Getaways

5 Perfect Portland Days

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 11:47:00 -0700

The arrival of summer brings with it more than just budding roses, music festivals, and the overwhelming scent of SPF 30. It also usually launches a three-month-long parade of guests too smart to visit during grayer days. Armed with NYT clippings and Portlandia DVDs, these visitors already are smitten with our little indie city. Now it’s time to show them not just the clichés they hunger for, but the depth of your local knowledge. Start with these five itineraries, built for five very different types of visitors. Whether you tag along or simply tape one to the bathroom mirror for your guests to find their own way, we’ve saved you the cognitive energy it takes to dream up the perfect day. Yup, that’s right: summer just got easier.

Itinerary #1: THE FIRST TIMER
Itinerary #2: IN-LAWS
Itinerary #3: BIKEABLE ADVENTURES WITH YOUR HIP COLLEGE ROOMMATE
Itinerary #4: YOUR SISTER & HER TWO KIDS
Itinerary #5: COLLEAGUE

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ITINERARY #1
THE FIRST TIMER

In which we remind you of all those tried-and-true tourist destinations to show your guests, while suggesting some new classics that might just upstage them

The Standard ...

Washington Park Rose Test Gardens

Image: Courtesy Shutterstock

But we also suggest

Image: Courtesy John M. Cropper

Peninsula Park or Elk Rock Garden

The more than 5,000 rose plantings at Peninsula Park—Portland’s first rose garden—ought to sate your flower fix, and the Mount Hood vista from Elk Rock’s estate patio is actually better (we think) than the faraway perspective at the Washington Park garden.

The Standard ...

Multnomah Falls

Image: Courtesy Shutterstock

But we also suggest

Image: Courtesy Shutterstock

Elowah Falls

Thumb your nose at the crowds as you pass Multnomah on your way to the less-frequented (but equally beautiful) Elowah cascade, a 289-foot froth-monster at the end of a gentle mile-and-a-half hike.

The Standard ...

Voodoo Doughnut

Image: Courtesy Travis Estell

But we also suggest

Image: Courtesy Ashley Anderson

Blue Star Donuts

Blue Star may subtract the “ugh” from the proper spelling of “doughnut,” but Micah Camden’s first foray into circular doses of sugar also takes the “ugh” out of the out-the-door-down-the-block wait. We’ll overlook the lexical transgression for a lifetime supply of crème brûlée glazes. 1237 SW Washington St.

The Standard ...

Powell’s

Image: Courtesy Rick Chung

But we also suggest

Image: Courtesy Paul Lowry

Special Collections Room at the Central Library

You really shouldn’t skip the greatest bookstore in the Milky Way (Powell’s). Nor should you miss the chance to ogle the stunning, 100-year-old, A. E. Doyle–designed Central Library, where a first edition of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is on display in the John Wilson Special Collections room. 801 SW 10th Ave.

The Standard ...

Portland City Grill

Image: Courtesy Alice Mosca

But we also suggest

Image: Courtesy Noble Rot

Noble Rot

With its impressive 30th-story views, PCG is still the spot to take your parents (and any others for whom the dream of the ’90s is alive and well). But Noble Rot’s fourth-floor east-side view of Portland’s skyline—plus a smart wine list and locally sourced dishes—shows off our 21st-century cool. Get a free tour of the rooftop garden every Tuesday at 5 p.m. 1111 E Burnside St.

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ITINERARY #2
IN-LAWS

If beards and tattoos frighten your relatives, introduce them to Portland’s softer side with this laid-back exploration of our culinary, art, and shopping sceneS. (Note: tat-free tour not guaranteed.)

Schoolhouse Electric

Ten-year-old Schoolhouse Electric’s modish mix of furniture, home décor, and light fixtures feels as much like an art gallery as a store. Tour the eclectic inventory, espresso in hand, courtesy of the in-store Ristretto Roasters café, a signature example of PDX’s microroasting legacy.
2181 NW Nicolai St.

Image: Courtesy Jim Lommasson

Laura Russo Gallery

The Pearl District (and its cadre of galleries) was still an urban planning zygote when this sleek and welcoming space began showcasing Northwest artists in Nob Hill nearly 25 years ago. It’s every bit as approachable today.
805 NW 21st Ave.

Image: Courtesy Justin Miller

Oaks Bottom + Sellwood

Fuel up for the easy three-mile wander through bird-watching paradise Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge at Lompoc’s nearby Public House, a branch of one of Portland’s original microbreweries. Plus, Sellwood’s many-block-long antique mall promises plenty more leg stretching if you’re still suffering from IPA-and-goat-cheese-burger-induced guilt. 1621 SE Bybee Blvd.

Oui Presse + Hawthorne

Perhaps no place puts Portland’s preciousness on display better than this cute bakery/magazine shop/café. But if you seek more, just head east on Hawthorne. 1740 SE Hawthorne Blvd.

Image: Courtesy Stuart Mullenberg

SE Wine Collective

Everyone’s mother-in-law warms up with a glass of pinot from Bow & Arrow, one of the four urban wineries bottling vino at this new urban sipping spot. 2425 SE 35th Pl.

St. Jack

Rustic French cuisine gets a Northwest touch (think roasted coho with braised artichokes) at this upscale restaurant that’s so quaint even you will coo when you walk in the door. Rookie mistake: skipping dessert. Alissa Rozos’s chocolate almond torte is heaven on a plate. 2039 SE Clinton St.

Heathman Hotel

Rest assured your family will be well cared for at 86-year-old Heathman Hotel, which believes “service is still an art.” (Ahem, restaurant industry workers.) See the proof for yourself tomorrow at Afternoon Tea—the Heathman is one of the only places in Portland still offering this truly continental affair. 1001 SW Broadway.

Talking Point The Hawthorne Bridge must lift at least partially every eight hours in order to ensure its 103-year-old parts don’t get stuck.

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ITINERARY #3
BIKEABLE ADVENTURES WITH YOUR TRAGICALLY HIP OLD COLLEGE ROOMMATE

Now that you can afford more than ramen and Rainier, show your former roomie the trendier side of Portland.

START

Image: Ashley Anderson

Jupiter Hotel This mod hotel’s 81 rooms come with bikes ($35 per day to rent), and with plenty of nearby cycling streets and lanes, your pal has an ideal home base for a two-wheeled exploration of Portland cool. From $129

Le Pigeon It never gets old. Sit at the bar, order the chef’s five-course tasting menu, and let Gabriel Rucker, the punk-French cook who put a bird—and a Beard Award—on Portland’s culinary scene, blow your #$&%ing mind. 1 block

The 811 Building Soak in all things vintage, handcrafty, and indie-avant-artsy at Haunt, Sword & Fern, Nationale, and the Adams and Ollman gallery. 2 blocks

Rontoms Ping-Pong on the back patio. Winning’s not required. Trying is. 2 blocks

½ Mile • CENTRAL EASTSIDE

Consider these drinking establishments for a variety of hipster subspecies. Select the best fit.

The Bearded Midwestern Transplant: Beer
Go for the 95 unique brews. Stay for the unbelievable amount of vintage beer kitsch.

The Designer: Dig A Pony
Where Adidas- and Nike-ites make nice (and pretty).

The Rocker: Bunk Bar
Massive, messy sandwiches? Check. Massively loud live music? What?!

The Sophisticate: Distillery Row
Five boutique booze makers. Because upscale hipsters understand what they’re chasing with Pabst.

1 Mile • INNER SE

Colonel Summers Park You don’t have to join the kickball game being played in perpetuity here, but you do have to watch, at least for a minute.

1.2 Miles • OLD TOWN

Image: Ashley Anderson

Ground Kontrol Throwback video games. Beer. Need we say more?

Low Brow Lounge Baby hipsters were born (and probably made) here back in the 1990s.

1.5 Miles • INNER NE

Hollywood Vintage Because the only thing cooler than angular eyewear is really old angular eyewear. The hat selection is also particularly fetching, in a midcentury-modern way.

1.5 Miles • DOWNTOWN

Image: Ashley Anderson

Tender Loving Empire Retrieve your ironic-but-earnest Portland
souvenir here.

Public Domain We’re the only town in America that could possibly host coffee happy hour: $2 espressos with a shot of Pellegrino to wash ’em down.

Animal Traffic For all your vintage Pendleton needs.

2.7 Miles • EAST BURNSIDE

Image: Kate Madden

The Tannery Bar Any place that hangs a giant neon sign for longneck Rainier out front automatically qualifies as ironic. The extensive vinyl collection, well-crafted cocktails, and excellent small plates (we recommend the Monte Cristo) make this cozy spot actually cool.

3-ish Miles • MISSISSIPPI & ALBINA AVENUES

Image: Ashley Anderson

Mississippi Studios Portland’s natty nano concert venue.

Mississippi Marketplace The Big Egg, Native Bowl, and German beer bar Prost marked the evolution of Portland’s food cart scene in 2009.

Radar Discover delicious Scandinavian-style brunch items like baked eggs and smoked bluefish pâté at this tiny spot with fancy cocktails designed by one of the bartenders at NYC’s legendary Death & Co.

Albina & Sumner A record store (Mississippi Records), modern art (Museum of Modern Art), and a retro bar with a stuffed dead animal (Red Fox Bar), all on one block. The only thing more twee than this trifecta is brunch spot SweeDeeDee around the corner.

3.3 Miles • NOPO

Image: Ashley Anderson

Sunset at Skidmore Bluffs Behold the beauty of the sun sinking over the city, Forest Park, and a vaguely industrial landscape. Disregard the sneers from the skinny-jeans people who think they “found” these NoPo bluffs first. Keep your tallboy discreet.

3.5 Miles • ALBERTA STREET

Image: Ashley Anderson

Anywhere between 10th and 33rd, but especially Barista Café, Ampersand, Monograph Bookwerks, and the Bye and Bye, where the combination of fat mason-jar cocktails and skinny vegans proves incredibly entertaining.

8.6 Miles • ST. JOHNS

Division Leap St. Johns’s veritable emporium of impossible-to-find zines, rock-show posters, and strange outsider art from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s is open by appointment only. (Consider taking one of the Jupiter’s two on-site ZipCars for this venture.)

Talking Point In 1897, Sullivan’s Gulch held Cycle Park, an amphitheater filled with bike tracks and a carnival-like atmosphere at NE 18th and Halsey.

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ITINERARY #4
YOUR SISTER & HER TWO KIDS

A guide to showcasing Portland’s wonderful quirkiness while keeping the kids happy (and your sister sane)

Image: Ashley Anderson

Slappy Cakes
+ The kids make their own pancakes (and a mess).
+ Boozy breakfast drinks (there are five mimosas on the menu)
+ Someone else to clean it all up
– A likely hourlong wait

= Totally worth it
4246 SE Belmont St.

Tram + Marquam Nature Park
Few cities our size claim their own aerial tram. Ours gets you within steps of Marquam Nature Park, a 180-acre ode to native plants like bigleaf maples, red cedars, and western hemlock.

Salt and Straw
I scream, you scream, the entire country is screaming for this boutique ice creamery—which, in its short two-year existence, has already logged way more than 31 quirky flavors. Among our favorites: Sea Salt with a Caramel Ribbon, and Freckled Woodblock Chocolate. Multiple locations.

Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden
The bad news: not enough people visit the bronze statues commemorating our famed children’s author at this Grant Park fountain. The good news: little ones can splash with Ramona and Ribsy without much interruption. NE 33rd Avenue and Brazee St.

OMSI
Don’t give us that look (or eye roll). Name another 219,000-square-foot hands-on paean to science that includes a submarine, planetarium, and instructions for making flubber. Yeah, thought so. It’s easy for us to forget how truly awesome OMSI is, too. Remind yourself with a visit to the (hands-off!) mummies exhibit. 1945 SE Water Ave.

Boke Bowl
Fast is important when it comes to feeding kids. But so is flavor when it comes to feeding you. Boke Bowl’s heaping, steaming noodle bowls—like the pork dashi with buttermilk fried chicken—make both a priority. And there’s even PB&J steamed buns for the little ones. Plus, the SE Water Avenue location will introduce the next generation to some new vocabulary: industrial chic. 1028 SE Water Ave.

Inn at Northrup Station
If you can get over the Day-Glo décor (you can), Northrup Station’s reasonable rates, kitchen suites, rooftop deck, and complimentary breakfast make it an ideal option for stashing sis and her family. And it puts her within blocks of places to trade out her mom jeans for something sharper at trendy NW 23rd shops like Sloan and Blake. 2025 NW Northrup St.

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ITINERARY #5
COLLEAGUE

How to show off your town, impress your boss, and endear yourself to colleagues—without looking like you’re trying

Photographs: Nong’s Courtesy John Star; Ace Hotel Courtesy Ace Hotel; Spirit of 77 Courtesy Board Shanty; Director Park by Ashley Anderson; Edgefield Courtesy Mcmenamins; Whiskey Courtesy Shutterstock

Talking Point The wrought-iron gate at the northeast corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square came from the swank Hotel Portland, which stood on the site from 1890 to 1951.

On the Water: Idyllic Escapes to Northwest Islands, Beaches, Rivers, and Lakes

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:18:00 -0700

The sun is here! (Almost.) Now's the time to start planning your day and weekend trips to the Northwest best waterfront spots.

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 10:18:00 -0800

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” may be a holiday tradition celebrated in song, but roasting them on an open fire while you snuggle up to a massive slate hearth, steaming mug of cocoa in hand, as muting layers of snow pile up outside, silencing everything except the crackle and pop of the fire and the laughter of family and friends—now, that’s what the velvet-voiced Nat King Cole really had in mind. And it’s precisely the kind of quintessential Northwest experience you’ll discover among our picks for the region’s best lodges, all within a few hours’ drive. To find them, we asked, “What makes a lodge a lodge?” For some it might mean snow and skiing and rough-hewn timber beams. But for us, the experience isn’t just about powder, sports, and architecture. It’s about soul: a place as steeped in community as it is in nature, a shelter set among the Northwest’s natural bounty—be it mountain, river, or sea—where you’ll find cozy, communal spaces for sharing stories and supper and, eventually, memories ... and, of course, where you’ll also find a good fireplace.

Skiing at Crystal Mountain near Alta Crystal Resort, Mount Rainier

Image: Corbis Images Number 42-26159552

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The Classics

Image: Courtesy Jack Whitaker

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

National Park Inn at Longmire | Mount Rainier

Planted in the middle of Mt Rainer National Park, Longmire affords a classic mountain setting with an average of 52 feet of snow each winter, out-the-lodge-door cross-country skiing, and a roaring stone fireplace to fend off the chill sweeping down from the Northwest’s highest peak. Hot cocoa not included (but you can find some in the 1918 log cabin–cum–general store next door). mtrainierguestservices.com; from $115
Book It! Room 8’s brilliant perspective on Mount Rainier makes it a regular favorite.

Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge | Gold Beach

This Rogue River gem trades traditional Cascadian heft for gentler Craftsman lines, gracefully blending into the riverbanks upon which it was built in 1970s. Seven quiet miles from where river meets sea, Tu Tu’ Tun’s serene acres host 21 rooms—many with wood-burning fireplace and all with a wall of windows that invites the outdoors in. tututun.com; from $145
Book It! The Osprey House, new in 2011, boasts 180-degree views of the Rogue and three bedrooms—perfect for a couples’ retreat.

Sleeping Lady | Leavenworth, Wash.

Also built by the CCC, Sleeping Lady shares a family tree with Timberline, but the aesthetic is entirely different. Instead of a mountaintop retreat with several floors of lodge rooms, Sleeping Lady’s suite clusters spread out along 67 creekside acres in Icicle Canyon, where skiers can shoosh off their backsteps into 4 miles of cross-country trails. If you start feeling lonely, visit the main lodge for meals inspired by Sleeping Lady’s organic garden and a side of communal chatter. sleepinglady.com; from $320 (including meals)
Book It! Perched uphill from the suite clusters (and near the outdoor hot tub), the Eyrie Cabin promises the most privacy.

Image: Stuart Mullenberg

Timberline Lodge | Mount Hood

A masterpiece forged by an earlier generation’s economic hardship, government stimulus, and artistry, Oregon’s iconic lodge ties up its 75th anniversary celebration this month. That means you can savor the National Historic Landmark’s enormous stone fireplaces—crafted from boulders found slopeside during the Civilian Conservation Corps’s 15-month construction of Timberline—for less. As part of the festivities, Timberline offers rooms in the hand-built “People’s Lodge” for as low as $75. timberlinelodge.com; from $75 (through web specials)
Book It! History buffs pick Room 107, used by FDR and Eleanor during the lodge’s 1937 dedication.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

From 1951 to 1953, an aerial tram—really, little more than a school bus suspended from cables—ran between Timberline Lodge and Government Camp. The ride took about a half an hour, if the tram didn’t break down, which happened regularly.

My Town

Play like a Hood local with these tips from Betsy Valian, director of the Arts Cabins Project, co-owner of Valian’s Ski Shop, and proud 30-year Government Camp resident.

THE MT HOOD CULTURAL CENTER AND MUSEUM

“I don’t think people realize how integral Mount Hood has been in the history of the Northwest,” Valian says. Find out in this 11-year-old museum, which showcases Hood’s rich legacy and fascinating ski history through photograph collections, architecture exhibits, and annual local art sales.

THE TACO SHOPPE

Keep your eyes peeled on E Government Camp Loop Road for chef Kevin Bastin’s easy-to-miss streetside taco shop, serving fresh, homemade Mexican food with a focus on local produce and vegetarian options.

SUMMIT SKI AREA

Operating since 1927, Summit is the oldest ski area in the Pacific Northwest—and owns one of the best sledding hills for the pint-size set. Rent a tube all day for just $25. —Rachel Ritchie

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For Families

Image: Courtesy Suncadia

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Suncadia | Cle Elum, Wash.

A recent descendant of Sunriver-style decadence, central Washington’s Suncadia makes kids the center of attention with its outdoor ice rink, tubing hill, pools, and signature “Camp Cadia” programs (themed excursions, like Shake Your Music Maker or Creepy Crawly Night, that involve games, crafts, and field trips). Generation Next, indeed. suncadiaresort.com; from $159
Book It! Multifamily retreats are easily served by Suncadia’s collection of houses, like 120 Bunchberry Ct, which boasts four master bedrooms, a bunkhouse, and covered outdoor deck for the kids to burn off any unspent energy.

Image: Courtesy Lake Creek Lodge

Lake Creek Lodge | Camp Sherman

Let the little ones run wild without worry at this Camp Sherman retreat. The pet-friendly chalets provide plenty of room to stretch out. (The smallest is 500 square feet.) And if nearby Hoodoo Ski Area doesn’t fix the kids’ case of stir crazy, the main lodge, with its big-screen TV, Ping-Pong, foosball, and pool table, surely will. lakecreeklodge.com; from $99
Book It! The 1,200-square-foot Cabin 27 is outfitted with chic, WPA-inspired appliances.

Sunriver Resort | Sunriver

The granddaddy in Central Oregon’s lineage of golf resorts, Sunriver offers 300-plus days of sunshine and Fido-friendly suites and homes that have been drawing families since 1968. This winter there’s a new reason to go: the Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic & Recreation Center. This 22-acre (yes, acre) site promises myriad ways to warm up—and wear the kids out: an indoor pool, outdoor hot tub, and a year-round sledding hill (snow not required), to name a few. sunriver-resort.com; from $119
Book It! Kids love the Lodge Village Suite’s loft; parents appreciate the second bathroom and private deck.

Skamania Lodge | Stevenson, Wash.

Skamania rarely sees piles of snow, but it’s always got plenty to keep every member of your family entertained. For the kids: minigolf, an indoor pool, s’mores at the outdoor fire pit, and a new zip line through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. For you: 18 grown-up size holes, an outdoor hot tub open until 10, and easy access to Gorge trails. skamania.com; from $125
Book It! The four Parlor rooms include balconies overlooking the lodge’s front lawn and the riverscape.

Seventh Mountain Resort | Bend

A $20 million renovation has helped shore up this longtime family favorite’s townhomes, along with the outdoor ice rink and heated pools, and the adventure center (air hockey, video games, Ping-Pong and more). Don’t limit the family to on-site activities, though: Mount Bachelor and one of Central Oregon’s best sledding hills are just a few miles up the road. seventhmountain.com; from $129
Book It! Building 17’s third-floor rooms have the best views of Mount Bachelor and the Deschutes National Forest.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

Today a cabin along the Metolius can cost you upward of $300,000, but back in 1916 you could get a permit to build a riverside home for between $5 and $15. There were conditions, of course: specifically, no shacks were allowed, “only substantial, neat houses would be erected,” and even those you had to give up after 30 years, the maximum occupancy period.

Play It Again

Kara Larson, owner of NE Alberta Street’s Grasshopper toy store, suggests three cures for cabin fever.

Batabanga ($18) Reaction times get a boost with Batabanga, in which players slap the pile when two of the same beautifully illustrated cards come up in a row.

Qwirkle ($25) Tetris meets tic-tac-toe in this game for two to four players. Score points by using 108 wooden tiles to build lines sharing certain attributes. “Not only are kids learning colors and shapes, they’re learning how to strategize.” Larson says.

Sketch It! ($20) A kind of communal Pictionary, Sketch It! rewards budding Van Goghs by giving top points to drawings guessed first. —Jasmine Eoff

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For Romance

Image: Courtesy WildSpring

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Wildspring | Port Orford

No matter what your romance recipe calls for, WildSpring Guest Habitat has the ingredients: five adults-only cabins nested in a forest of firs near a gale-prone stretch of southern coastline, perfect for privacy and storm watching; radiant-heat floors (no cold feet in bed); showers built for two; chocolate on hand 24 hours a day in the guest hall; and—the pièce de résistance—an outdoor tub overlooking the frothy Pacific. Get cookin’. wildspring.com; from $198
Book It! The Craftsman-style Anwen Cabin will feel like a homecoming. Especially once you light the fire in the beautiful cast-iron wood stove.

Run of the River | Leavenworth, Wash.

A mile from downtown Leavenworth—and blissfully free of its kitschy Bavarian theme—Run of the River Inn & Refuge’s majestic setting makes it nearly impossible not to fall in love. Wake up to winter songbirds (the inn is surrounded by a bird sanctuary and wildlife refuge) and fall asleep to the sound of the Icicle River rushing past your suite’s private deck. And should the picturesque winter scene inspire taking a knee, well, it wouldn’t be the first time. The adults-only inn has “elopement packages” at the ready for just such an occasion. runoftheriver.com; from $230
Book It! The stand-alone Ravenwood Lodge comes with an outdoor hot tub and a shower view of the Enchantment Mountains.

Five Pine Lodge | Sisters

If Dante penned a modern revision of his seminal Paradiso chapters, he’d surely set it at Five Pine. Heavenly sphere 1: an on-site brewpub and old-school movie house, ideal for a date night within walking distance. Sphere 2: a fireplace. Sphere 3: a sunken, two-person rock soaking tub next to a fireplace. Sphere 4: an Italian tile shower for two ... a fine place to kindle your own “inferno.” fivepinelodge.com; from $149
Book It! The only place you’ll find that sunken tub is in a “romance cabin” on the back row of the property, abutting the Deschutes National Forest.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

Tempests of Shakespearean proportion brew just up the coast from Wildspring. Four miles north of the luxe love nest, on Cape Blanco, winds have been clocked at up to 184 mph—faster than those of a category 5 hurricane. Ferdinand and Miranda would feel right at home.

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For Adventure

Image: Courtesy Corbis Images, Number 42-26159552

Making tracks at nearby Crystal Mountain

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Alta Crystal Resort | Mount Rainier

Your seat heater will barely have time to warm up in the seven miles between Alta Crystal and premier Rainier ski area Crystal Mountain. Not that you want to get too comfortable, anyway: with 2,600 skiable acres and the Northwest’s first ski gondola (opened in 2011), Crystal Mountain beckons powder hounds from across the country. When you finish snagging turns, Alta’s 104-degree muscle-mending hot tub—the only one in the area—awaits. altacrystalresort.com; from $179
Book It! Splurge with the super-private Honeymoon Cabin, hand-built by a man named Jack Frost. Really.

Collins Lake Resort | Government Camp

In just 10 years, swanky Collins Lake Resort has helped transform Government Camp from a no-frills roadside village to a bustling base camp for all things Hood. Your stay here comes with up to 35 percent discounts on lift tickets to area ski resorts, a porch-to-powder shuttle to Timberline and Skibowl, and 28 acres of trails inside the resort in case your ski bummin’ doesn’t extend beyond city limits. collinslakeresort.com; from $189
Book It! Only one room at the new Grand Lodges has a balcony Jacuzzi: Suite 15.

Husum Highlands | White Salmon, Wash.

Part of the adventure at Husum Highlands is simply getting there—the last four miles to this four-room B&B follow a steep gravel road to 1,800 feet. But there’s good reason to search it out: besides the sweeping views of the Gorge, you’ve got prime access to snowshoeing stashes and more “high lonesome” than Louis L’Amour could shake a fountain pen at. husumhighlands.com; from $155
Book It! Top-floor Melanie’s Suite affords a spectacular view of Hood.

Freestone Inn | Mazama, Wash.

Set in north-central Washington’s Methow Valley, Freestone Inn provides click-in-and-go access to some of the nation’s best cross-country trails from its 12 lakeview rooms. Up the adrenaline factor with a backcountry tour courtesy of North Cascades Heli-Skiing, Washington’s only heli-skiing operation, which launches from a pad at Freestone. Post-piste, the floor-to-ceiling river-rock fireplace provides a fitting spot to ride out the endorphin high. freestoneinn.com; from $155
Book It! Rooms 6 and 12 are the only suites with fireplaces and jetted tubs.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

Winthrop boasts the West’s oldest legal saloon (or so it claims), within skiing distance of the Methow Valley’s 120 miles of groomed cross-country trails. The Bar has changed names since opening in the late 1800s: today it goes by Three Fingered Jack’s, in honor of a Wild West butcher who lost two digits to his trade.

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Go Luxe

Image: Nate Watters

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Salish Lodge & Spa | Snoqualmie Falls, Wash.

Back when Salish was a simple country breakfast spot perched at the edge of roaring 268-foot-tall Snoqualmie Falls (1916), waitresses stood on the second floor and dripped the inn’s famous honey onto biscuits. Today it’s dripped onto your face—and arms and legs and just about anywhere else—in one of the, ahem, sweetest resort themes known. Salish’s luxe fourth-floor spa uses honey from the inn’s 12 hives, as well as herbs from its organic garden, in treatments and in the bath products on your room’s spa butler menu (essential for your two-person jetted tub). salishlodge.com, from $189
Book It! For dinner reserve Table 5, a private nook so close to the waterfall the floor shakes when it’s in full force.

Awtrey House | Neahkahnie

With two units, this intimate B&B is about as close as you can get to owning your own beach home without a down payment. It’s not just any beach house, either: Awtrey couples one of Oregon’s most dramatic locations with the bone-simple design of one of the Northwest’s most celebrated architects, James Cutler. The property showcases the elegance of wood, glass, Rais stoves, oversize soaking tubs, and great conversation with your hosts, former NBA pro Dennis Awtrey and his wife, Peggy—all with the battering winds and roiling Pacific just a window’s thickness away. awtreyhouse.com; from $295

Pronghorn | Bend

Initially envisioned as a gated golf community, Pronghorn Club & Resort’s multibedroom suites come with the fresh scent of juniper and all of the lavishness you’d expect of second homes built for millionaires: gourmet kitchens, jetted tubs, fireplaces, and home theater systems, plus access to the Jack Nicklaus–designed course. pronghornclub.com; from $150
Book It! Get the best view of the 18th hole in the four-bedroom Suite 501.

Salishan | Lincoln City

This 47-year-old icon is so steeped in Portland-style opulence that, as one frequent visitor notes, it seems like there’s a tunnel from the MAC to the front door. Look past adds like antler chandeliers to John Storrs’s graceful architecture cuddled by Barbara Fealy’s native gardens. Here, the resort is the adventure—specifically the spa, with its rain showers, saunas, whirlpools, and an infinity tub with a view of Siletz Bay. salishan.com; from $139
Book It! Find the best views (and coziest rooms) in the Fisherman Building’s upper floor.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

Legend says Spanish sailors buried a chest filled with gold beneath Neahkahnie Mountain in the 1600s, then murdered a crewman and buried him with it. A later rumor suggests the treasure was found in the 1800s by Thomas McKay, a trapper who gave up his furious search one day, reappearing later in the Willamette Valley—mysteriously wealthy.

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TO HIDE OUT

Image: Courtesy Mountain Home Lodge

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

Mountain Home Lodge | Leavenworth, Wash.

Even if the world finds you at Mountain Home, it can’t reach you. At 1,000 feet above Leavenworth, snow and ice make the seemingly vertical road to this 30-year-old resort impassable in winter. The only way up is aboard the lodge’s snowcat. But isolation has its rewards: breath-stealing views of the valley and Stuart Range, plus 30 miles of out-your-front-door ski and snowshoe trails, and three meals a day served beside the 10-room lodge’s cracklin’ wood fire. mthome.com; from $350 (includes meals and rentals)
Book It! Get even farther away with one of Mountain Home’s two cabins, stand-alone sanctuaries that command the same unbelievable views.

Image: Christian Heeb

House on Metolius | Camp Sherman

Nothing says hideaway like a locked gate—especially the high-tech kind that guards House on Metolius. For 50 years, this seven-room sanctuary above the Metolius River has been an invite-only affair. While cabins southwest of the main house were available for stays, the house remained the domain of the Lundgren-Zehntbauer family (of Jantzen Mills fame). But this spring the owners welcomed the rest of us into the clan. Situated near Camp Sherman, House on Metolius combines 1950s architectural detail with the beauty of Central Oregon. Pines flank the house, their scent mingling with that of a wood fire sizzling and popping in the living room, while in a clearing below, the Metolius snakes along, beckoning fly fishermen, painters, and winter wanderers. And since cell service is spotty here, you can remain blissfully unplugged as long as you’re locked away. metolius.com; from $149
Book It! Pick Room 4 or 5 for better views of the river (but only slightly).

Eagle Rock Lodge | Vida

Halfway between somewheres (Eugene and Bend), Eagle Rock Lodge is a beautiful kind of nowhere. Snuggled in a forest of cedar and maple on the banks of the McKenzie River, the historic lodge is a summertime fly-fishing mecca. But in the winter, it’s the purest form of escape for those who love the Willamette National Forest’s soft green mosses. Curl up by the fire with a Zane Grey novel, prop open a window, and savor the soundtrack of rushing river and wind whispering through trees. eaglerocklodge.com; from $225
Book It! The Fireplace Suite’s hearth was part of the original 1947 structure.

Image: Courtesy Brasada Ranch

Brasada Ranch | Powell Butte

Fourteen miles from the nearest sizable town, Brasada offers a high-desert hideout with benefits. The gated golf community was sold to Northview Hotel Group in 2010, and the new owners invested more than $3.5 million in resort improvements. A renovated restaurant and guesthouse, new spa, steam room, outdoor hot tub, and kid-friendly “Hideout” (complete with Ping-Pong, air hockey, and climbing wall) mean you’ll never have to leave this island of Central Oregon pleasure. That way there’s no danger of missing the resort’s most impressive asset: the unbelievable sunset panorama, an amber-hued swatch of juniper and sagebrush stretching up against the feet of snowcapped Bachelor, Broken Top, Black Butte, and the Three Sisters. brasada.com; from $169
Book It! The second-story suites are the only lodge rooms with soaking tubs.

Lakedale Resort | San Juan Island, Wash.

Lakedale’s 10 lodge rooms and private cabins aren’t just on an island; they’re on the farthest San Juan island accessible by Washington State Ferries. If the two-hour ride from Anacortes doesn’t feel far enough, you’ve got 82 waterfront acres to get lost in. Or escape into a book next to your choice of fireplaces: a huge slate one in the Main Lodge or your own gas version in the lodge rooms and log cabins. lakedale.com; from $149
Book It! Want a wood fireplace? Find it in the three-bedroom Lake House.

Image: Scotty Reifsnyder

From 1938 to 1970, the gravel bar near today’s Eagle Rock Lodge (West’s Bar) hosted an annual procession of wooden boats dubbed the White Water Parade. By 1970, more than 30,000 spectators turned out to see hundreds of boats and who would be crowned White Water Queen. An accidental drowning (supposedly due to alcohol) put the kibosh on the whole affair until 2004, when Eagle Rock Lodge owners reinstated the festival, albeit on a smaller—and more sober—scale.

BY THE FIRE

Portland author Emily Chenoweth sometimes describes her novel Hello Goodbye, which chronicles a family’s search for love while on vacation, as “Dirty Dancing meets On Death and Dying.” To find some literary love of your own, Chenoweth suggests throwing these local titles in your suitcase (complete with fireside pairings).

Glaciers by Alexis Smith
A bittersweet tale of a Portland thrifter’s search for beauty, love, and the perfect vintage dress. It can be read in one sitting, after which you can stare wistfully into the fire. A good inexpensive red.

Goodbye to the Nervous Apprehension by Michael Heald
Remember what it was like to be young, ambitious, arty, and confused? It’s OK if you don’t, because Heald’s funny, sharp-eyed essay collection will remind you. Beer, of course.

Mayakovsky’s Revolver by Matthew Dickman
Dickman’s second book of poems covers dark ground, juxtaposing raw grief with flashes of jubilance and wit. Whiskey. Pills. —EC

New North Coast Hot Spots

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 12:00:00 -0700

Need a respite from Portland’s 90+ degree days? You’ll find it on Oregon’s north coast, where temperatures dip about ten degrees lower than the city and a host of new restaurants, hotels, and attractions give you plenty of reason to pack the car and head west, young man (and woman and child and dog).

Slide Show: Astoria Uncovered

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

This weekend Astoria hosts the 15th annual Fisher Poet’s Gathering, a heralded celebration that brings together Northwest fishermen and women to share salty tales and touching lines in a smattering of intimate Astoria venues. But even if iambic pentameter isn’t your passion, Astoria’s stark beauty and rich history offer plenty of other reasons (15 to be exact) to make this quaint coastal town your week...

Slide Show: The Region’s Most Romantic Retreats

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 -0800

Just because Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year doesn’t mean you can skimp on the romance. Sure, do dinner and a movie during the week. Then pack your bags—and a bottle of bubbly—and hit the road to revel in romance at an easy-to-reach, amorous escape. After all, Cupid doesn’t care what day you celebrate him, as long as you do it properly. View the slideshow to see our picks for the region’s most romantic retreats (including a cou...

Sunshine Getaways!

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 -0800

Photo: Courtesy The Kahala Hotel & Resort

Oahu’s Kahala Hotel & Resort

5 inches: average rainfall in Portland in February.
40 degrees: average temp in Portland last February.
That’s 45 excellent reasons for you to get out of town.

Whether you’re a rooftop-restaurant kind of sun worshipper or a toes-in-the-sand traveler, we’ve put together can’t-miss itineraries for 10 hot spots sure to soothe even the most weather-wearied Portlander. Pick your dose of vitamin D:

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Photo: Courtesy © Steven Vidler/Eurasia Press/Corbis

San Diego

An idyllic coastal city

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Housed within the country’s largest urban cultural center (Balboa Park), the San Diego Zoo spans 100 acres—nearly twice the size of the Oregon Zoo—and is one of the only places in the world where you can see a giant panda. TIP: Go early in the day when the zoo’s 4,000 animals are most active. sandiegozoo.org

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Trace the shoreline of San Diego’s ritziest northern neighborhood on a kayak tour of La Jolla. If the cliff-clinging mansions don’t leave you gape-mouthed, the sea caves and aquamarine waters filled with sea lions, dolphins, and schools of colorful fish certainly will.

ZEN MOMENT Spying the telltale spouts of migrating gray whales from your vantage atop Point Loma’s Sunset Cliffs. And with 18 acres of oceanfront bluff to choose from, you’re sure to commune with nature all on your own.

EAT THIS A few years ago Men’s Journal named San Diego America’s #1 Beer City. Ahem. Consider it your Beervana civic duty to test this unlikely thesis with a tour of the North Park neighborhood, where several craft beer–centric restaurants like The Linkery, a renowned sausage-and-meat house with an extensive beer list, showcase the best of San Diego’s 35 breweries. thelinkery.com

3 flights from PDX daily
65 average high temp in February
70 miles of coastline

REST YOUR HEAD Kimpton Hotels—owners of Portland’s Vintage Plaza and Hotel Monaco—recently renovated the artsy Gaslamp Quarter’s Hotel Palomar into a den of modernism complete with plush pillow-top beds, a new gastro-lounge (Saltbox), and a sleek rooftop pool and bar. hotelpalomar-sandiego.com, from $169

FOR LOVERS Once a location for Marilyn Monroe’s Some Like It Hot, the lavish 121-year-old Hotel del Coronado and its two miles of pristine shoreline across from downtown San Diego all but guarantee a steamy weekend. hoteldel.com, from $289

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Photo: Courtesy Edward McGowan

Santa Monica’s boardwalk traces 3.5 miles of beach.

Santa Monica

LA’s hottest beach town

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL With its charming combination of beach-town grit and childlike wonderment, the Santa Monica Pier’s classic rides, carny games, and permit-free fishing make it well worth the visit. TIP: The towering, solar-powered Ferris wheel guarantees the best sunset views in town. santamonicapier.org

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Sample the Golden Coast’s classic beaches on the 22-mile South Bay Bicycle Trail, a paved path that stretches from Pacific Palisades to Torrance. Be sure to catch your breath at Santa Monica State Beach, the perfect spot for sunbathing and bodysurfing—and maybe a little beach volleyball if your quads are still up for it.

FOR LOVERS The moment you walk into Mélisse, Santa Monica’s intimate bastion of fine French cooking, you’ll be treated like a dauphine. And as you tuck into the rich truffle mousses, delicate duck breasts, or even the vegetarian tasting menu, you’ll feel pretty damn regal yourself. melisse.com

ZEN MOMENT Getting your hair blown back by 150-foot Escondido Falls’ powerful tumult. It’s more than two miles through Escondido Canyon to the deep pool at the falls’ base, so don’t forget your camera in the car.

11 flights from PDX daily
65 average high temp in February
160,000 LED lights on the ferris wheel

RETAIL THERAPY Neither as touristy as the Third Street Promenade nor as funky as Venice, Main Street’s tree-lined sidewalks and quirky Victorian architecture evoke a quaint, small-town vibe—just two blocks from the ocean. Leave room in your suitcase for finds from shops like Deyermond Art & Books and Hip’tique boutique, where you’ll find everything from designer dresses to pillows telling you to “Be Nice Or Leave.”

EAT THIS Grab a seat on the newly opened Sonoma Wine Garden’s Pacific-peeping deck or its glowing patio. Then sample its Austrian pancake soufflé and eclectic wines like the Greek Assyrtiko Sigalas Santonni. Now try to leave. sonomawinegarden.com

REST YOUR HEAD A seashell’s throw from the Santa Monica Pier, Hotel Casa del Mar serves up some of the best views in town, along with some serious beach-club Hollywood glamour: floor-to-ceiling windows, a beachfront veranda, and a sprawling lounge with live music await. hotelcasadelmar.com, from $395

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The always in-fashion Bellagio

Photo: Courtesy George Hatoun

Red Rock Canyon

Las Vegas

A desert oasis in more ways than one

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Climb up the Stratosphere tower, Vegas’s highest viewpoint, after dark, and behold the metropolis built on bets twinkling against the lightless desert. TIP: While you’re there, hop on the Insanity ride, a roller coaster that dangles off the side of the 1,149-foot tower. stratospherehotel.com

FOR LOVERS In a city where romance can often mean plastic champagne glasses and Elvis chapels, the new Cosmopolitan Hotel, which stretches a quarter-mile off the Strip, has just what you need for a romantic getaway. Hide out in one of its beautiful, modern terrace suites, which has a full kitchen, a soaking tub, and even a two-person love seat on the spacious balcony overlooking the Strip. cosmopolitanlasvegas.com, from $160

EAT THIS The Paris Hotel may have the Eiffel Tower, but for Vegas’s best French cuisine head to Joël Robuchon in the MGM Grand. Executive chef Claude Le Tohic prepares a rich six-course meal that will fill even the most ravenous Francophile, with signature dishes like le boeuf, a sublime and simple beef rib eye with rock salt and vegetable fricassee. mgmgrand.com

RETAIL THERAPY Even voracious shoppers may be overwhelmed at the Crystals at CityCenter, a 500,000-square-foot megachurch of consumerism completed in 2009 that houses upscale stores like Prada, Gucci, and Tiffany, as well as numerous art galleries. citycenter.com

Photo: Courtesy the Neon Museum Inc. Copyright held by the Neon Museum Inc.

A taste of old-school Vegas at the Neon Museum Boneyard

REST YOUR HEAD The strip’s fanciest hotel just got swankier. With a recent $70 million overhaul under its well-heeled belt, and, of course, its iconic fountains, nowhere screams “decadent winter getaway” quite like the Bellagio Resort & Casino. bellagio.com, from $169

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME The Neon Museum Boneyard showcases Vegas’s classier days. Wandering among its 150 signs salvaged from old, forgotten hotels, businesses, and casinos—some dating back as far as 1930—will make you long for the days when black ties and wingtips outnumbered T-shirts and sandals. neonmuseum.org by appointment only

8 flights from PDX daily
63 average high temp in February
141,770 slot machines in Vegas

ZEN MOMENT Breathe in the scent of yucca and Joshua trees on the 2.4-mile Arnight trail, which cuts through Red Rock Canyon. Just west of Vegas, this geological gem boasts over 50 miles of hiking trails along its sun-drenched auburn walls.Even Las Vegans will jump in front of developers’ bulldozers to protect it. redrockcanyonlv.org

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Photo: Courtesy The Anthology Group

Stand-up paddleboarding at Travaasa H?na.

Maui

Hawaii’s isle of romance

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Snorkeling shots from Honolua Bay front many a Facebook photo album. Dedicated as a conservation district where no fishing is allowed, this large bay just north of Lahaina offers the best of Maui aquatic life. TIP: Go early to avoid crowds, and keep to the right (north) side of the bay, where fish flock to the coral.

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Kihei’s Keawakapu Beach holds all the beauty of South Maui’s plentiful beaches—pillowy sand, gentle currents, cerulean water—but less of the crowds. No resorts sprawl along this half-mile stretch of shoreline, leaving the waterfront property to locals and visitors in the know.

ZEN MOMENT Watching the sun peek through a blanket of cotton-candy clouds and turn the sky into a watercolor canvas from 10,000 feet on Haleakal?. Catching a Hawaiian sunset is easy, but rousing at 3 a.m. to see the rays’ morning display takes dedication (and sleep deprivation). It’s worth every lost z.

Tuna Sashimi at Mama’s Fish House

EAT THIS Mama’s Fish House has been serving fresh fish (the menu details not just where supper came from but who caught it that day) from a secluded beach on Maui’s north shore since 1973. Planted among coconut trees, Polynesian-themed Mama’s is reminiscent of a Trader Vic’s … minus some of the kitsch. mamasfishhouse.com

1 flight from PDX daily
81 average high temp in February
5,950 weddings here in 2010

REST YOUR HEAD Opened in 2009, the Honua Kai Resort and Spa, is the newest lodging option in idyllic Kaanapali. Elegantly appointed suites range from 600 to 2,650 square feet with glass paneled walls framing the turquoise Pacific just outside. Can’t bear to leave? You can buy one of your very own (for a mere $404,000). honuakaimaui.com, from $479

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME The 50 narrow, winding miles that lead from Kahalui to the remote village of H?na abound with waterfalls, black sand beaches, and breathtaking ocean views. Once there, dissolve lingering road weariness in Travaasa H?na’s steam room, hot tub, and cold plunge—free to guests. travaasa.com/hana

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Photo: Courtesy Steve Lowry

Santa Rosa’s myriad vineyards.

Santa Rosa

Gateway to wine country

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL It’s a little spendy, but a meal at John Ash and Co is one you won’t forget. As one of the first restaurants to pair local and seasonal ingredients with the region’s world-famous wines, the quaint 32-year-old eatery is credited as “the father of wine country cuisine.” vintnersinn.com/johnash.asp

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Santa Rosa’s scenery—and excellent wines—are best enjoyed from the comfort of a gel-padded saddle. Getaway Adventures leads Sip ’N Cycle bike tours, outfitting you with wheels and helmet. The leisurely five-hour tour takes you along country lanes to a few wineries—with a picnic lunch in between. getawayadventures.com

FOR LOVERS The Italianate villa is enchanting, and the impressive variety of wines is certainly tasty, but the real draw at Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery is following the meandering footpaths through five acres of spectacular gardens, glass in hand. ferrari-carano.com

RETAIL THERAPY Satisfy your antiques urge at Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square, where treasure hunters regularly score rustic finds at Whistlestop Antiques or rare Japanese collectibles at Green Fish Trading. railroadsquare.net

1 flight from PDX daily
63 average high temp in February
328 wineries in Sonoma County

EAT THIS Zazu Restaurant & Farm feels like a little piece of Portland tucked away in wine country: Roadhouse vibe? Check. Menu sourced from the garden? Yup. Infatuation with all things pork-related? Obviously. zazurestaurant.com

REST YOUR HEAD Within walking distance of many restaurants and tasting rooms, the historic brick Hotel La Rose promises a cozy base of operations for oeno-explorations. hotellarose.com, from $129

ZEN MOMENT Quelling the butterflies at 1,000 feet, as you float in a hot air balloon above the lush vineyards, low green hills, and tiny farmhouses of Sonoma County. Up & Away Hot Air Ballooning offers scenic, hourlong flights that include a champagne brunch at a Kendall-Jackson Winery. Private flights for two are also available, so you won’t even have to share the airspace with strangers. up-away.com

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Photo: Courtesy Annie Maggie May

Rush hour on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Santa Cruz

Surfing mecca with small-town charm

Photo: Courtesy Jason Argabright

The photogenic two-mile walk along West Cliff Drive

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Santa Cruz’s 98-year-old wooden pier juts a half-mile into the big blue ocean, but the wharf may as well be the center of town. Post up at the railing and drop a fishing line, or just revel in the grace of the myriad wave riders. TIP: This month, head three blocks east of the pier to sample the entries at the town’s 31st annual Clam Chowder cook-off.

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE A two-mile multiuse path beginning near the wharf, West Cliff Drive takes you along some postcard-worthy views of the Pacific Ocean and local marine life. If the sea breeze, tide pools, and sun-soaked cliffs don’t make you forget about the Oregon rain, nothing will.

ZEN MOMENT After dipping your toes in the chilly Pacific, settle in at Chaminade, a luxury eco-spa nestled high on a forested bluff, where the waters are gentler and warmer. Soak in the steam room and heated outdoor pool, or revel in the signature warm bamboo massage. chaminade.com

EAT THIS Aquarius’s bright, elegant seaside kitchen emphasizes simplicity and freshness, like a ceviche made with local halibut, cilantro, and lime. And because all of the seafood is sustainably caught, you can savor your supper guilt-free. aquariussantacruz.com

8 flights from PDX daily
62 average high temp in February
27 number of surf shops

REST YOUR HEAD Nothing beats waking up with the sun in your face, except also hearing the pounding of the surf. Take advantage of the off-season rates—and claim your own private beach—at Pajaro Dunes, a cluster of fully furnished vacation rental homes southeast of Santa Cruz, on a quiet stretch of sandy shoreline. pajarodunes.com, from $736 for two nights (two-night minimum required)

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME Brave the “surfing capital of the world’s” pristine waves at Richard Schmidt Surf School, which has been giving private lessons year-round since 1978. richardschmidt.com

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Photo: Courtesy Santa Catalina Resort Services

Catalina Casino

Catalina Island

Conservation meets luxury off the coast of LA

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL On the four-hour Land and Sea Tour, you’ll explore Catalina’s life aquatic and terrestrial, spotting eagles, bison, leopard sharks, and dolphins as you traverse the island. TIP: Upgrade your tour to include a stint in an open-air jeep with one of Catalina Island Conservancy’s naturalists. afishinados.com

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE Given the island’s deep history of conservation, one of the best places to soak up the sun (and take in the views) here is in the 38 acres of plant-laden grounds of the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Gardens, where the temperate marine climate allows native plants like Catalina ironwood and St. Catherine’s lace to thrive. catalinaconservancy.org

RETAIL THERAPY New Orleans may be a far piece from Catalina, but you wouldn’t know it amid the charming Metropole Market Place, a French Quarter–inspired cobblestone district lined with boutiques, galleries, souvenir shops, and an arcade. hotel-metropole.com/market-place

Photo: Courtesy iStock. Image #1696704

Catalina bison, rumored to have been imported originally for The Vanishing American, a 1924 silent ?lm based on a Zane Grey book.

EAT THIS Sink your teeth into the juicy buffalo burger topped with smoked cheddar cheese, tomato aioli, and arugula at the Avalon Grille, a two-year-old beachside eatery where cushy wicker chairs just might inspire a postmeal nap. 310-510-7494

REST YOUR HEAD Hotel Vista Del Mar’s immaculate rooms and Jacuzzi tubs would feel indulgent anywhere, but with balconies looking out over Avalon’s clear-blue, boat-dotted harbor, you’ll feel positively spoiled rotten. hotelvistadelmar.com, from $145

5 flights from PDX daily
64 average high temp in February
50 miles of protected beaches

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME One of the island’s best-kept secrets is Two Harbors. This isolated inlet has some of the best snorkeling and kayaking on Catalina. Rough it at a walk-in campground or cozy up at the Banning House Lodge, a Craftsman-style B&B. visitcatalinaisland.com/twoharbors

FOR LOVERS Built in 1929 and restored in 2011, the Catalina Casino is a haven of Italian-inspired art deco style. Time-warp with a stroll down the brick boardwalk to catch a first-run move in the Casino’s ornate theater. 310-510-7400

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Photo: Courtesy Tom Brewster

Tahquitz Creek Golf

Palm Springs

Desert decadence with a splash of Hollywood glamour

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Climb near 6,000 feet in 10 minutes aboard the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Any vertigo will be assuaged by the jaw-dropping panorama at the top: the palm- and cactus-flecked Coachella Valley carving its way through the rocky San Bernardino and Santa Rosa Mountains. TIP: At the top, let the kids scratch a Jeffrey pine tree and breathe in the sweet smell of butterscotch. pstramway.com

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE The stunning landscape—emerald-green fairways and perfectly pruned palms backdropped by the San Jacinto Mountains—along local favorite Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort’s two sunny courses is sure to keep your spirits soaring (even if your short game isn’t). tahquitzgolfresort.com

FOR LOVERS We dare you to not fall deeper in love at Korakia Pensione, a Moroccan-inspired oasis complete with firepit-lined pools, exquisite stone fireplaces, and—of course—white canvas curtains blowing in the desert breeze. korakia.com, from $169

EAT THIS At the newest entry in Palm Springs’ dining scene, downtown Lulu’s generous helpings of California cuisine, from quinoa stuffed acorn squash to sautéed tilapia, are guaranteed to keep you fueled up for your desert adventures. lulupalmsprings.com

1 flight from PDX daily
74 average high temp in February
130 golf courses in Palm Springs

REST YOUR HEAD Fashionable Portlanders will feel right at home in the affordable, 180-room Ace Hotel & Swim Club, an ode to midcentury chic. You won’t have Stumptown and Kenny and Zuke’s next door, but this Palm Springs cousin has something even better: two bustling outdoor pools and lounges. acehotel.com/palmsprings, from $129

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME Take a tour of the town’s abundant midcentury modern architecture in style. Scoot Palm Springs rents scooters by the half day and provides tour maps to some of the city’s coolest residential wonders, such as renowned architect Richard Neutra’s seminal Kaufmann House. scootpalmsprings.com

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Photo: Courtesy Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA)/Tor Johnson

Surfing at Waikiki Beach.

Oahu

A classic Hawaiian escape

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL A Hawaiian sunset on the beach is a must—whether you enjoy it at the popular Duke’s Bar, the historic Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai Bar, or aboard one of the many catamarans dotting Waikiki Beach. TIP: Park yourself on the sand across the street from the Honolulu Zoo, and once the sun has taken its final bow, enjoy a free outdoor movie on a 30-foot screen (weekends only). sunsetonthebeach.net

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE If Waikiki Beach is the tropical equivalent of Las Vegas’s strip, consider The Kahala Hotel & resort its quieter, off-strip cousin. The luxe resort features 800 feet of secluded beach, free surfing and stand-up paddleboard lessons, plus its very own private dolphin lagoon. Jackpot. kahalaresort.com, from $425

FOR LOVERS In case the surfers taming the monstrous waves at the North Shore’s Waimea Bay—the birthplace of big-wave surfing—don’t get your pulse racing, a romantic sunset cocktail at the stylish new Surfer bar at Turtle Bay Resort just up the road surely will. turtlebaysurf.com/surferthebar

Chef Mark Noguchi’s new Hèeia Kea Pier General Store & Deli

EAT THIS Lauded chef Mark Noguchi (formerly of Honolulu’s Town and Chef Mavro restaurants) recently debuted Hèeia Kea Pier General Store & Deli in Kaneohe. The casual farm-to-table lunch spot’s menu features everything from fern salads to pork katsu and deep fried moi (all locally raised, of course). 808-235-2192

2 flights from PDX daily
80 average high temp in February
76 Waikiki water temp in February

REST YOUR HEAD Open less than a year, the ultra-hip Modern Honolulu—just two blocks from Waikiki Beach—is the definition of lavish surfer cool. A Herbie Fletcher sculpture made from surfboards greets guests in the lobby, where a bookshelf rotates to reveal a swanky lounge at happy hour. Mix in ocean views, poolside chaises and an Iron Chef–led restaurant, and you could almost never leave. Almost. themodernhonolulu.com, from $239

WHAT YOU DIDN’T DO LAST TIME See the other side of Diamond Head. The signature volcanic tuff dominates the southern view from Waikiki Beach, but few visitors make the near mile-long trek that rises from the floor of this 600,000-year-old crater.

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Photo: Courtesy Scott Rackers

The cliffside wooden structures at South Point double as anchors for ?shing boats, observation decks for visitors, and platforms for adventurous cliff divers.

Big Island

Adventure abounds on Hawaii’s biggest island

FIRST-TIME ESSENTIAL Thirty miles from Hilo, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park holds two of the most active volcanoes in the world. After standing at the edge of Kilauea’s yawning crater, 194-degree steam rising steadily over dark, otherworldly lava fields, you’ll never see Mount St. Helens the same way. TIP: Splurge on a helicopter tour to get a better view of an island continually being born. nps.gov/havo

MAXIMUM EXPOSURE The Kohala coast brims with dozens of resort-backed beautiful beaches, but for a more intimate interlude with the ocean, head for Makalawena. A 20-minute hike across lava fields from Mahaiula beach in Kekaha Kai State Park, Makalawena’s mile-long stretch of bright sand sparkles against an azure sea.

ZEN MOMENT Staring out at the great blue beyond from the windswept cliffs at South Point (Ka Lae), the southernmost point of the US. Swirling currents coalesce at this spot, where Polynesians are thought to have first arrived in Hawaii—and where some dare-devils are still crazy enough to cliff-dive.

1 flight from PDX daily (Mon, Tue, Thu, Sat)
81 average high temp in February
11 different climatic regions

EAT THIS In 2010, former Fairmont Resort chef David Abrahams transformed Waimea’s once rowdy Fuji Mama’s into a culinary adventure. Set amid the fertile landscape of cattle-rich Waimea—a kind of high-altitude Willamette Valley—Red Water Café uses locally grown produce and meat in a fusion of Asian and country classics: from simple petite filets to sushi rolls made with fresh catches of the day.

REST YOUR HEAD Kona’s popular, centrally located King Kamehameha Hotel boasts the only sandy beach in downtown Kona. Last March’s Japan tsunami damaged the historic hotel, which was built on the site of King Kamehameha’s royal residence, but recently completed renovations have restored its 452 elegant, island-themed rooms. konabeachhotel.com from $159

RETAIL THERAPY The Big Island is home to more than 200 varieties of tropical fruits. And you can find many of them—from custardy cherimoya to pretty, prickly, juicy dragon fruits—at the Kona Farmers Market. konafarmersmarket.com

Fall Getaways: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:00 -0700

OK, SO SUMMER 2011 WAS A BIT OF A BUST: slow to start and a little gray even once it got going. But look on the bright side: solar deficit disorder offers all the more reason to escape the gray as winter approaches with an extended weekend elsewhere (to say nothing of the screaming shoulder-season deals to ...

70 Ways to Discover the Oregon Coast

Wed, 25 May 2011 13:20:00 -0700

Image: Kingwu/Vetta/Getty images

With nearly 400 miles of sedge-swaying, Pacific-kissed shore, you could spend the entire summer plumbing Oregon’s coastal riches. And why not? Treasure awaits along every inch of Highway 101—from Astoria’s historic Fort Stevens State Park to Brookings’s jaw-dropping redwoods. Of course, like any good treasure hunter, you’ll need a map, which is where we come in. Whether you’re a fanatical foodie looking for the coast’s best cup of chowder or an outdoor adventurer searching for prime places to ride the tide, we’ve discovered ports of call and can’t-miss stops from north to south.

Explore Hidden Oregon

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Image: Greg Vaughn/Viewfinders Stock Photography

Jacksonville

SLIDE SHOWS

As Oregon winds down its yearlong 150th birthday bash, why not blow out the last candle by taking in some of the breathtakingly diverse landscapes that make up the roughly 96,000 square miles we call home. From the high-desert cowboy country and arid playas of the far east to the verdant valleys of the south to the coast’s rugged headlands, every inch begs to be explored. But no matter which corner calls your name, there are some off-the-beaten-path gems that shouldn’t be missed, like a sunset dinner overlooking Joseph Canyon, a weekend at a luxurious coastal cabin, and our personal favorite, a dip in the Alvord Desert’s hush-hush hot springs. We’ve lined up 30 adventures in the state’s five distinct regions—any of which might inspire a vigorous rendition of “Oregon, My Oregon!” (OK, maybe not the actual song, but the love, for sure.)

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NORTHEAST OREGON

Image: Kim Buzan

Downtown Joseph

The Cowboy Way

by Kasey Cordell

SLIDE SHOWS

By any measure, northeastern Oregon is a rugged place. The Wallowa Mountains rise out of a vast, sun-scorched emptiness like the teeth of a great white shark snapping the sky. This is Louis L’Amour’s Wild West, live. City slickers needn’t worry, though—the comforts of great wine, coffee, and bookstores await as well.

Hamley & Co

If you can’t find the perfect pair of cowboy boots here, you never will. Established in 1883, this Western haberdashery has a back wall lined with at least a hundred different varieties of shitkickers. Old Gringos, decorated Italian leather Justins, you name it. Mosey to the back of the store and see where the real cowboy work gets done—in the saddle shop where famed saddle-makers Duff and Bill Severe got their start.
30 SE Court, Pendleton; 541-278-1100; hamley.com

FIRST PERSON

Randy Severe

Owner of Severe Brothers Saddlery in Pendleton, which the Smithsonian has honored for leatherwork nine times

My father [Bill] and my uncle [Duff] purchased this building in 1946, and we’ve been here ever since. The shop hasn’t changed a bit. It still smells like leather; you can’t mistake the good smell of leather wherever you encounter it. I grew up in the shop, so I was always involved with horsemen of the West. From about 14 to 23, I rodeoed and worked on ranches from Montana to Arizona. I learned firsthand how the saddles and the gear get used. We’ve made saddles for Clint Eastwood. We made three for the movie All the Pretty Horses. I can honestly say there is no place like home—when I see the cattle as I’m coming in, and I think, ‘There’s a guy out there who needs a saddle.’ —As told to Kasey Cordell

Joe & Sugars Café

A favorite of La Grande locals, this tiny café uses beans roasted by longtime La Grande resident Al
McCloud (who once owned the café) and offers caffeine fiends at least three different varieties each day. The Joe & Sugar Blend is nice and smooth, but if you really want to sink the spurs into your brain, opt for the Colombian Roast. Just don’t hold us accountable for any speeding tickets.
1119 Adams Ave, La Grande; 541-975-5282

RimRock Inn Restaurant

When you arrive for dinner at the RimRock Inn, you might think you’ve reached the edge of the world. A hundred yards from the restaurant’s back porch, the earth drops away, plummeting into Joseph Canyon. Farther east, the scorched landscape crinkles into countless coulees before taking a final plunge into Hells Canyon. Such ruggedness is best tempered with a delicate Willamette Valley pinot and a tender steak prepared by chef Otto Nielson. And for breakfast? A sunrise that paints the canyon pink, purple, and orange. Just reserve one of the three tepees along the canyon’s edge.
(Open May through mid-October) 83471 Lewiston Hwy, Enterprise; 541-828-7769; rimrockrestaurant.com

The Bookloft

Stop into the Bookloft for a healthy collection of volumes full of local history and lore—especially about Oregon’s Nez Perce tribe. The shop is a fraction of the size of Powell’s Books, but it has all the heart. You might even stumble upon a reading during the Fishtrap literary festival (fishtrap.org) in July and February. Plus, there are dynamite pastries from Joseph’s Wild Flour Bakery. Try the Goldie, a delicious kind of albino brownie.
107 E Main St, Enterprise; 541-426-3351; bookloftoregon.com

Earth & Vine

This spacious store specializes in smaller labels, like a white merlot from the Gilstrap Brothers vineyard in nearby Cove. Owner Mary Ellen Stevenson is a Baker City native who’s happy to tell you not only what gives the Gilstrap Brothers Rio Grande Rhonde its light, fruity taste (the Kuhlman Foch grapes, a French hybrid that’s taken a shine to Eastern Oregon’s arid climate), but also where to replace those blue jeans you just tore a hole in (hint: try the feed store on the way out of town).
2001 Washington Ave, Baker City; 541-523-1687

Sawtooth Crater

This splendiferous hike is so well hidden that a few folks in the local ranger’s office hadn’t even heard of it. About 30 miles northeast of Baker City, the easy 1.5-mile out-and-back jaunt ends atop a 420-foot-tall volcanic plug. From your perch, smack in the middle of a mile-wide bowl, the Wallowas and the Blue Mountains rule the skyline. Don’t forget the self-timing camera for your summit shot: chances are, you’ll have the crater to yourself.
La Grande Ranger District; 541-963-7186

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SOUTHEAST OREGON

Image: Patricia Harkins

View from Steens Mountain

The Big Empty

by Rachel Ritchie

SLIDE SHOWS

The landscape of southeastern Oregon lifts you up and swallows you whole. Some call it the Big Empty, but this dry, sprawling, mountain-studded swath of earth is brimming with beguiling geologic gems, extraordinary wildlife, and the mythic history of Oregon’s earliest days. And whatever you do, don’t miss the state’s best milkshake.

Alvord Hot Springs

Mesmerized by the sound of tires on gravel and riveted by the sight of the majestic Steens Mountain, you might easily overlook this small corrugated-steel shack just off E Steens Road. But you’d be wise to seek out the bubbling hot springs here. While soaking your road-weary body in a pool of 112-degree mineral water, a surreal theater will unfold on the stark white playa—from shimmering mirages to languid sunsets and unraveling cloud banks.
Access: Just east of E Steens Road, 65 miles south of Route 78

Fields Station

FIRST PERSON

David Thompson

Co-owner (and manager and cook) at the Hotel Diamond; proprietor of Swamp Creek Ranch

My grandmother came here from Kansas on a wagon when she was 8. I grew up on the McCoy Ranch. I remember the storefronts around those big poplars were still there. When there were barn dances, we used to sneak out and throw rocks through the dusty old windows. We all went to school in a one-room schoolhouse. I left to study journalism at Eastern Oregon University. My family is Danish, so I spent a semester studying in Denmark. I always love coming home because everybody here waves. And I love the open landscape—the desert plateaus and the lava buttes—just to see the horizon, not blocked by anything. —As told to Rachel Ritchie

The perfect antidote to a day spent baking in the Alvord Desert lies in the lonely town of Fields (population: about 12), where you’ll be greeted by the welcome oasis of Fields Station—a combination café, gas station, general store, post office, motel, and RV park. Saddle up on one of the counter’s eight seats and prepare to be soothed by what have to be the most divinely down-home cheeseburgers, fries, and milkshakes anywhere.
22276 Fields Dr, Fields; 541-495-2275

Hotel Diamond

In the Diamond Valley, where lava fields and rambling ranches abut the verdant marshlands of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (a mecca for bird lovers), you’ll find the stately Hotel Diamond. Eight modestly appointed rooms in this 111-year-old bed-and-breakfast set you up for exploring the diverse valley. The decadent home-cooked meals (fresh-baked bread, meatballs, and buttermilk pie) served nightly will etch this place into your gustatory memory for years to come.
10 Main St, Diamond; 541-493-1898; central-oregon.com/hoteldiamond

Peter French Round Barn

The legend of Peter French, Oregon’s first cattle king, looms large in this part of the state, and a lasting monument to the surly rancher’s empire sits just 20 miles north of Diamond. A simple marvel of construction, this circular barn, supported by 12 unmilled juniper posts, is where French trained horses each winter. Stop by the Round Barn Visitor Center for an informative tour, or wander at your own pace, admiring the lava-rock corral and the sunbeams that sift through countless holes in the shingled roof.
roundbarn.net

Steens Mountain Loop Tour Route

Every stretch of road in southeastern Oregon seems to unveil another jaw-dropping vista. But the dramatic beauty of these arid climes culminates on this scenic loop—reaching 9,733 feet, it’s the highest road in Oregon—that darts east from Frenchglen to lead you through sagebrush steppe, juniper woodlands, and aspen groves to the vertiginous rim of Steens Mountain. Keep an eye out for pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and golden eagles as you twist and turn along a sequence of sublime viewpoints.
Access: Steens Mountain N Loop Road, east of Frenchglen

Diamond Craters

Scientists gush over this 17,000-acre patch of earth, which, geologically speaking, is unlike any other place in North America. Step out of the car at the 12 stops along this 40-mile dirt road, and you’ll be surrounded by every feature of basaltic volcanism conceivable. As you scramble over the rocks, moving backward in geologic time, you might imagine the landscape as it appeared 17,000 years ago—lava slides oozing, boulders (or “volcanic bombs”) launching skyward, and cinder cones spewing ash and dust.
Access: Junction of Lava Bed and Happy Valley Road —Alexandra Berke

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CENTRAL OREGON

Image: Brian Barker

Sno Cap Drive In

The High Desert

by Bart Blasengame

SLIDE SHOWS

South of Salem and east over Santiam Pass lies a world diametrically opposed to our own. It’s an arid playground of towering presidential peaks and high-desert pines. Take in the wild backdrop from the decks of some of the state’s grandest lodges or enjoy the taste of savory barbecue mixed with the scent of sweet juniper riding on the breeze.

Sno Cap Drive In

Well, hello 1950s America. Entering this Sisters landmark is like being zapped into TV Land primetime. Beskirted cheerleaders and football heroes from the local high school (go Outlaws!) are permanent fixtures. But the stars of the show here are flat, griddle-cooked hamburgers—so juicy, you’ll want to order a double. And what the heck—down a thick chocolate shake as well. They didn’t count calories in the ’50s, did they?
380 W Cascade Ave, Sisters; 541-549-6151

Pine Mountain Observatory

FIRST PERSON

Roy Slicker

Owner/cook at Slick's Que Co in Sisters

This year, I was elected to the board of directors of the National Barbecue Association to represent the 10 Western states, and I spent a lot of time educating people on barbecue. We’re a Texas-style barbecue. We smoke the old-fashioned way—low and slow. There’s hundreds of pictures of barbecue places on the wall; we play great old music. It’s just a lot of fun. I make my own rubs, my own sauce—served warm—and I smoke my meats for 18 hours. We also have a hand-washing machine on the wall that will clean your hands and give you a massage at the same time—great for barbecue cleanup.—As told to Bart Blasengame

West Texas—home to the renowned McDonald Observatory—doesn’t have a monopoly on starry nights. Central Oregon’s wide open spaces and dearth of city lights make for prime sky-watching. Located about 30 miles east of Bend, Pine Mountain Observatory is the epicenter for the astronomy set. Tours end in the fall, but there’s still plenty of earthly fun: the adjacent Forest Service campground is a well-kept secret. Use it as home base for exploring 6,500-foot-tall Pine Mountain. Topside, daylight vistas include Mount Bachelor, Broken Top, Three-Fingered Jack, Mount Jefferson, and Mount Hood. Take that, Texas.
34 miles southeast of Bend on Highway 20 east; 541-382-8331; pmo-sun.uoregon.edu

Kokanee Café

Perched near the gurgling banks of the Metolius River, the Kokanee is the epitome of cabin chic. The rustic abode seats about 60 people, and the menu offers everything the discerning carnivore could want (venison, salmon, lamb, duck), while the extensive wine list and riverside setting amps up the white-napkin romance. Entrées are in the $20 to $30 range, but if you’ve just spent a weekend roughing it, don’t you deserve a little elegance?
25545 Forest Service Rd, Camp Sherman; 541-595-6420; kokaneecafe.com

Five Pine Lodge

From the outside, they look quaint. Cute, even. But once inside Five Pine Lodge’s individual boutique cabins, it’s clear you’re not on the frontier anymore. Soaking tubs. Forty-two-inch plasma televisions. Italian tile showers. The fireside dining at Chloe and the Asian-themed spa treatments available at Shibui seal the deal.
1021 Desperado Trail, Sisters; 866-974-5900; fivepinelodge.com

Lara House Lodge

Not every lodge in Bend is done up in a log-cabin theme. Welcome to Lara House, a charming six-room bed-and-breakfast occupying an aspen-lined 1910 Craftsman. Aesthetic departure aside, a stay here lands you right in the mix of Bend’s lively downtown nightlife. So when the band finishes up at Bendistillery, it’s just a short walk back to your suite, where a terry-cloth robe and a nightcap of complimentary local wine await.
640 NW Congress St, Bend; 541-388-4064; larahouse.com

The Badlands

Oregon’s newest desert wilderness (deemed so by President Obama in March), these 30,000 rugged yet spellbinding acres are a vast departure from Portland’s green, wet climes. Primordial rock formations, a hundred species of birds, and thousand-year-old junipers dominate the surrounding area. But there’s room for you, too, thanks to 50 miles of two-track trails and a plethora of hiking options, including the dome-shaped Badlands Rock, whose trail reopened in September after being closed the prior six months for prairie falcon nesting.
17 miles east of Bend on Highway 20; 541-416-6723

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SOUTHERN OREGON

Image: Brian Barker

Watchman Peak, Crater Lake

Down South

by Brian Barker

SLIDE SHOWS

No two parts of Southern Oregon strike the same chord. Ashland is a refined piece of chamber music; Jacksonville, a down-home square dance. Organic farmers, Shakespearean actors, skilled artisans, and ranchers all draw their inspiration from a collage of verdant green pastures, sun-soaked foothills, deep blue alpine lakes, and a storied past that lies just beneath the surface.

Mount Scott, Crater Lake

For the best view of Crater Lake’s rippling shades of cobalt, cerulean, and indigo, skip the river of brake lights lining the park’s popular Rim Drive. Instead, point your boots up the mellow 2.5-mile approach to Mount Scott. At 8,929 feet, this is the park’s loftiest perch. The view from the summit squeezes in the entire caldera, with Mount Thielsen’s shark-fin peak and the Three Sisters as exclamation points in the refreshingly car-free perspective. (Campgrounds open through mid-October.)
nps.gov

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

FIRST PERSON

Barbara Steele

Co-owner of Cowhorn, a certified biodynamic winery in Jacksonville

In 2000, I was working with a think tank that was consulting with the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture, which did San Francisco’s farmers market, and also with several large organic farms. But I was doing crop harvest and yield spreadsheets. It wasn’t sexy at all. I said, ‘I want our own farm.’ I bought the property in 2002. It was over two years of building roads, irrigation, fencing, preparing the fields. The soil dictated either we raise cattle or plant grapes. I know zip about animal husbandry. I love what’s around us. The Siskiyou Crest is the second most biodiverse region in the world, second only to the rain forest. People in the valley are working on small-diameter woodland management, which is the future of forestry in America. I’m proud to be a part of that community. —As told to Brian Barker

Southern Oregon’s natural splendor isn’t confined to Crater Lake. South of the park, along Route 62, the 2.3-million-acre Winema National Forest, Upper Klamath Lake (the state’s largest lake), and the Sky Lakes Wilderness (where hundreds of high-alpine pools await) all beckon. If you turn west on Highway 140, near Rocky Point, you’ll spot Mount McLoughlin’s solitary 9,495-foot-tall cinder cone and the rustic Lake of the Woods Resort, home to a killer cobbler.
volcaniclegacybyway.org

Schneider Museum of Art

For a respite from the typical “stay four days, see four plays” Ashland visit, check out this gem at Southern Oregon University. Exhibits of top-notch contemporary artwork, such as the quilts of Gee’s Bend, routinely pop up here. The building alone (designed by Pioneer Courthouse Square architect Will Martin), with its convex, mirrored façade turned toward the golden Siskiyou Mountains, makes a welcome stop during a stroll to the nearby Plaza—Ashland’s version of Pioneer Courthouse Square.
1250 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland; 541-552-6245; sou.edu/sma

Palace Café and Charcuterie

Consider this slick lunchtime hot spot a great place to start exploring Ashland’s hip Railroad District. A few blocks removed from the crowds at the Shakespeare Festival, savvy locals dine on tri-tip roast beef sandwiches with caramelized onions and salad Niçoise with roasted olives and Pacific ahi. (A small deli also offers pickled salads and house-cured sausage.) Down the block, the art galleries lining Fourth Street will keep your eyes entertained as you walk off your meal.
542 A St, Ashland; 541-488-4311; palacecafeashland.com

Jacksonville Pioneer Cemetery

This beautiful and well-maintained 32-acre graveyard is populated with some of the first citizens to be buried in the state. Dating back to 1859, the plots are divvied up by religious affiliation or allegiance to fraternal societies like the Improved Order of Red Men. Headstones range from a gorgeous white marble sculpture of a kneeling girl to lonesome wood markers. The most famous resident? Peter Britt. The final resting place of the noted pioneer photographer and Jacksonville luminary lies within earshot of the town’s beloved musical festival that bears his name.
N Oregon & E Streets, Jacksonville

Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden

The climate and well-draining soil of this new vineyard (the first grapes were planted in 2005) bear a likeness to France’s famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape region. Translation: expect to sample some really excellent vino here, especially Rhone varietals like the 2007 syrah, which swirls with hints of black cherry and cassis. The Spiral 36, a white table wine with rich oak and apple flavors, could be Southern Oregon’s answer to the Willamette Valley’s pinot noir, but for less than $20.
1665 Eastside Rd, Jacksonville; cowhornwine.com

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COASTAL OREGON

Image: Greg Vaughn/Viewfinders Stock Photography

Yachats State Park

Water Ways

by Brian Barker

SLIDE SHOWS

With so much of its landscape shaped by hot lava that plunged into the ocean thousands of years ago, no one would ever call the Oregon Coast soft. Yet the region also has a salty tranquility, evident where the cool air meets the sands of a lost beach. And cozy places to enjoy the delights of an incoming storm or a delicious fish taco are always within reach.

Commodore Hotel

From its creaky waterfront piers to the decades-old broadcast Scandinavian Hour on local radio station KMUN, Astoria is an old soul that wears fishing line more easily than trends. Juxtaposed against this barnacled backdrop is the Commodore Hotel. Opened in 1924, the hotel was shuttered in the mid-1960s, only to be purchased intact (cobweb-draped cocktail glasses still on the bar) last year. Thanks to a remodel that echoes Portland’s utilitarian Ace Hotel, the Commodore now wears a stylishly friendly charm. All it needs is the next generation of Astoria noir.
258 14th St, Astoria; 503-325-4747; commodoreastoria.com

Fish Tacos at Luna Sea

FIRST PERSON

John Maré

Founder of the Community Green Bike Program, a bike-sharing program in Waldport

We rolled out about 30 bikes in 2006. As people found out, they started donating. We keep a hundred in circulation. It’s an honor system. For some, it’s their only form of transportation. The local school is the Waldport Irish, so I painted them green. Both my wife and I are from South Africa, so we’ve always liked the ocean. In Waldport, the people you see are mostly locals—you get to know them all. From the mouth of the river to where the beach ends in the south is about seven miles. It’s perfect for running. When the tide is farther out, that sand is so dense you can even ride a racing bike on it. I turn 75 tomorrow. I still run and cycle. In between, I swim. I guess doing those things keeps one alive. — As told to Brian Barker

Pan-seared to lock in a marinade of paprika, cumin, lime, and garlic, the big meaty chunks of fish on the seasonal menu—halibut, ling cod, salmon, or snapper—are as fresh as owner Robert Anthony’s most recent catch. (He owns his own fishing vessel.) Cupped between flour tortillas stuffed with a bed of coleslaw studded with wedges of tangy red and green apples, they make for the Oregon Coast’s most unexpectedly delicious dish. Don’t be surprised if lunch inspires a return trip for dinner.
153 NW Hwy 101, Yachats; 541-547-4794; lunaseafishhouse.com

Umpqua Discovery Center

This children’s museum in Reedsport could give OMSI some stiff competition with its 7,000 square feet of exciting, lifelike, interactive exhibits. (In fact, OMSI assisted in funding the center’s exhibits.) But here, the subject is the history and ecology of Oregon’s south coast. Listen to native Kuuich Indian tales told around a crackling fire. Walk across a creaky dock that was lined with salmon during the area’s schooner-era heyday. If the kids still aren’t wide-eyed, send them down the slide that leads to a bear den.
409 Riverfront Way, Reedsport; 541-271-4816; umpquadiscoverycenter.com

South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve

Inside this 4,800-acre coastal stew of saltwater marshes, freshwater streams, and upland forest, kayakers paddle glassy waters, disturbed only by flapping snowy egrets. Nearly 8 miles of hiking trails depart from the interpretive center, the most serene of which is the Hidden Creek Trail, a 1.2-mile saunter to a large observation deck near Hidden Creek Marsh. Shielded by massive tree boughs, this is the perfect place to spy Caspian terns hunting fish or to simply watch ripples fan out across the water.
61907 Seven Devils Rd, Charleston; 541-888-5558; oregon.gov

WildSpring Guest Habitat

Nestled amid magnificent Port Orford cedars, each of this resort’s five cabins sports vaulted ceilings, walk-in slate-tiled showers, pillow-top mattresses, and classy antique furnishings. If you can bring yourself to leave your abode, stop by the guest hall overlooking Port Orford Bay. Floor-to-ceiling windows, plush leather chairs, a well-chosen wine list, and a thumping stereo make for an incredible storm-watching post. Binoculars provided.
92978 Cemetery Loop, Port Orford; 866-333-9453; wildspring.com

Oregon Redwoods Trail

Not many folks know that an arm of California’s famed redwood forest reaches into Oregon. To find the trail that leads to the trees, drive 11 miles south of Brookings and turn left onto Winchuck Road. After 1.5 miles, turn right onto Forest Service Road 1101, a 4-mile-long, well-maintained dirt road that ends at the trailhead. The 2-mile loop feels like setting foot in a cathedral, one in which you are the sole parishioner.
www.fs.fed.us

Getaways

5 Perfect Portland Days

ITINERARY #1THE FIRST TIMER

Peninsula Park or Elk Rock Garden

Special Collections Room at the Central Library

ITINERARY #2 IN-LAWS

ITINERARY #3 BIKEABLE ADVENTURES WITH YOUR TRAGICALLY HIP OLD COLLEGE ROOMMATE

½ Mile • CENTRAL EASTSIDE

1 Mile • INNER SE

1.2 Miles • OLD TOWN

1.5 Miles • INNER NE

1.5 Miles • DOWNTOWN

2.7 Miles • EAST BURNSIDE

3-ish Miles • MISSISSIPPI & ALBINA AVENUES

3.3 Miles • NOPO

3.5 Miles • ALBERTA STREET

8.6 Miles • ST. JOHNS

ITINERARY #4 YOUR SISTER & HER TWO KIDS

ITINERARY #5 COLLEAGUE

On the Water: Idyllic Escapes to Northwest Islands, Beaches, Rivers, and Lakes

25 Cozy Northwest Lodges

New North Coast Hot Spots

Slide Show: Astoria Uncovered

Slide Show: The Region’s Most Romantic Retreats

Sunshine Getaways!

San Diego

Santa Monica

Las Vegas

Maui

Santa Rosa

Santa Cruz

Catalina Island

Palm Springs

Oahu

Big Island

Fall Getaways: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

70 Ways to Discover the Oregon Coast

Explore Hidden Oregon

NORTHEAST OREGON

The Cowboy Way

by Kasey Cordell

Hamley & Co

Randy Severe

Joe & Sugars Café

RimRock Inn Restaurant

The Bookloft

Earth & Vine

Sawtooth Crater

STAY

SOUTHEAST OREGON

The Big Empty

by Rachel Ritchie

Alvord Hot Springs

Fields Station

David Thompson

Hotel Diamond

Peter French Round Barn

Steens Mountain Loop Tour Route

Diamond Craters

STAY

CENTRAL OREGON

The High Desert

by Bart Blasengame

Sno Cap Drive In

Pine Mountain Observatory

Roy Slicker

Kokanee Café

Five Pine Lodge

Lara House Lodge

The Badlands

STAY

SOUTHERN OREGON

Down South

by Brian Barker

Mount Scott, Crater Lake

Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

Barbara Steele

Schneider Museum of Art

Palace Café and Charcuterie

Jacksonville Pioneer Cemetery

ITINERARY #1
THE FIRST TIMER

ITINERARY #2
IN-LAWS

ITINERARY #3
BIKEABLE ADVENTURES WITH YOUR TRAGICALLY HIP OLD COLLEGE ROOMMATE

ITINERARY #4
YOUR SISTER & HER TWO KIDS

ITINERARY #5
COLLEAGUE