Of course, much of your Saturday is spoken for-- if you're planning to attend our wedding. But Oregon is an incredibly special place, with a lot to see and do. If you've never been, we suggest turning your weekend into an extended weekend, and finding one or two things on the list below to do. We promise, you won't be sorry!
The Columbia River Gorge
Camp Namanu is a hop, skip and a jump from the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. 292,500 acres of forest and river running from the mouth of the Sandy to the mouth of the Deschutes, and spanning Southern Washington and Northern Oregon. The Gorge is one of our favorite hiking spots, with dozens of gorgeous trails leading your through the woods to beautiful waterfalls. If hiking isn't your thing, many of the waterfalls can be spotted from the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway-- which is worth taking a leisurely drive down. Stop at Crown Point to take in the views, and make sure you take the short walk to the Benson Footbridge at Multnomah Falls.
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Mount Hood
Camp Namanu is in the beautiful Mount Hood National Forest, and if you head further east, you will be on the mountain itself. Mount Hood is the fourth highest peak in the Cascasde Range, and the tallest mountain in Oregon. And yes, it is an active volcano! Home to ski resorts, hiking trails and the famous Timberline Lodge-- used in the beginning of The Shining-- it's a must see stop on your tour of the greater Portland area. The ski resorts may still have snow, depending on the weather that winter. But if skiing isn't your thing-- a drive to Timberline is a must. There's generally snow year-round, and the lodge is the perfect place to stop for lunch, or a hot toddy. You can also hike several trails, though they may be a little wet, or check out Barlow Road, which was part of the Oregon Trail.
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Explore The City of Portland
This could take you more than a day! There are so many fun things to see and do in Portland, we don't even know where to begin! Portland is home to five distinct areas of town, each with their own colorful neighborhoods. You could spend a day, walking around, perusing the shops, and eating at the delicious restaurants. Then of course, there are the food cart pods-- set up throughout town. Portland's very own spin on the food truck-- except they're in the same place, day in and day out. Some companies even offer tours. Or, you could spend the day hiking or biking one of the many trails around the riverbanks, to the top of our many buttes, or through the iconic forest park. Other must see stops include: The Oregon Zoo, OMSI, The Pittock Mansion, Portland Saturday Market, Powell's Books, and we could go on
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and on. If you're feeling overwhelmed, never fear! Below we've posted links to some travel sites/blogs that do a good job covering the must sees:
dRINK IN pORTLAND'S bEER cULTURE
I bet you thought we forgot to include breweries in the section above, but we didn't. Since Portland is the beer capitol of the world, it seemed only fitting to give it it's own section. Beer is like a religion in Portland, and quite frankly in the State of Oregon-- which is home to over 200 breweries. In the Portland Area alone there are 142! Some of our favorites include: McMenamins, Deschutes, Rogue, Lucky Lab, Hopworks and Bridgeport to name a few. If you're a beer fan, but don't know where to start you could consider taking the Brewvana tour of breweries, or grab 14 friends and pedal your way to several breweries on the Brewcycle. Or you could see how many stamps you can get in your McMenamins Brewery Tour Passport. Whatever way you decide to experience our beer culture in Portland, be sure you stop at at lease one brewery before heading home!
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Oregon Wine Country
Oregon is also home to some beautiful wine country, and delicious wines. The Willamette Valley is probably the most famous area for wine tasting in Oregon. McMinnville, Dundee and Newberg are home to some great wineries, including: Argyle, Willamette Valley, Purple Cow and Blakeslee to name only a few. If you don't mind a 2-hour drive, you can head south to Eugene and check out some of our favorite spots from our time there: Sweet Cheeks and Silvan Ridge-- which just happen to be right across the street from each other (SCORE!). Hood River is closer to Namanu, and is home to some great wineries, including The Gorge White House. If you want to stay near the city, you can check out McMenamins-- which we mentioned above in the beer section-- but is also home to its own winery and some pretty tasty reds and whites. The region is known for Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio Wines, and you can find more information about tours and wineries by clicking the button below:
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Cannon Beach
We most certainly saved the best for last. It could easily be said the Oregon Coast is our favorite place in the entire world, and if you have time to make the hour and a half drive to Cannon Beach, it's worth it. If you only have the day, walk on the beach and check out the tide pools at haystack rock. Then take a stroll through town and peruse the shops. Don't forget to stop at Bruce's Candy Kitchen for some Salt Water Taffy and Chocolates. And if you can stay for the sunset, it's well worth it! And depending on how long you plan to stay, you may just even bump into us, enjoying our honeymoon.
If you have time to spare, head north to Astoria-- where the Goonies was filmed-- and check out the Astoria Column. |
Unfortunately, the Goonies House is no longer open to the public, but you can stop by the other filming locations in and around Astoria. Parts of Kindergarten Cop were also filmed along the Oregon coast... but people don't think that's as cool.
If history is your thing, a visit to Fort Clatsop-- where Lewis and Clark settled during their time on the Oregon coast is a must! And, no visit to the Oregon Coast is complete without a trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for the less-than-faint aroma of cows, and the delicious cheese and ice cream! It's in the opposite direction of Astoria, but well worth the drive.
If history is your thing, a visit to Fort Clatsop-- where Lewis and Clark settled during their time on the Oregon coast is a must! And, no visit to the Oregon Coast is complete without a trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for the less-than-faint aroma of cows, and the delicious cheese and ice cream! It's in the opposite direction of Astoria, but well worth the drive.