The Oregon Coast is bursting with adorably quaint towns, offering dramatic coastal views and lots of charm. The teeny town of Coos Bay is often overlooked for some of its more popular neighbors, like Florence or Bandon, but this is a huge oversight—this eclectic town is full of natural beauty and quirky attractions. Here’s 17 incredible things to do in Coos Bay, a hidden gem along the southern Oregon Coast.
The Oregon Coast is known for its quaint and charming towns, although some fly quietly under-the-radar. The teeny town of Bandon, along the southern coastline, is one of these hidden gems, with an adorable Old Town, quirky art projects, and some of the most beautiful beaches in the entire state. If you’re looking to explore one of the cutest towns along the coastline, here’s 10 of the best things to do in Bandon, Oregon.
Oregon is known for its plentiful hot springs, but Paulina Lake Hot Springs may just be the most unique spot you’ll find in the state. Located near Bend, Oregon, you can actually dig your own hot springs tub in the volcanic sand along the shores of Paulina Lake, overlooking the surrounding pine tree forests and rugged mountains. Sounds like a dream come true? It totally is! Here’s everything you need to know about Paulina Lake Hot Springs, so you can enjoy its steamy waters all to yourself.
The Oregon Coast has a lot to offer, from charming beach towns to some of the best surfing in the United States. But it also has something else up its sleeve—it’s one of the best places in the world to see gray whales! Specifically, the small town of Depoe Bay, along the central coastline, is renowned as the Whale Watching Capital of Oregon. So if you’d like to see these gentle giants for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about Depoe Bay whale watching.
Willamette National Forest in Oregon offers incredibly lush forests, rushing rivers, and best of all, steaming hot springs. One of these amazing sites, McCredie Hot Springs, is the perfect place to kick back, relax, and soak in the beautiful views—and the hot water–in a dense pine tree forest. If you want to enjoy the steamy waters for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about visiting McCredie Hot Springs.
If you’re looking for one of the most stunning waterfalls in Oregon, Ramona Falls, sitting in the shadow of Mount Hood, may just take the cake. But to reach this jaw-dropping waterfall, you’ll have to go on an adventurous hike, with some funky obstacles that you should be prepared for along the way. Here’s everything you need to know about the Ramona Falls trail, one of the best waterfall hikes in Oregon.
Smith Rock State Park, located right outside of Bend, Oregon, is a high desert wonderland, with jagged basalt rock formations, dreamy pine tree forests, and the rushing waters of the Crooked River. One of the best ways to explore the park is on foot, via any one of its incredible hiking trails that wind through its stunning landscape. Here’s 5 unmissable Smith Rock hikes, so that you can enjoy the epic scenery for yourself!
Oregon has it all—snow-capped mountains, craggy high deserts, and a wildly stunning coastline—so perhaps it’s no surprise that it’s one of the best states to have an epic road trip. But with SO MUCH cool stuff to see, it can feel like a daunting task to come up with the perfect Oregon road trip itinerary. We’ve laid out the best one week road trip itinerary of the very best sites that Oregon has to offer, plus all kinds of insider tips (including ideas for other things to see if you have more time in Oregon!).
Spring can be a weird time in the Pacific Northwest, with gloomy weather and the promise of the glorious summer, just a few months in the future. Luckily, though, there’s tons of amazing things to do in the spring in Oregon, from shredding the slopes to stopping to smell the springtime flowers. Here’s 14 incredible things to do in the spring in Oregon.
Towering at 11,249 feet tall, Mount Hood is truly iconic throughout the state of Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest. With plenty of lakes, waterfalls, and stunning views, it’s no surprise there are a ton of awesome trails to enjoy around this behemoth, the tallest mountain in Oregon. If you’re looking for an epic alpine escape, here’s four Mount Hood hikes you don’t want to miss.
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