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Don’t Miss These 4 Top Day Trips from Portland, Oregon

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1 month ago

Oregon’s hip and fashionable largest city has all the elements of a top-class city break. Fascinating museums, stunning historic landmarks and more food trucks than you can shake a stick at make Portland one of the gems of the West Coast.

For years, Portland has been putting its all into trumping Seattle. They’re doing well, because it’s hard to pick a favorite. One thing working in Portland’s favor is its location. Perfectly situated for exploring the beautiful Oregon coast and countryside, there are dozens of great day trips from Portland.

Whether you want to dive deep into the Cascade Mountains, explore some of Oregon’s best small towns or hit the beaches, there are day trips from Portland to suit every traveler. To help you pick the day trip for you, we’ve brought together our pick of the best.

Of course, in an ideal world, we’d recommend you take them all. But with so much of the world to see, finding the time to do that isn’t always possible. In order to see as much as Oregon as possible, base yourself in Downtown Portland. Spend two days exploring the city (we have the ultimate guide), then use the rest of your time taking some day trips from Portland.

The 4 Best Day Trips from Portland

Columbia River and Mount Hood

Sitting at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, you don’t have to go far for the first of our unmissable day trips from Portland. The Columbia River Gorge, an awe-inspiring canyon reaching over 1,200 meters in depth, is home to some of the most impressive waterfalls in the U.S.

Oregon’s best waterfalls

Our pick of the Gorge’s waterfalls has to be Multnomah Falls. The tallest in Oregon, they stand at 189 meters tall and span two tiers of basalt cliff. Multnomah Creek Bridge runs right underneath the falls and is the ideal spot to take in the view.

Latourell Falls, just around 10 miles along the river, is just as picture-perfect. A 2-mile long hiking trail leads from the parking lot to the upper falls. However, if walking isn’t for you, I think you can still find a great view from the base.

Mount Hood

Oregon’s tallest mountain, an active volcano, is an essential addition to all nature-centric day trips from Portland. At 3,429 meters tall, Mount Hood is a favorite amongst climbers, although maybe not ones taking day trips from Portland!

Head for Timberline Lodge, an excellent hotel and ski lodge on the side of the mountain with an elevation of over 1,800 meters. Day passes are available for skiing and snowboarding. For those who prefer to simply soak up the views, grab a cocktail from their cosy lounge bar and admire nature at its finest.

On the way back down, make a stop in Government Camp. A quirky mountain resort popular with skiers, Government Camp has some excellent restaurants. Alpine-style Ratskeller is our best restaurant in the area. They serve up a classic apres-ski menu of woodfired pizza, burgers and sandwiches. It’s simple, but simple done well and just what you need on a cold day.

Getting to the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood

As the first of our day trips from Portland involves visiting a number of sites across around an 80-mile distance, the easiest option is to rent a car and drive yourself. You’ll soon come across plenty of scenic spots you simply have to stop and take photos, a freedom you wouldn’t get on public transport.

However, if driving isn’t your thing, there is a fantastic tour from Portland which runs year round. This eight to nine hour tour takes in all the spots we’ve mentioned above as well as a couple of extra waterfalls.

Salem

As is often the case with U.S. states, the capital isn’t always the city you’d expect. Oregon’s capital is neither Portland nor Eugene, its two largest cities, but sleepy Salem.

Start your day with a wander around beautiful Riverfront Park before delving into some of Salem’s excellent museums. The Hallie Ford Museum of Art, part of Willamette University, has an incredible collection of modern and classical pieces. The museum hosts regularly changing exhibitions and is open year-round five afternoons per week (closed on Sundays and Mondays).

The Willamette Heritage Center is the place to go to learn about Salem’s history. Salem became capital of Oregon in 1851 and is home to plenty of historic buildings, all of which are documented at the Heritage Center. Opening hours do vary, so check their website for the latest times and admission prices.

Just outside the city, easily accessible by bus, the B-17 Alliance Museum is unequivocally my favorite museum in Salem. Staffed entirely by volunteers and funded by donations and admission fees, this team of aviation lovers have taken on the mammoth task of rebuilding a Second World War B-17 bomber.

The plane, Lacey Lady, first found itself in Oregon in 1947 when the owner of a gas station purchased it and plonked it on top of the gas station canopy where it remained for the next 67 years. The B-17 Alliance was formed in 2006 and hope to have the plane airworthy by 2035. A visit is not only fascinating, but also rewarding as the cost of your ticket goes straight into funding the work.

The Best Restaurants in Salem

Portland may be the place to go for a foodie getaway, but Salem is following in its footsteps. In the past few years an amazing number of new restaurants have opened up.

Rudy’s Steakhouse is the place to go for a refined dining experience. Glistening chandeliers hang from the ceilings, the service is outstanding and the steak is amazing.

For a taste of Mexico, head to Azul’s Taco House. With bright décor and walls which are a wonderful mismatch of colors, it’s a fun and relaxed place to grab some classic Mexican street food.

If you’re craving comfort food, check out Noble Wave. Home to Salem’s best southern soul food, their Louisiana-inspired menu features gumbo, Po Boys and fried chicken.

Getting to Salem

If you’re not driving, Salem is easy to reach by public transport making this one of the most hassle-free day trips from Portland. Amtrak operate four trains per day, taking just over an hour to complete the journey. There are also a handful of Amtrak Thruway buses running the route. Both can be booked on the Amtrak website or mobile app. Alternatively, take a Flixbus which will drop you in Downtown Salem in just one hour.

Willamette River Wine Country

Another of the top day trips from Portland, Oregon’s beautiful wine country is a must-see destination whether you’re a wine connoisseur or not. One of the U.S.’s most renowned wine regions, rivalled only by Napa Valley, wine making in Oregon dates back to 1840.

There are dozens of vineyards close enough for day trips from Portland, so we’ve narrowed down a few of the best to save you searching. First up is Beaux Freres Winery. A small, family-run boutique winery, Beaux Freres produce a range of delicious Pinot Noirs and Bourgognes.

Travel tip: Beaux Freres is open by appointment only. If you’re not part of a group you must contact them in advance to book.

Visits can either be traditional tastings with a wine expert or, for a more in depth look, go for their panoramic experience. This includes the tasting along with a tour of the vineyard and winery.

Another excellent boutique winery, make award-winning Domaine Divio your next stop. With reds, whites and rosés on offer, Domaine Divio is perfect for all taste pallets. Their daily tastings must be booked in advance and are a great way to sample the winery’s eclectic wine list. If you purchase two or more bottles whilst you’re there, the tasting is free.

Just because there’s no such thing as too much wine, make one final stop at Winderlea Winery & Vineyard. Surrounded by the beauty of the Dundee Hills, Winderlea have been producing wine in Oregon for over 15 years. With red, whites, rose and sparkling wines, tastings take place every day except Wednesday. On warm days, you can enjoy your flight of wine on the balcony overlooking the vineyard.

Getting to Oregon’s Wine Country

The Willamette Valley covers a wide area and to make the most of your day trip from Portland, you’ll want to call in at a few different vineyards. Driving yourself will make for the most rewarding day trip to wine country.

There are some great tours from Portland with the added benefit of having a knowledgeable guide accompany you as you travel through the valley. This full-day wine tour from Portland covers all our favorite Oregon vineyards. Plus it includes a lunch stop at excellent sandwich shop, The Horse Radish in Carlton. They’ve gained quite a cult following; you’ll see why on your first bite.

The Oregon Coast

Just a 90-minute drive from Portland, Oregon has some of the most dramatic and beautiful coastal scenery in the U.S. Head first for Cannon Beach, a charming small town with a spectacular beach. Admire stunning Haystack Rock, a sea stack which is accessible by foot at low tide.

Whilst in Cannon Beach, stop off for coffee at Sleepy Monk Coffee Roasters. Their organic coffee is divine and the freshly-baked pastries are delicious. If you’re looking for something more substantial, The Wayfarer Restaurant do an amazing fish & chips. When you’re at the seaside, it’s the only contender.

Continuing your coastal Oregon day trip from Portland, work your way north pausing at Indian Beach. Hidden in a secluded bay, this is a great spot to see seabirds. Pelicans, cormorants, ducks and surf scooters all make regular appearances.

Heading further north still, Ecola State Park is the highlight of the day. Comprising a nine-mile stretch of coastline, William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) traveled along the coast in 1806 and was so awe-struck by its beauty he wrote prose about the scenery. Look out for sea stacks and hidden coves as you hike along the clifftop trails to Tillamook Head, a dramatic promontory with juts out into the mighty Pacific.

Getting to the Oregon Coast

As with all our day trips from Portland, driving is the best way to explore the Oregon Coast. If you prefer to spend the whole day in Cannon Beach- which is no bad choice- there is an Amtrak Thruway bus from Portland Union Station.

Another great way to see the coast is to join a full day tour. This takes in Cannon Beach as well as Ecola State Park along with a number of other stops along the coast, all in the company of a naturalist guide.


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