TRIPSTER

Springfield, Oregon: Home of the Simpsons (sort of)

According to a Smithsonian magazine interview, Matt Groening admits Springfield, Oregon, was the inspiration for The Simpsons’ fictional hometown. Groening later disagrees.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 24, 2012 at 04:15PM 0 Comments

Courtesy The Simpsons and Fox

In an extensive interview with Smithsonian magazine, the Oregon-born creator of The Simpsons purportedly confirms with interviewer Claudia De La Roca what has long been rumored: That the Springfield Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, Maggie, and the rest of the 25-year-old hit cartoon series cast call home is, in fact, named in honor of Springfield, Oregon.

“Springfield was named after Springfield, Oregon. The only reason is that when I was a kid, when I was a kid, the TV show ‘Father Knows Best’ took place in the town of Springfield, and I was thrilled because I imagined that it was the town next to Portland, my hometown,” Groening told interviewer Claudia De La Roca. “When I grew up, I realized it was just a fictitious name. I also figured out that Springfield was one of the most common names for a city in the U.S. In anticipation of the success of the show, I thought, ‘This will be cool; everyone will think it’s their Springfield.’ And they do.”

Groening later elaborated, telling TV Guide, "I never said Springfield was in Oregon.”

Read the full interview, including what Groening thinks of his hometown today, and make up your own mind. Or better yet, plan your own exploration of the Springfield area with our handy guide to Eugene’s burgeoning food scene.

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Airline Sale: Deals on Tickets to Dallas, East Coast

Spirit Airlines launches a new Portland flight with deals on tickets to Dallas, and Virgin Atlantic offers cheap flights out of Seattle.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 18, 2012 at 10:00AM 0 Comments

You’ve only got two days to score big savings on flights out of Portland and Seattle.

Budget airline Spirit is celebrating its new nonstop Dallas–Portland flight (which begins June 21) with $29 one-way fares. The catch is availability is very limited, so a more typical round-trip ticket costs closer to $150. Still a screaming deal, though. You’ve got to book by 9 p.m. April 19 (that’s tomorrow), and you’ve got to be prepared for a red-eye. Spirit’s once daily direct flight from PDX to Dallas/Fort Worth departs at 12:40 a.m.

You’ve also got until tomorrow night to book low fares on Virgin Atlantic out of Seattle. Yes, you have to fly out of Seattle, but with cheap round-trip tickets to places like New York ($308, including taxes), Boston ($338), and Chicago ($318), it might just be worth your while. Of course, there are some travel date restrictions (like the entire month of July and much of August), but if you’re eyeballing a May, September, or October trip, you’re in luck.

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Spring Deals and April Events

Huge hotel deals, a tasteful (and tasty) Titantic 100th anniversary commemoration, the final weeks of Woodburn’s Tulip Festival, and more

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 11, 2012 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

Courtesy Bybee Historic Inn

DEALS

Stay at Southern Oregon’s stunning Bybee Historic Inn, for less than half the regular rate, now through May 20 with this Travelzoo deal. Your $99 nets you a night, a three-course breakfast for two, a bottle of bubbly, chocolate-covered strawberries, and easy access to Southern Oregon wine country.

Get 30 percent off stays at Washington’s Alderbrook Resort and Spa, on the shores of the Hood Canal, for the rest of April. The occasion? A celebration of spring oysters.

HAPPENINGS

TITANIC COMMEMORATION
What: Long Beach’s Shelburne Hotel hosts a Titanic-inspired tea and dinner with recipes drawn from those used aboard the doomed ship.
When: Sunday
Where: Long Beach, Washington
Details: theshelburnerestaurant.com

TULIP FESTIVAL

What: Woodburn’s Wood Shoe Tulip Farm hosts its annual tulip festival through the end of the month. Ooh and ah over the colorful display on the farm’s 40 acres, and buy blooms and bulbs to take home. Plus: pony rides, wine tasting, wooden shoe making, and plenty of food on offer.
When: March 31–April 30
Where: Woodburn
Details: woodenshoe.com

TIMBERLINE’S HERITAGE WEEK

What: The iconic Mount Hood resort celebrates its 75th anniversary with events, deals, and more.
When: April 8–15
Where: Timberline Lodge
Details: timberlinelodge

TUMI OPENS

What: As previously reported on Tripster, luxury travel brand Tumi debuted its Pioneer Place store Thursday.
When: Ongoing
Where: Pioneer Place
Details: tumi.com

GORGE HIKING SEASON

What: Friends of the Gorge offers 59 education hiking outings this spring, including one focused on Waterfall Photography (April 12). Do some preliminary homework by picking off a few of the 25 cascades that comprise Friends’ Waterfall Wanderlust hiking challenge.
When: now through Apr 30
Where: Columbia River Gorge
Details: gorgefriends.org

HOOD RIVER TRAVEL TO LEARN

What: Travel like you mean it with Hood River’s newly launched Travel to Learn program, which offers visitors the chance to take classes with a local expert in everything from coffee roasting to wildflower photography and windsurfing. More than 50 classes will be offered over the next month.
When: Mar 23–Apr 22
Where: Hood River
Details: hoodriver.org

DUNDEE PASSPORT TOUR

What: Your $20 passport gets you 50 to 100 percent off at more than 30 tasting rooms, plus deals at restaurants, shops, and B&Bs.
When: All of April
Where: Dundee
Details: dundeehills.org

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Spring Greening: 8 Great Northwest Golf Destinations

From wind-swept coastal links courses to Central Oregon’s posh high-desert resorts, we highlight some of the top spots to knock the rust off your sticks this spring.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 11, 2012 at 12:00PM 0 Comments

Courtesy Tetherow Golf Club

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Salishan

Salishan
Redesigned by Peter Jacobson in 2004, Salishan’s par-71 course is split between two equally exquisite but very different landscapes. The front nine cuts through thick forest before opening up to sedge-strewn links-style holes on the back nine. Punctuated by views of the Pacific and neighboring Siletz Bay, Salishan assures that—despite what Twain says—any trip to Salishan promises a good walk, unspoiled. (And even if your game leaves a little something to be desired, you’ll find solace in Salishan’s on-site spa and restaurant.) From $69 per round

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Gearhart Golf Links

Gearhart Golf Links
Even back in the 1890s, patrons of the (now-defunct) Hotel Gearhart played golf on the town’s modest green. One of the oldest courses on the West Coast, the Gearhart Golf Links got an update in 1999, but the course architect retained the former spirit of the place: The links-style course undulates with the landscape, and British-style pot bunkers are the hazards to avoid. The 1940s-era clubhouse, the Sand Trap, burned down in 1998, but the new Sand Trap, operated by McMenamins, features historic photographs of early Gearhart golfers on the walls. Play a round, then tipple a little on the deck or down in the Pot Bunker Bar, where you can relive your day, or, depending on how you fared, forget it altogether. From $25 per round
—Leslie Heilbrunn

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Sandpines

Sandpines
Florence’s wind-sculpted par-72 course circles a stunning central lake, graveyard to many an errant shot. Named one of the best value golf courses in the states by Travel + Leisure, Sandpines promises a quintessential Oregon coast golf experience in a beautiful setting. The 9,000-square-foot clubhouse offers a prime place to post up after your round, or head into town for an unbeatable meal at the historic Waterfront Depot (reservations recommended). From $69 per round

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Bandon Dunes

Bandon Dunes Golf Resort
When Bandon Dunes Golf Resort’s opened Bandon Trails in 2005, it was praised as a course that all golfers should play before they die. Luckily for us, crossing that item off the short list is no tall order. The resort, which took the No. 1 spot on Golf Digest’s 2011 list of best American golf resorts, is but hours away by car and remains an idyllic place to escape the vagaries of city life. In spite of the accolades, the resort’s courses actively shun any urge to pomp up its aesthetic: From the coast-hugging Bandon Dunes to the forested Bandon Trails, these are true links courses. Carts are strictly forbidden. Bandon’s newest course, Old Macdonald, has already taken top honors from Golfweek magazine as one of the country’s best new courses, and this summer, a fifth course, the 13-hole Bandon Preserve opens next to Bandon Trails. From $160 per round ($100 at the Preserve when it opens in May)

View Slideshow » Photo: Brian Oar/FairwaysPhotography.com

Salish Cliffs
Just opened in near Olympia in September, Salish Cliffs already needs to build a trophy case to display its numerous awards, which include being tapped as one of the nation’s best new courses, one of the best casino-course (Salish Cliffs is associated with to Little Creek Casino), and a glowing review from Forbes. Generous fairways make the course attractive to—shall we say—recreational golfers, while the length of some of the holes will challenge their more skilled counterparts. And both will love savor the clubhouse’s wrap-around porch. From $45 per round

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Pronghorn

Bend
Each year, the PGA picks only about 30 places to play its Champions Tour. There are reasons Central Oregon almost always makes the list: 300 days of sunshine, rugged desertscapes, and an audience of snowy giants watching over every drive. Of course, you don’t have to be Tiger to enjoy the best of Bend golf. With 22 courses easily accessible from town, Bend promises a delightful—and, during spring, discounted—escape from the soggy greens west of the mountains. A few of our favorites: Pronghorn, a private, gated golf community that opened to the public in 2010; Brasada Ranch, this Redmond-area golf resort boasts quiet, serene play with majestic views of the Cascades and an exceptional spa; Tetherow, created by designer of Bandon Dunes and the Castle Course at St. Andrews, Tetherow’s links-style course bobs and weaves along a rolling landscape of fescue-fringed bunkers; Crosswater, Sunriver’s private course (but open to guests of the resort) has also been the site of the Champions Tour’s Jeld-Wen Traditions Tournament; Black Butte, a Central Oregon classic with two courses, one of which (Glaze Meadow) debuts a $3.75-million renovation this summer.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Tokatee

Tokatee Golf Club
Established in the 1960s, Tokatee accommodates wallet-friendly golf in a picturesque mountain setting. Situated near the Blue and McKenzie rivers, the heavily wooded course’s friendly fairways are more forgiving then one might initially expect, but still reward precise chipping and pitching. And players of all ability levels win when it comes to the setting. From $45 per round

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Running Y Ranch

Running Y Ranch
Oregon’s only Arnold Palmer designed course, Running Y puts the best of Southern Oregon golf on display: sun-drenched meadows backdropped by rugged hillsides, pine-studded woodlands, and, on the back-nine, the challenge of Payne Canyon. Palmer himself has credited the course as one of his best tracks. Even better, the resort puts you within sniffing distance of Oregon’s premier water feature: Crater Lake. From $69 per round

April showers might bring May flowers, but they also often bring discounted green fees at some of the region’s top golf getaways. Many courses kick their rates up, come May, so now’s the time to sneak in that coveted round. After all, with the unpredictable weather we’ve been having, there’s no guarantee you’ll get a drier game come May (and so far this season April’s been pretty light on the whole shower thing anyway).

View our slideshow to get rates and find out what’s new—and what’s still great—at some of the Northwest’s favorite courses. Then consult the weather report—or your Magic 8 Ball, which might be more accurate—and schedule that tee time. Even if your game’s a little rusty, the money you save will leave you feeling like a winner.

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Tags: Bend & Central Oregon, Florence, Oregon Coast, portland, travel, Bandon Dunes, Golf

Last Minute Events and April Highlights

Festivals galore: Tulips, strong ales, and Timberline’s 75th birthday

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 07, 2012 at 08:15AM 0 Comments

By Bruce Lee, courtesy Wooden Shoe Tulip Farms

IRON MAN STRONG ALE FESTIVAL

What: Stevenson’s inaugural strong ale festival celebrates 8-plus percent beers with offerings from more than 15 breweries, including Walking Man, Double Mountain, and Anderson Valley. Soak up those samples with food from Hood River catering company Four and Twenty Blackbirds and Bingen’s Solstice Cafe.
When: Today! April 7th
Where: Stevenson, Washington
Details: ironmanstrongalefestival.com

TULIP FESTIVAL

What: Woodburn’s Wood Shoe Tulip Farm hosts its annual tulip festival through the end of the month. Ooh and ah over the colorful display on the farm’s 40 acres, and buy blooms and bulbs to take home. Plus: pony rides, wine tasting, wooden shoe making, and plenty of food on offer.
When: March 31–April 30
Where: Woodburn
Details: woodenshoe.com

TIMBERLINE’S HERITAGE WEEK

What: The iconic Mount Hood resort celebrates its 75th anniversary with events, deals, and more.
When: April 8–15
Where: Timberline Lodge
Details: timberlinelodge

TUMI OPENS

What: As previously reported on Tripster, luxury travel brand Tumi debuted its Pioneer Place store Thursday.
When: Ongoing
Where: Pioneer Place
Details: tumi.com

GORGE HIKING SEASON BEGINS

What: Friends of the Gorge offers 59 education hiking outings this spring, including one focused on Waterfall Photography (April 12). Do some preliminary homework by picking off a few of the 25 cascades that comprise Friends’ Waterfall Wanderlust hiking challenge.
When: now through Apr 30
Where: Columbia River Gorge
Details: gorgefriends.org

HOOD RIVER TRAVEL TO LEARN

What: Travel like you mean it with Hood River’s newly launched Travel to Learn program, which offers visitors the chance to take classes with a local expert in everything from coffee roasting to wildflower photography and windsurfing. More than 50 classes will be offered over the next month.
When: Mar 23–Apr 22
Where: Hood River
Details: hoodriver.org

DUNDEE PASSPORT TOUR

What: Your $20 passport gets you 50 to 100 percent off at more than 30 tasting rooms, plus deals at restaurants, shops, and B&Bs.
When: All of April
Where: Dundee
Details: dundeehills.org

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Stamps Need Not Apply

A Seattle company turns your snapshot into a postcard and mails it for you…all from your smart phone or computer.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Apr 05, 2012 at 02:00PM 0 Comments

Actual postcard sent.

Back in our youth, we were perpetual postcard collectors: Ireland, Greece, Spain, France, cross-country drives with the family—if we’d been there, we had 4-by-6-inch piece of paper to prove it (and in the case of those family vacations the emotional scars too, but that’s another story). The advent of Facebook and camera phones, though, has had a somewhat slimming effect on our postcard collection. Some might even call it starvation. Seattle-based Postcardly.com might just bulk it back up, though.

The new site makes it easy for travelers—or just the photo-obsessed—to send personalized postcards (like ours at left) to friends, family members, or coworkers whose noses you want to rub in your vacation glory—er—with whom you want to share your experience. Once you’ve set up your account (rates start at $5 a month for 5 postcards), e-mail your photo and message (up to about 100 words) to Postcardly, and they’ll make the postcard and mail it for you.

Postcardly’s current free trial lets you send three postcards sans fee. Even if you don’t have any escapes planned, surely you can come up with some creative way to say (and shoot) “Happy Easter” and claim your own little piece of Mom and Dad’s fridge.

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Portland Hotel Stars in Grimm

Hotel deLuxe shines in a recent episode of NBC’s hit show.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 30, 2012 at 05:00PM 0 Comments

Courtesy NBC

The weekend is (almost) officially upon us, and there’s no better way to kick it off than with a little Friday film fun. Like this episode of Grimm, which aired originally March 2, and stars our very own Hotel deLuxe. (Cheater’s note: fast forward to roughly minute 28 to see the hotel’s first cameo and minute 41 to see the second.)

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Top Picks for Spring Events

Cake Wars, Gorge Hikes, Timberline Turns 75, and More

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 28, 2012 at 04:00PM 0 Comments

Photo: Courtesy Timberline

TIMBERLINE’S HERITAGE WEEK

What: The iconic Mount Hood resort celebrates its 75th anniversary with events, deals, and more.
When: April 8–15
Where: Timberline Lodge
Details: timberlinelodge

SKAMANIA LODGE CAKE WARS

What: Put the icing on your child’s spring break at Skamania Lodge, where kids are given small cakes and decorating supplies to create masterpieces. $10 per cake
When: Saturday, March 31
Where: Skamania Lodge
Details: skamania.com

OWYHEE CANYONLANDS TALK

What: Get inspired to visit, hike, and even paddle in Southeastern Oregon’s rarely visited, breathtaking desertscape, the Owyhee Canyonlands, at this slide show presentation.
When: 6–8 p.m. March 29
Where: EcoTrust Building
Details: onda.org

NORTH WILLAMETTE WINE TRAIL

What: Sample wines from 24 wineries while learning about the industry with hands-on activities—from grafting your own vine to enjoying food pairings designed to help compare sake and wine—at each winery stop. Tickets: $45 for both days.
When: Mar 31–Apr 1
Where: North Willamette Valley
Details: nwvintners.org

GORGE HIKING SEASON BEGINS

What: Friends of the Gorge offers 59 education hiking outings this spring, including one focused on Waterfall Photography (April 12). Do some preliminary homework by picking off a few of the 25 cascades that comprise Friends’ Waterfall Wanderlust hiking challenge.
When: now through Apr 30
Where: Columbia River Gorge
Details: gorgefriends.org

HOOD RIVER TRAVEL TO LEARN

What: Travel like you mean it with Hood River’s newly launched Travel to Learn program, which offers visitors the chance to take classes with a local expert in everything from coffee roasting to wildflower photography and windsurfing. More than 50 classes will be offered over the next month.
When: Mar 23–Apr 22
Where: Hood River
Details: hoodriver.org

DUNDEE PASSPORT TOUR

What: Your $20 passport gets you 50 to 100 percent off at more than 30 tasting rooms, plus deals at restaurants, shops, and B&Bs.
When: All of April
Where: Dundee
Details: dundeehills.org

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How to Book a Hotel … and Get Money Back!

A new hotel booking site gets you low rates and money back if prices drop.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 27, 2012 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Launched last week, the new website Tingo, a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, takes the gamble out of booking hotel rooms.

Tingo’s Money Back option (available on most, but not all of its hotels) automatically rebooks guests if a lower price comes up and refunds them the difference. So no more wondering if you should wait another day to book that romantic Columbia Cliff Villas escape. (FYI: at last check rates at this luxury Hood River hotel were at $137 per night, down from a standard $195.)

Orbitz Price Assurance policy already does this for flights and hotels, but it only credits travelers with a refund if another Orbitz customer books the same flight or room on the same dates at a lower cost. Tingo guarantees a refund if rates drop, period, whether a room is booked through its site or not.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that Tingo’s rates are the lowest to begin with, but a recent survey of several reliable hotel booking sites (Room 77, Hotels.com, and Orbitz among them) showed similar prices.

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North Willamette Valley Wine Trail

We highlight our favorite spots to stop in this often overlooked wine region.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 21, 2012 at 09:00AM 1 Comments

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Ponzi Vineyards

Tucked in the forested slopes near Beaverton, Ponzi Vineyards has been an anchor of Oregon’s wine industry for 40 years. Somewhat unbelievably, the quaint tasting room—with bocce courts outside—is currently pouring tastes of its delicious 2008 Chardonnay Reserve, awarded 92 points by Wine Spectator and heralded as “rich and well-integrated” by the New York Times. Take home your own bottle for just $30.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Washington County Visitors Association

As if Cooper Mountain Vineyard’s tasty biodynamic wines weren’t enough to entice you to visit this Beaverton tasting room, just a mile down Grabhorn Road, the 68-acre Jenkins Estate (pictured), with its stunning botanical gardens and wooded trails, offers another reason to stop by.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy South Store Cafe

If you need a little pick-me-up after all that pinot tasting, stop in at the cute, friendly South Store Café, where a cup of well-made coffee and a homemade cinnamon roll or scone (all pastries are made fresh every day) will set you right, and back on your way.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy North Willamette Vintners

Smith Berry Barn. There’s more than just berries on offer at this 30-acre family farm in Scholls. Pick up everything from potted herbs to raw honey, handmade soaps, and a slew of other didn’t-know-you-needed-it goodies inside the big red barn along SW River Road.

View Slideshow » Photo: by Anna Sachse

A cheery oasis amid verdant fields, the Cruise In Country Diner stands as one of those hidden gems that you always dream of stumbling upon when you’re in the middle of nowhere. A mix of farmers, families, bikers, and hipsters sit at pristine diner tables and booths surrounded by old-fashioned signs, photographs, ’50s era hubcaps, and some serious chow. Specifically, 19 burgers—including fish, chicken, buffalo, and three veggie varieties—plus a pulled pork sandwich, hot dog, and options for kids, all made from organic and local ingredients whenever possible. Wash down the experience with a killer Alpenrose ice cream milkshake.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy Elk Cove

Gaston’s pinot gris and pinot noir producer Elk Cove, is one of Portland Monthly wine critic Conde Cox’s North Willamette Valley must-stops. And with views like this, you can see why.

View Slideshow » Illustration:

For a taste of local color, stop in for a pint and a bite at Gaston’s One Horse Tavern. What doesn’t look like much from the outside, turns out to be a stained-glass and dark-wooded den of lively conversation, laughter, and—on most Saturday nights—live music.

View Slideshow » Photo: Courtesy McMenamins Grand Lodge

If you to decide to turn your day trip into an overnight, McMenamins Grand Lodge, a 77-room hotel nestled on lush swatch of grass in downtown Forest Grove offers a prime jumping off spot for your second day of wine tasting. (Plus the practiced hands in Ruby’s Spa know how to untie the knots Highway 26 left behind.)

A trip to wine country doesn’t have to mean a 60 minute haul down I-5 or 99. Tucked just 30 minutes down Highway 26 sit some worthy examples of Oregon wine amidst the bucolic landscape and quaint small towns. Explore them this month on the North Willamette Valley Wine Trail, where you can sample wines from 24 wineries while learning about the industry with hands-on activities—from grafting your own vine to enjoying food pairings designed to help compare sake and wine—at each winery stop. Tickets are $45 for both days.

Whether you make it out this month or not, there are a few places you don’t want to miss. View our slideshow to learn about some of our favorite wineries, restaurants, and hotels.

North Willamette Valley Wine Trail Details
When: Mar 31–Apr 1
Where: North Willamette Valley
Details: nwvintners.org

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Spring Break Events and Deals

The North Willamette Wine Trail, a new airline lands at PDX, Meadows’ Film Festival, Hood River’s new travel-to-learn program, and flights to Hawaii for under $400.

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 14, 2012 at 02:30PM 0 Comments

Photo: Janis Miglavs

Elk Cove Vineyard

HAPPENINGS

NORTH WILLAMETTE WINE TRAIL
What: Sample wines from 24 wineries while learning about the industry with hands-on activities—from grafting your own vine to enjoying food pairings designed to help compare sake and wine—at each winery stop. Tickets: $45 for both days.
When: Mar 31–Apr 1
Where: North Willamette Valley
Details: nwvintners.org

GORGE HIKING SEASON BEGINS
What: Friends of the Gorge offers 59 education hiking outings this spring, including one focused on Waterfall Photography (April 12). Do some preliminary homework by picking off a few of the 25 cascades that comprise Friends’ Waterfall Wanderlust hiking challenge.
When: now through Apr 30
Where: Columbia River Gorge
Details: gorgefriends.org

MEADOWS FILM FESTIVAL
What: See the top 10 finalists in Mt Hood Meadows’ third annual adventure film festival.
When: 4–7 p.m., Mar 18
Where: Vertical Restaurant and Sports Bar
Details: skihood.com

HEATHMAN’S NEW ROOMS OPEN
What: We gave you a sneak peek at the Heathman’s new art-themed suites a few weeks ago: four new rooms, each devoted to a different Portland arts institution. Well, two of them—the Literary Arts Suite and the Oregon Symphony Suite—are now complete and ready for booking.
When: ongoing
Where: Portland
Details: portland.heathmanhotel.com

HOOD RIVER TRAVEL TO LEARN
What: Travel like you mean it with Hood River’s newly launched Travel to Learn program, which offers visitors the chance to take classes with a local expert in everything from coffee roasting to wildflower photography and windsurfing. More than 50 classes will be offered over the next month.
When: Mar 23–Apr 22
Where: Hood River
Details: hoodriver.org

SKI BOWL BEACH FESTIVAL
What: Skibowl’s annual Spring Break celebration includes ice sculptures, rail jam comps, slope-side beer tasting, and, of course, the hilarious pond skimming contest, in which costumed contestants try their luck at skimming across a freezing pond.
When: Mar 24
Where: Mt Hood Ski Bowl
Details: skibowl.com

CORVALLIS WINE TASTING
What: Downtown Corvallis businesses turn into tasting rooms that pour local wines at this weekend’s Rhapsody in the Vineyard. Tickets: $5
When: March 17
Where: Corvallis
Details: visitcorvallis.com

DEALS

PDX to LAX or SFO for $99
Virgin America arrives at PDX June 5, with new nonstop flights to Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). To celebrate they’re selling one-way tickets for $99 (including taxes), good for travel from June 5 to October 17. You’ve got until 10 p.m. on Friday to book. Details at virginamerica.com

$39 RIVER FLOAT WITH WINE AND LUNCH
Take a three-hour tour of Washington’s Skagit River then land at Glacier Peak Winery for a tour, a tasting, and a picnic lunch. Normally $87. Details here.

ROUND TRIP TO HAWAII FOR UNDER $400
Thinking about a last-minute spring escape to the islands? You can still score a tickets to Honolulu for $394. Details here.

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Spring Break Escapes

25 prime places—near and far—to while away your week
(or weekend)

Posted by: Kasey Cordell on Mar 14, 2012 at 08:00AM 0 Comments

Photo: Dennis Frates

Some like it hot. Some like it cold. And some like it salty. We’re talking, of course, about vacation destinations. (What did you think we were getting at?)

Whether you’re a toes in the sand, sun-soaking kind of of Spring Breaker, or a powder hound seeking out the last spring stashes, we’ve got the inside scoop on 25 places full of the one thing we’re all after: relaxation.

FOR SUN
Near (and nearish)
Hood River: Fruit farmers, vintners, and brewmasters are turning this outdoors hub into a gourmet destination.
Bend: Every year, the PGA picks only about 30 places to play its Champions Tour. There are reasons Central Oregon always makes the list: 300 days of sunshine, rugged desertscapes, and an audience of snowy giants watching over every drive.
Southern Oregon Wine Country: Less famous than Willamette Valley wines, the Umpqua and Rogue valleys’ vintages have been earning points with warmer-climate grapes such as tempranillo, malbec, and even gewürztraminer.
The Steens Wild mustangs, secret hot springs, and a mountain that rises from the desert floor: Welcome to Harney County, USA.
Wenatchee Planted smack in Washington’s geographic center, the Wenatchee Valley, with its prodigious orchards, verdant farms, and 300 days of sunshine, also sits at the heart of the state’s culinary scene.

Far
San Diego: An idyllic coastal city
Santa Monica: LA’s hottest beach town
Las Vegas: A desert oasis in more ways than one
Maui: Hawaii’s isle of romance
Santa Rosa: Gateway to wine country
Santa Cruz: Surfing mecca with small-town charm
Catalina Island: Conservation meets luxury off the coast of LA
Palm Springs: Desert decadence with a splash of Hollywood glamour
Oahu: A classic Hawaiian escape
Big Island: Find adventure aplenty on Hawaii’s biggest island

Cape Arago, Oregon

SAND
Near (and nearish)
70 Ways to Discover the Oregon Coast: Five surefire itineraries for foodies, families, outdoor adventurers, naturalist and history buffs
Long Beach: Beauty abounds (but crowds do not) on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula.
Pacific City: The beachfront town of Pacific City isn’t all that cute. Yet. And that is precisely its appeal.

Far
Santa Barbara: Santa Barbara promises a two-pronged cure for any lingering winter blues: beaches and vino.
Kauai: Paradise Found: The Hawaiian island of Kauai offers an escape that’s equal parts adventure and peace
Sayulita: Sayulita is Mexico’s hush-hush resort town. Get there before the word gets out.

Tumalo Mountain by Mark Gamba

SNOW
Close Range: 12 Northwest mountain escapes where you’ll find plenty of powder—and none of the crowds, including: Willamette Pass, Mount Bailey, Tumalo Mountain, Leavenworth, North Cascade Heli-skiing, Meany Lodge, Wallowa Alpine Huts, Ski Anthony Lakes, Ferguson Ridge, Red Mountain, Baldface Lodge, and Whitewater Winter Resort.

Methow Valley, Washington: Cross country skiing and nature’s quiet symphony

Tamarack, Idaho: Ever wonder what Vail looked like before it became Vail? Head to Tamarack.

Park City, Utah: We love Mount Hood as much as the next powder hound. And Bachelor. And Rainier. But every now and again, we yearn to stretch our skis beyond the Northwest’s familiar terrain. With three ski resorts—Deer Valley, Park City Mountain, and the recently overhauled Canyons—plus six nonstop flights from PDX to Salt Lake City per day, Park City promises an easy way to scratch that itch.

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Tags: Bend & Central Oregon, Oregon Coast, travel