Most of the restaurants in Portland have a farm to table mentality, using mostly local and seasonal ingredients.
There are many beautiful things to see within the city. Check out Pittock Mansion and it’s amazing view of the downtown area.
Or the Rose Garden and Japanese Garden. Also providing a beautiful view of downtown.
There is also a Chinese Garden and tea room right in the heart of China Town. As well as several downtown parks.
Portland also has a wonderful Zoo, OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) is a must see, a bird sanctuary, Powell’s city of books (the largest independent, new and used bookstore on the planet) and a plethora of endless hiking trails.
Just a short drive outside the city is the scenic Columbia Gorge and Multnomah Falls area.
And home to several other waterfalls.
About an hour and a half drive west of Portland is the Beautiful Oregon Coast.
Central and Southern Oregon are home to many beautiful sites as well. Like the amazing Crater Lake, Wildlife Safari, The Oregon Vortex, Oregon Caves, Big Cat Animal Park and some more amazing wineries.
Check out the central and southern coast as well. And the sand dunes! My favorite place to go as a child.
No matter where you travel in Oregon there is always something beautiful and unique to see.
Oregon Facts and Trivia
(from 50states.com)
- Oregon’s state flag pictures a beaver on its reverse side. It is the only state flag to carry two separate designs.
- Oregon has more ghost towns than any other state.
- The Columbia River gorge is considered by many to be the best place in the world for windsurfing.
- Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States and is formed in the remains of an ancient volcano.
- Oregon and New Jersey are the only states without self-serve gas stations.
- Eugene was the first city to have one-way streets.
- Pilot Butte, a cinder cone volcano, exists within the city limits of Bend.
- At 329 feet the Coast Douglas-Fir in Oregon is considered the tallest tree in the state.
- At 8,000 feet deep Hells Canyon is the deepest river gorge in North America.
- The hazelnut is Oregon’s official state nut. Oregon is the only state that has an official state nut. The hazelnut is also known as the filbert.
- Oregon’s state birthday is on February 14, Valentine’s Day.
- The “Oregon Pioneer” statue that tops the capitol building is a work by Ulric Ellerhusen. This heroic figure represents the spirit of Oregon’s early settlers.
- The state park system has 159 yurts located in 19 parks. Yurts are a circular domed tent suitable for camping.
- Navy blue and gold are Oregon’s official state colors.
- The Chinook salmon is Oregon’s official state fish.
- The Willamette River was discovered in 1792.
- In 1858 the richest gold find in the Cascade Mountains was discovered in the Bohemia Mining District at Sharp’s Creek near Cottage Grove.
- Dorris Ranch in Springfield became the first commercial filbert orchard in the state.
- In 1876 the University of Oregon opened in Eugene. Deady Hall was the first building on campus and still exists.
- In 1880 a sea cave was discovered near what is now known as Florence. Sea Lion Caves is known to be the largest sea cave in the world.
- The nation’s most photographed lighthouse is the Heceta Head Lighthouse located in Lane County.
- Darlingtonia Wayside is Oregon’s only rare plant sanctuary.
- Oregon’s second highest waterfall is Salt Creek Falls in the Cascade Mountain range. It drops 286 feet.
- The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest is one of the largest long-term ecological research sites in the United States.
- Eugene is rated by “Bicycling Magazine” as one of the top ten cycling communities in the United States.
- There are nine lighthouses standing along the coastline. Five are still being used; the others are designated historic monuments.
- Portland is an example of outstanding urban planning. The city is known as The City of Roses.
- High above the city of Portland the International Rose Test Garden features more than 500 varieties of roses cultivated continuously since 1917.
- At 11,239 feet Mount Hood stands as the tallest peak in Oregon. Mount Hood is a dormant volcano.
- Silver Falls State Park is the Oregon’s largest state park. It features 10 waterfalls and contains a wide variety of forested hiking trails.
- Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States. It was formed more than 6,500 years ago. Its crystal-blue waters are world renowned.
- Discovered in 1874 the caves located in Oregon Caves National Monument are carved within solid marble.
- The world’s largest rosary collection is exhibited at The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. A local resident collected the exhibit.
- The Carousel Museum contains the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of carousel horses.
- Fort Clatsop National Memorial contains a replica of Lewis and Clark’s 1805-1806 winter outpost.
- The small village of Bickelton is filled with bluebird houses seen on the posts of every house.
- The Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area is a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range.
- The Ries-Thompson House is the oldest remaining residence in Parkdale. Built circa 1900 the home and area offer a commanding view of Mount Hood.
- Tillamook is home to Oregon’s largest cheese factory.
- Florence is known as Oregon’s rhododendron capital.
- The Oregon Legislature designated the Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium) as the Oregon state flower by resolution in 1899.
- Oregon’s capitol building is located in Salem. Earlier capitals include the cities of Oregon City and Corvallis.
- The Columbia River forms most of the northern border between Oregon and Washington. The Snake River forms over half of the eastern boundary with Idaho.
- In 1905 the largest long cabin in the world was built in Portland to honor the Lewis and Clark expedition.
- A treaty between the United States and Spain established the current southern border between Oregon and California. The treaty was signed in 1819.
- The Oregon Trail is the longest of the overland routes used in the westward expansion of the United States.
- The Tillamook Naval Air Museum is housed in the world’s largest wooden clear-span building.
- Haystack Rock off Cannon Beach is 235 feet high and is the third largest coastal monolith in the world.
- The Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, built in 1880, is currently used as the site of the final resting place of up to 467,000 cremated individuals.
- The Seaside Aquarium was the first facility in the world to successfully breed harbor seals in captivity.
Happy Birthday Oregon, Cheers!
10 Comments
Kelly MacKay
February 26, 2018 at 5:13 pmlove the falls
Angela@mealstreetkitchen
February 26, 2018 at 9:49 pmThey are really beautiful.
Kelly MacKay
February 26, 2018 at 11:11 pmI bet , I have been visiting lots of falls, around my province, year round. I have been checking some out this winter frozen. they are a whole different kind of beauty in the winter
Angela@mealstreetkitchen
February 27, 2018 at 10:16 amThat sounds amazing! It usually doesn’t get cold enough here to freeze them. I bet that is a spectacular site!
Kelly MacKay
February 27, 2018 at 10:31 amIt I do have a post called you have to see the midland Ice caves, it has so cool pictures of one. I will be posting another next week.
Angela@mealstreetkitchen
February 28, 2018 at 2:58 pmAwesome! I look forward to seeing it. Thanks Kelly
Kelly MacKay
February 28, 2018 at 3:01 pmYou are most welcome Angela, and if you have a post that you particularly love on your blog let me know I will search for it.
Angela@mealstreetkitchen
February 28, 2018 at 9:48 pmsounds great! I will be doing my travel posts in the coming months
overthehillontheyellowbrickroad
February 15, 2018 at 5:09 amI’ve always wanted to visit Oregon. Now I REALLY want to go!
Angela@mealstreetkitchen
February 15, 2018 at 8:31 amYou really should, it’s beautiful. Summer is the best time to visit. Lots of events and festivals in the summer.