Find Portland activities online
If you’re looking for a vacation destination with variety, try a little Internet research to learn about Portland and its surrounding mountains, forest, farmland and scenic Pacific Ocean coast.
Start your travel planning at Portland’s tourism Web site (www.pova.org/visitors/) and click on “Visitors” for some of the many things you can see and do. Take a look at “Attractions: Portland” to learn about the city’s famous rose gardens and the historic Pearl District. If you have a yen for golf or skiing, head for “Outdoor Portland.” Also provided is a guide to the weather.
South and east of the city, explore scenic drives, rivers, trails and farms in Clackamas County (www.mthoodterritory.com/), the home of 11,249-foot Mount Hood.
The annual Tomato Tasting Festival and Salsa Taste-Off is coming up in September, along with the Mount Hood Autumn Festival. Wineries and breweries are listed under “Country Pleasures,” but you’ll have to use one of those search menus to find them. Then dig into “Great Outdoors” to learn about boating, biking, hiking, guest ranches, winter sports and hot springs to soak in.
Gather more helpful information on the Portland region from GORP (http://gorp.away.com/gorp/location/or/ru_port.htm), with emphasis on camping, hiking, winter sports, fishing and biking.
Head west out of Portland to reach the coast, but on your way take time to explore Washington County (www.countrysideofportland.com/), home of farmers’ markets, vineyards and bicycle trails. Click on “Visitors” to learn more, especially about wineries. There’s a brief outline of other attractions under “Things to See and Do,” but no details; click on “Request Information” and order guides the old-fashioned way, on paper.
Since this is the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark Expedition’s arrival at the Pacific, it’s a great time to visit the newest entry in the National Park system, the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks (www.nps.gov/focl/102004LCNHP/index.html), which includes several sites on the Oregon and Washington sides of the Columbia River.
Oregon’s entries in the Lewis & Clark park are in Clatsop County, home of cities including Astoria and Warrenton (www.oldoregon.com/), where you can relax and admire the scenery of surrounding mountains, woods, river and sea, arrange a fishing trip or check out local attractions.
Down the coast a bit but still in Clatsop County, Cannon Beach (www.cannonbeach.org) has whale watching, surfing and “101 Things To Do.” If you plan trips far in advance, consider the annual Puffin Kite Festival on the beach next spring.
That’s just the start of the state’s scenic shoreline. Visit the Oregon Coast (www.visittheoregoncoast.com/) has maps and suggestions for road trips, including a four-day excursion focusing on lighthouses.
Explore some more with the help of the Oregon Tourism Commission (www.traveloregon.com/), where you can browse by clicking on “7 Regions” or by sliding your cursor over the pictures in the “Table of Contents.”