Things to do in Oregon + route suggestion

Welcome to this in-depth article on with the best things to do in Oregon! This state on the west coast of the United States of America is still relatively unknown outside of the US and that’s a shame, because it’s filled with awesome sights and beautiful nature. Think of bustling Portland, Crater Lake National Park and the famous Oregon Coast where rugged coastlines and endless sandy beaches dominate the landscape.
 
I first visited Oregon in 2017 and went back again in September and October 2024. Unsurprisingly, I was once again very impressed by this amazing state with so many different landscapes.

I will start this article with the major sights in Oregon. Then I will share my route tips for your Oregon trip and then I will give you some more ideas for your trip. Enjoy reading!

This article was was first published in 2021 and was updated after my trip in 2024.

Things to do in Portland

Although Portland is not exactly small by European standards (the number of inhabitants is over half a million), it is by American standards. The high-rise buildings that you find in other cities on the west coast of America (Los Angeles, Seattle for example) are missing here and that makes it a bit cozier. One day in the city is enough to give you a good impression of Portland and its sights.
 
The most important sights in Portland are the Pine Street Market, the Rose Garden (with a view of Mount Hood), the mural with ‘Keep Portland Weird’ and of course the various food trucks. These are usually closed on Sundays so it’s useful to remember if this is a must for you.

If you are, like me, a huge fan of books, I can recommend Powell’s Books, the largest independent bookstore in the world. You can have a nice dinner in the evening at Jake’s Famous Crawfish. A Voodoo Donut is of course also a must.

Overnight tip: I stayed at Hotel Deluxe in the center of Portland. All the sights mentioned are within walking distance of this hotel.

Mount Hood

Mount Hood is a 3.429 meter high stratovolcano located a short drive from Portland. In the summer it’s a popular area for hiking and other outdoor activities, in the winter there is skiing on the flanks of this volcano. You can visit Mount Hood for a day from Portland or go there for a longer period of time. I spent 24 hours there and went on several beautiful hikes, including one on the famous Pacific Crest Trail, which passes close to Mount Hood.
 
It is also nice to have take a seat at the terrace at the Timberline Lodge. This historic lodge has become famous for being used for the movie The Shining. Confusing, because the hotel as it is called in the movie is The Stanley Hotel which is in fact located in Estes Park in Colorado. I also vitisted that one, but I found it a huge disappointment to be honest.
 
Would you like to read more about Mount Hood? Then check out this article about 24 hours in Mount Hood and the surrounding area.
 
Where to stay: Cooper Spur Mountain Resort or the Timberline Lodge.
 

Crater Lake National Park

The highlight of my Oregon trip was my visit to Crater Lake National Park. Ever since I saw the first photos of this special natural phenomenon, I knew I wanted to go to Crater Lake one day. And so it happened. It even made me so emotional when I arrived that tears came to my eyes when I first saw the bright blue Crater Lake.
 
Crater Lake National Park is about a five-hour drive south of Portland and due to its elevation, you can only visit snow-free for a few months of the year. Even during my visit at the end of July, there was still snow in many places and several hiking trails were still closed. So August is definitely a better option!
 
For Crater Lake National Park, 24 hours is also sufficient to get a good impression of the park. I visited the Rim, hiked to the highest point in the park (Mount Scott) and visited The Pinnacles. You can find all my tips for your visit to Crater Lake here.
 
Where to stay: Crater Lake Resort or the historic Prospect Hotel

Columbia River Gorge

Also worth a visit is the Columbia River Gorge. This wide river valley is the natural border between Oregon and Washington. You can cross it over the famous “Bridge of the Gods” at Cascade Locks, the point where Reese Witherspoon ends her adventure in the movie Wild.
 
The Columbia River Gorge is particularly known for its beautiful waterfalls and is a popular place for Americans to celebrate their holidays. This ensures that most waterfalls are peak pressure in the summer and that sometimes you cannot even park at the waterfall of your place. In the Columbia River Gorge there are no less than 18 waterfalls that you can visit, of which Mulnomah Falls are the most famous. By the way, I did not visit this one myself because of extreme crowds. Instead I went to some smaller waterfalls.
 
You can visit the Columbia River Gorge for a day from Portland by rental car. Please note that there have been serious fires in the Columbia River Gorge in 2019 and that nature is still recovering from this. As a result, it may not be possible to visit all tourist spots or they may look different than the internet suggests. Nature is still in the recovery phase here.
 
And while you’re in the area, also make sure to check out the town of Hood River!

The Pacific Coast

The Oregon Coast is one of the major things to do in Oregon. The rugged coastline is ideal for a day or two. Special places include Cape Meares and Cannon Beach. You can get a breath of fresh air on the beach, gather driftwood or enjoy a campfire. Keep in mind that there is often no last minute availability on the Oregon Coast. I spent half a day looking for affordable accommodation (not found) – even all the campsites were full. In the end I spent the night in my car on the border of Oregon and Washington, not really recommended. Book your accommodation on the Oregon coast in well in advance!

In 2024 I stayed at Driftwood Shores in Florence.
 

Bend and Redmond

In Central Oregon you will find the towns of Bend and Redmond. They are only a half hour drive away from each other but the contrast is pretty big. Redmond is surrounded by rock formations and the town is not very big. A recommendation to visit here is Smith Rock State Park, you can make pretty hikes along the river or climb a peak from where you have five volcanoes in one view. Bend on the other hand is a larger city with all amenities, the environment is a lot greener and it really feels like an outdoor city.
 
Where to stay:
SCP Hotel in Redmond of The Loge in Bend.  

Last but not least, a visit to the Painted Hills should definitely not be missing from your list of must-see sights in Oregon. I was there for the first time last September and it is just as beautiful as the pictures. The Painted Hills are part of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, a nature reserve that consists of three different parts, of which the Painted Hills is one. You can take a number of short walks here, an hour or two is enough to get a good impression of the area.

Oregon road trip in two weeks

Most travelers spend about a 10-12 days in Oregon. I have therefore made the following itinerary for you:

Day 1. Arrival in Portland, overnight at Hotel Deluxe
Day 2. Free day in Portland, overnight at Hotel Deluxe
Day 3. Visit to the Columbia River Gorge, overnight at Hotel Deluxe
Day 4. Drive along the Oregon Coast, overnight at Driftwood Shores
Day 5. To Crater Lake National Park, overnight at Prospect Hotel
Day 6. Free day for Crater Lake National Park, overnight at Prospect Hotel
Day 7. Drive to Bend, overnight at The Loge
Day 8. Free day for Tumalo Falls and Smith Rock State Park, overnight at The Loge
Day 9. To Painted Hills and overnight at SCP Redmond
Day 10. From Redmond to Mount Hood, overnight at the Timberline Lodge
Day 11. Free day Mount Hood, aan het einde van de dag terug naar Portland
Day 12. Rental car drop off or departure to Washington
 

If you want to continue to Washington State with highlights such as Seattle, Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park, check the 14-day Pacific Northwest itinerary that I made for a tour of both states.

 

General tips for your Oregon journey

• Do not forget to activate your credit card and bring your pin code. In America you can hardly pay with a debit card and almost everything is done by credit card. Tip: change the pin code at an ATM in your home country to the pin code that you also use with your bank card, then you will not be able to forget it!
• Although I really enjoyed my tour of Oregon, I found it very busy in most places and sometimes had to search a long time until I found an available place to stay. Therefore, book your overnight spots during the high season (June to August) or better: travel in September or early October as I did in 2024, it was much more quiet in most places!

• Flights from Europe to the Pacific Northwest can best be booked via Skyscanner. 
• For the best accommodations on the Pacific Northwest, please check Booking.com for a large variety of options. It’s recommended you book your accommodation well ahead as especially in the summer finding last minute availability is almost impossible. 
•  You will need a rental car to get around, check availability and rates here. I usually rent with Alamo and found them very reliable.

Conclusion and disclaimer

I hope you found this article about things to see in Oregon trip helpful. If you have any questions and / or comments, feel free to leave them in the comments. If you want to continue reading, you may also enjoy the following posts:

• Road trip from Salt Lake City to Seattle: the best route + all highlights
• 7 Awesome things do to in the Pacific Northwest
• Everything you want to know about Crater Lake National Park

Alternatively, visit my America page with more than 30 articles about my active travels in the United States.

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