona. I don’t know alot of places to see or go to in Az., but I can tell you a lot about Oregon. Of course, there is lots to see and do in Portland, Or., but there are loads of things to see and do elsewhere in Oregon too. Follow the Columbia River (borders Oregon and Washington) and you will see lots of beautiful views. If you take the old highway (high and curvy) it has some beautiful waterfalls, one of them being Multnomah Falls. It is the second highest year round falls in the nation. If you make it to NE Oregon, stop in at Pendleton. It is a cowboy town, home of the world famous Pendleton RoundUp. That is the second weekend in September. It is week long and loads of fun. You might want to check out the Pendleton Woolen Mills where Pendleton blankets and shirts are made. They have loads of other things also made out of wool so a great place to shop as well as tour the mill. Lots of good places to eat there, but one of my favorites is General Pacific. They have added new places since I’ve been gone so there may be other good spots as well. If you get to the far North eastern corner of Oregon there is a place called Wallowa Lake. It is a beautiful spot with high mountains, called the Little Swiss Alps of America. There is a nice camping spot there with many things to do…..hike, fish, rent a boat, go up the mountain on a tram, ride horses or go-carts, and in September they have the Octoberfest. Central Oregon has Crater Lake, one of the highlights of Oregon, Bend is a good town to visit as well as Eugene and Klamath Falls. If you are into birdwatching following the Columbia River is a good place to see lots of birds, but my favorite spot is Malheur Wildlife Refuge down in SE area near Burns, Or. Spring is a good time to go there as there are loads of birds as well as getting to see deer and other mammels. And of course, I can’t leave out the Oregon coast where you will see fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. Loads of good places to eat along the coast. You can also take boat trips out to see the whales. There are so many interesting places in Oregon to see: ghost towns, orchards, rivers, mountains, wineries, etc. that I could go on and on about it. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help you out.
Rose – we simply can’t thank you enough for all of those incredible suggestions! They all look incredible, and for sure Wallowa Lake and the coast with the Pacific view are both going to be must see’s for us!
I live in Myrtle Point, Oregon. I have always lived in Oregon. The Botanical Gardens in Charleston outside of Coos Bay on the way to Ocean Beaches is beautiful and you can see the ocean breaking on the cliffs. You can walk down to the Beach from the Botanical Gardens. Also on the way to Botanical Gardens there is Sunset Bay (a enclosed cove beach). In Coos Bay off the Highway 101 is tucked back off the road is Dave’s Pizza. They make their on Gluten Free crust for those who have Allergy Problems. I love the their BLT Sandwich, It also has Canadian Bacon on it with their own Bread. Wonderful Sandwich, Melt in your mouth Sandwich. Don’t forget to go to Bandon, south of Coos Bay. Cute little shops in Old Town Bandon and wonderful fish painted blue Shack Restaurant right by the Boat Dock ( not sure what the name is). Also I have only been there once, but it was wonderful food. Ciccarelli’s Restaurant in North Bend, Oregon a town right beside Coos Bay. We like going to Kozy Kitchen in Myrtle Point and North Bend. I love their Cobb Salad, it’s pretty big. Also up the Coast is Sea Lion Caves. It’s a curvy road to it and the cave stinks from Sea Lions, but it seems that’s something you have to do at least once in your lifetime. Have fun.
Fawn – thank you so much for all of the wonderful suggestions. Love the botanical garden idea, and the little shops and tiny restaurants are exactly what we love to see.
I would list all the places Rose (above) listed as well as adding a few more. Baker City has some nice restaurants, such as Barley Brown’s which also is an award winning micro brewer. The town would not be complete without the Geyser Grand Hotel, which is part of the historical area of town. It was built during the gold rush days. Also, nearby Sumpter, has a gold dredge and museum from this same period. The Snake River scenic byway, is full of breathtaking views and is a must see. Also worth mentioning is the Painted Hills near the tiny town of Mitchell, Oregon. Hope you enjoy your trip! What a wonderful adventure!
Cindy, Geyser sounds really neat, and would love to see all of the old gold rush sites, etc. What are the painted hills all about? Sounds very interesting.
Here’s a link to Painted Hills info.
https://traveloregon.com/things-to-do/destinations/parks-forests-wildlife-areas/painted-hills/
I would agree with all the places that Rose, Fawn and Cindy listed. I live in South Western Oregon, Grants Pass, and have visited most of the places listed. Be aware however that some of those places may not be accessible at the time of year you will be here. Any place in the Cascade mountain range may be heavily snowed in. Crater Lake tries to stay open, but the rim drive will be closed. Wallowa Lake is very nice and the nearby town of Joseph is a great place to visit. Again, winter travel there could be a little treacherous. I have been there over Christmas and the moon shining on the mountains next to the lake is a sight worth seeing. There is also a tram that goes from the lake to the top of the mountain, but I don’t know if it runs in winter. I hope you have a very fun and enjoyable trip.
Thanks for the heads up Dave on the weather! We just had the pleasure of visiting Portland this past weekend – you have a beautiful state! We will keep our fingers crossed for a mild winter so we can experience as much as we can while in Oregon!
A great coffee shop in Cannon Beach is Insomnia Cafe. When we were there last year we had the pleasure of meeting an author of a book signing going on. Great place. If you are going through LaGrande, Hot Lake Hotel would be a great place to stop. Lots of History in these little towns. Safe travels!!
Thank you Cheryl! We were just in Portland for a few days a couple of weeks ago and we can’t wait to come back to see the rest of the state as well!
We just moved to salem, or from California and although we haven’t visited the whole state we plan to! If you’re in the capital try visiting Silverton falls it has 10 waterfalls and it about a 5 mile hike all the way around!! Gorgeous!! Obviously, you won’t be able to see everything but the views are great and it’s just amazing living here! I can’t wait to explore! We love road trips so I bet you will have a heck of a time!! Congrats on your journey!
Thank you Susie for all of the info, it all sounds so beautiful and we can’t wait to take it all in! We are loving this journey so much, and it sounds like you have a lot to explore in your new area too! Jim and Mary