Jen Anderson

The Wild West spirit is alive and kicking in much of Eastern Oregon, where cattle ranches, rolling hills and wide-open roads intersect with small-town communities deeply connected to their land and culture. More

Southern Oregon is home to a tremendous cache of natural treasures. Here’s how to take a road trip and soak it all up this winter. More

Kirsten and Christopher Shockey once pickled 52 varieties of vegetables in one year. From arugula and asparagus to winter squash and zucchini, they pickled it all — and featured their top recipes in a 2014 cookbook that received high praise from chefs, noted fermentation experts and fans of this growing lifestyle of nourishment through live foods. More

Honey, rosemary, hops, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, maple syrup and more — they may sound like ingredients for a mouthwatering pie, but they’re also flavor notes of some of the thirst-quenching ciders being produced nowadays in the Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge region. More

With more craft breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S., Portland’s beer-tasting scene is enormous — full of beers of different styles, tasting profiles and ABVs. If you’re the type of person who likes to do it all, we can promise you, that’s not really possible — at least in a weekend. At last count, there were 77 breweries in Portland and 177 in the Portland Region (not including taphouses, which are also ideal for tasting). More

Think back to the last time you had a picnic on the grass, a stroll on the beach, a ramble through the woods, a walk in the park. It’s kind of hard to be stressed while you’re in motion outside, right? It’s not an illusion. Expert studies in recent years have shown that being outside in nature brings very real changes in a person’s health for children as well as adults — which is why Oregon’s natural spaces make for not just a happy playground... More

Two months ago it was waterfalls, wildlife, caves and sand dunes that were captivating Rob and Chris Taylor and their family as they road tripped through Southern Oregon. This time around, it was the science and history, color-drenched landscapes, and starry skies of the Painted Hills in Eastern Oregon that brought wonder and enchantment. “It was hiking and sunshine and wildlife,” says Rob, a journalist who, with his husband, are part of the travel blogging duo known as 2TravelDads. “We saw a bat and praying... More

So you just booked that dream camping trip with extended family in Oregon’s wilderness. Moment of truth: How do you coordinate all of the gear? From tents and sleeping bags to food, lanterns, rain tarps and cooking utensils, it’s often an elaborate endeavor to sort out who’s bringing what gear so you can enjoy Oregon’s outdoors to the fullest. More

Nataki Garrett has been called a visionary; a force of nature. She’s spent the past two decades leading theater companies and making artistic connections around the world — everywhere from Dallas and Denver to Paris, Italy, Rwanda and Uganda. And now she’s landed in Southern Oregon, taking the helm of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival at a time when the theater company and region are looking to remain a top destination. More

Sure, you could drive straight from Point A to Point B when traveling anywhere in Oregon, but where’s the fun in that? The rugged coastline, grand forests, snow-capped mountains, rolling valleys and sweet (and often quirky) towns along the way make for some dramatic eye candy, not to mention surprising adventures. More