Oregon Explorer

Arrive at Portland International Airport and take the MAX light rail to downtown Portland. Check-in to your hotel, and start exploring The City of Roses. Visit Powell’s City of Books, a Portland landmark and the nation’s largest independently owned bookstore, and check out the Pearl District, one of Portland’s hip neighborhoods. Or, head to the Hawthorne District, a lively bohemian area lined with cafés, boutiques, restaurants and antique/vintage stores. 

4* The Royal Sonesta Portland Downtown

Today you'll pick up your campervan and set off to Pendleton. 

When you drive east of Portland along I-84, you’ll encounter the jaw-dropping beauty of the Columbia River Gorge, a glacially carved 70-mile canyon that forms the border between Oregon and Washington. Spend the morning visiting the corridor’s signature attractions, including the Vista House, a 1917 octagonal structure set on a 725-foot-tall rampart that affords mesmerizing panoramas of the river. Also be sure to have a look at 620-foot Multnomah Falls, arguably the most stunning (and one of the most accessible) of several impressive waterfalls situated along the narrow, two-lane Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway. Stop for lunch in Hood River, where you’ll find plenty of excellent dining options in the walkable downtown. Next, venture a bit inland from the Columbia Gorge to the ranching and farming center of Pendleton, which is famous for the colorful blankets and textiles produced by Pendleton Woolen Mills, and for hosting one of the nation’s largest rodeos, the Pendleton Round-Up in September. And no trip to Pendleton is complete without stopping to browse the colorful and ornate hand-tooled leather boots, classic cowboy hats, and other fine art and accessories at Hamley & Co. Western Store, a fixture in downtown since 1905.

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Drive south on U.S. 395 toward the Painted Hills, the most picturesque section of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, where fossils dating back more than 33 million years have been found. You can soak up impressive views of the hills — which are layered dramatically in shades of auburn, red, brown and black — from the rugged but short Carroll Rim Trail. After exploring the Painted Hills, continue to Mitchell - a small pioneer town located in Eastern Oregon just 9 miles from the Painted Hills. The town is situated in a rugged canyon right off Highway 26 with an remarkable rock formation, the Mitchell Rock, looming above the town’s entrance and two impressive hills, Black Butte and White Butte, rising in distance. 

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In the early morning, depart Mitchell for one of Oregon’s most visually impressive geological sites, Smith Rock State Park, a 650-acre tract of soaring rock spires bisected by a meandering river. Experienced rock climbers flock here, but it’s also a rewarding destination for a light hike and perhaps, a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, drive to the beautiful city of Bend, which is known for its lively downtown of foodie-approved breweries, cafes and bistros. Overnight in Bend.

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In the morning, you can easily explore the ancient — and dramatic — geological forces that have shaped Central Oregon’s mesmerizing landscape. Begin your day with a visit to nearby Newberry National Volcanic Monument and Lava Lands, a massive, starkly beautiful 54,000-acre expanse of crimson and black lava fields and basalt formations punctuated by rippling lakes. You can drive to the rim of the 500-foot-tall Lava Butte and gaze into its volcanic crater, and trek through the fascinating 1-mile-long Lava River Cave.

Afterward, depart for a 2 hour drive to Crater Lake National Park. Crater Lake is the deepest body of water in the United States; this crystal clear, sapphire-blue lake formed inside the caldera of Mt. Mazama, a volcano that exploded in spectacular fashion roughly 7,700 years ago. Make time for the 33-mile auto tour around Rim Drive, where you’ll encounter numerous scenic viewpoints that offer awesome photo opportunities. Take a scenic narrated cruise around the lake with a stop at Wizard Island (a volcanic cinder cone), and have lunch at the grand Crater Lake Lodge, built in 1915

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From Crater Lake, make your way to outdoorsy and creative college town of Ashland, which is famous for its annual Shakespeare Festival (performances run from mid-February through October). The city’s charming, tree-shaded downtown also abounds with distinctive shops and culinary destinations, from organic cafes to sophisticated farm-to-table restaurants. Take a stroll through downtown’s leafy Lithia Park, a verdant 93-acre patch of lawns, gardens, duck ponds and forestland featuring a gurgling creek fed by mineral springs. 

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From Ashland, depart for Eugene with a stop in Grants Pass, the starting point for adrenaline-producing white-water rafting and jet-boat trips along the Rogue River, a nationally designated Wild and Scenic River that courses through some of Southern Oregon’s most dramatic scenery. Some outfitters in Grants Pass also offer more relaxed float adventures along the Rogue, including Paddled Pub, which provides participants with a chance to sample craft beer while enjoying the river breezes and passing scenery.

Continue on your way to Eugene with a stop at the campus of the University of Oregon to see Eugene’s nearly century-old Hayward Field, one of the most celebrated venues in the country for track-and-field competitions.

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From Eugene make the picturesque, 90-minute drive west to the Oregon Coast and Old Town Florence. Florence boasts several blocks of art galleries, gift shops and seafood eateries. Continue north up U.S. 101, also known as the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, where you’ll be treated to spectacular ocean views from rocky bluffs and along sweeping beaches. Be sure to visit Heceta Head Lighthouse, a 56-foot-tall, late-19th-century beacon that shines the brightest beam of any lighthouse in the state. End your day about an hour’s drive north in the historic bayfront district of Newport, which has an extensive selection of seaside hotels and fun, family-friendly attractions, as well as some of the best seafood eateries around. Don’t miss the awe inspiring Oregon Coast Aquarium.

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From Newport, head north along U.S. 101 to Astoria with a stop in Depoe Bay to see Grey Whales right from the shore. Continue on to the artistic town of Cannon Beach for lunch. Cannon Beach is known for its galleries and boutiques, and views of the scenic wildlife sanctuary, Haystack Rock. After, drive to the bustling town of Astoria, home to John Jacob Astor’s fur-trading post in the early 1800s – now a port-of-call for Alaska-bound cruise ships. Visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum and the Astoria Column and Fort Clatsop, the reconstructed winter headquarters of Lewis & Clark National Historic Park.

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In the morning, depart Astoria for the Willamette Valley, home to more than 700 wineries. Here, you’ll discover one of the world’s most renowned regions for pinot noir. Other varietals that star in the 5,200-square-mile Willamette Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) include pinot gris and chardonnay. You’ll find a bounty of first-rate restaurants as well as winery tasting rooms in the towns of Newberg and McMinnville, which are both rewarding stops. 

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