Annelise Kelly

Ready to ditch the hustle of the city for a peaceful getaway in nature? Head to The Oregon Garden and The Oregon Garden Resort, a luxurious basecamp to the northern Willamette Valley, just 40 miles south of Portland and 15 miles northwest of Silver Falls State Park. More

Tucked between the mighty Pacific and the rich estuary of the Yaquina River, Newport offers a lively year-round escape in nature’s seaside wonderland. Yes, there’s a lovely stretch of coastline, but also access to the woodlands and waterways for hiking, biking and paddling, plus family-favorite destinations such as the Oregon Coast Aquarium and the Hatfield Marine Science Center. More

Anchoring the south end of the new North Coast Food Trail, Lincoln City holds culinary cred with its wealth of nature’s bounty from land and sea. Fishing boats ply the Pacific for salmon, crab and albacore; foragers fill up with wild mushrooms and clams; lush coastal farmland overflows with vegetables, meat and dairy. Hungry yet? More

Here in Forest Grove — just 25 miles west of Portland, in the heart of Willamette Valley wine country — farmland, vineyards and forest beckon you to hike, bike, fish, paddle and stroll. It’s also a hot spot for sipping and tasting: handcrafted wine, beer and cider complement the Pacific Northwest's only sake-brewing operation. More

What's awesome about Albany? Architecture, food, drink, history, art and access to the outdoors, for starters. Spend a long weekend here and you can drink negronis in an historic bank building, visit the restored historic carousel, pop between quirky galleries and shops, set the kids free in a splatter paint studio and restore yourself with riverside nature walks. More

Summer inspires beach trips, but here’s a little secret: on the Oregon Coast, fall reigns supreme: The weather is mild. The fog has rolled out. The wind has died down. And the crowds have headed home. It’s one of the best times to explore the Oregon beaches. It’s a perfect time to sink into the relaxed pace and unexpected adventure of Lincoln City, a town that unwinds for seven miles along Highway 101, parallel to an equal length of driftwood-strewn beaches. With traffic mellowed from...

Sometimes you need to unplug and rejuvenate. That’s easy to do in Yachats, the little coastal town on Oregon’s Central Coast where you might look up from your crab cakes to admire a bald eagle wheeling overhead or a grey whale spouting beyond the surf. With innovative restaurants and shops and the forest and ocean… More

Sure, anyone can hike in summer, but off-season hiking in Oregon has buckets of rewards for the Gore-Tex-clad: Thinner crowds and fatter rivers, empty trailheads and outrageous waterfalls. Sure, there’ll be rain and puddles — so skip the picnic and plan your hike around a great meal afterward. Nothing gives you more genuine Oregon trail-cred than building up an appetite in our incredible outdoors, then bringing your wet self inside to quaff local wine or microbrews and devour a hot and hearty meal. More