Oregon offers everything from eclectic cities and charming small towns to vineyards and wineries, stunning beaches, and towering mountains. In fact, once you visit, you’ll probably find yourself searching through the Portland houses for sale – living there, you’ll have access to all of that within a relatively short drive.
Of course, that’s probably not enough to convince you, so we’ll explain a bit more in-depth.
One of the World’s Most Spectacular Coastlines
Oregon is famous for its breathtaking, wild coastline, with rock formations rising from the Pacific and driftwood-strewn beaches. One can search through tide pools to discover all sorts of creatures like colorful starfish, sea anemones, and hermit crabs, go surfing or roll through the dunes in an ATV. Cannon Beach is home to iconic Haystack Rock, and at low tide, there is a wealth of sand dollars waiting to be discovered. In nearby Ecola State Park, one can hike through the forest at the edge of the ocean and picnic while watching elk graze in the meadows. During the winter, you can often spot whales offshore.
Wine Country
Oregon has become renowned for its wine, with three major wine-producing regions and over 600 wineries to be discovered here. The Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area in the northern Willamette Valley, just a short drive from Portland, is home to many of them, including industry pioneers. There are plenty of tasting rooms for sampling, bringing the opportunity to sip new-world classics like the state’s famous pinot noir while enjoying dazzling views of sun-soaked hillsides.
Hiking, Skiing, and More
Oregon boasts magnificent mountain ranges that provide endless hiking and skiing opportunities, including Mount Hood, one of the most iconic mountain destinations. In fact, throughout much of the year, great skiing is only an hour away from Portland on its 11,239-foot-high slopes. Timberline Resort is one of the few places that offers summer skiing while the lower slopes of the mountain draw many hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts.
Of course, there is practically an endless list of options for scenic treks throughout the state, many of which lead to waterfalls, with Oregon home to one of the country’s highest concentration of them. Silver Falls State Park features the Trail of Ten Falls, which, as the name belies, showcases 10 different waterfalls, the highest of which spills for 178 feet.
Hot Springs
If you enjoy soaking in hot springs, you’ll find that too. For one of the ultimate stress-relieving escapes, visit Breitenbush Hot Springs, a holistic hot spring resort. Here, you can melt stress away in natural geothermal hot springs, embark on meditation guided hikes that lead to jaw-dropping mountain views and ancient forest cathedrals. There are wellness programs like massage and yoga too.
Portland
Portland itself is a fabulous city, home to many green spaces and forested parks where one can feel as if they’re in the wilderness without leaving its boundaries. It’s well-known for its many vintage stores that even attract celebrities who come to search through the many treasures. It also boasts one of the country’s top food scenes and one of the best microbrew scenes too, with 84 in the metro area and nearly five dozen in the city itself. Literary types will love Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest bookstore, spread over three stories with a total of 8,000 square feet – pick up a map before you start exploring.
