About the Author

Jen Anderson

Jen Anderson is a longtime journalist and travel writer/editor who is now Travel Oregon’s Content & Community Manager, helping to align content for visitors via social media, print and web. She’s called Oregon home for 25 years and loves finding the latest places to eat, drink and play around the state with her husband and two boys. Brewpubs, beaches and bike trails top the list.

Stargaze at Worthy Brewing’s Hopservatory

July 19, 2017
When you go to the mountains, the beach or the lake, you can always look up at the night sky. “Just look up and enjoy the view,” Jerry Niehuser is famous for saying. The longtime manager at Sunriver’s Oregon Observatory has spent the past 30 years helping visitors foster their appreciation and understanding of the… More
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Central Oregon , Bend , Beer & Breweries , Educational Activities , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

Insider’s Guide to Oregon Swimming Holes

July 10, 2017
If you’ve ever been to a swimming hole in Oregon that seems overrun with crowds, fear not — there are ways to avoid that scenario. Try swinging a midweek trip, when you are likely to see far fewer people out, or consider going to a more out-of-the way spot. Often that can mean just walking downstream to another location. More
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Lakes & Reservoirs , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Fat-Tire Biking the Oregon Coast

July 6, 2017
From rocky headlands to wide-open shores, agates, seabirds, tide pools and lighthouses in the distance, the Oregon Coast is a balm for the soul. Why ride it? Because its 363 miles of glorious coastline are full of wonder, largely car-free and accessible for us all. More
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Oregon Coast , Brookings , Fat Biking , Bicycling , Sports , Trip Ideas ,

Why Oregon’s Beaches Are Open to Everyone

June 29, 2017
Tad McCall was a young man when his father, former Oregon Governor Tom McCall, swooped onto Cannon Beach by helicopter to lobby for the Oregon Beach Bill on May 13, 1967. More
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Oregon Coast , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

4 Ways to Explore Salem This Summer

June 20, 2017
Did you know that in Salem, you can tour the state capitol, sip craft beer, see waterfalls, go mountain biking, paddle in the river and catch a concert all in one day? It’s true. Oregon’s law-making hub, 45 minutes south of Portland, is a also hidden hot spot for outdoor recreation, history, culture and artisanal food and drink. More
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Willamette Valley , Salem , Trip Ideas ,

Fresh Local Beef in Cowboy Country

June 15, 2017
Out here amidst the rolling hills, farmhouses and wide-open spaces of Eastern Oregon, you might find yourself craving a sizzling steak or juicy burger. Tasty grass-fed and sustainably raised beef from Carman Ranch, in the foothills of the Wallowas, and other ranches here are a staple on the menu at many top restaurants throughout Oregon.… More
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Eastern Oregon , Hermiston , Beer & Breweries , Restaurants , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Summertime Snow at Timberline

June 1, 2017
It may be summer in Oregon, but there’s still plenty of snow — so don’t stow the gear in the garage just yet. Every year between June 1 and Labor Day, skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels — juniors to Olympic athletes — head to Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood for sublime conditions on… More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Government Camp , Sporting Events , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Sip and Relax with a Guided Boat Trip

May 29, 2017
There’s nothing like a whitewater rafting or jet boat trip to leave you breathless, soaked to the bone and pumped full of adrenaline. Then there’s the kind of boat trip that takes it down a notch — from wild to mild, but every bit just as sensational. Here are a handful of guided boat trips… More
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Portland Region , Corvallis , Kayaking , Lakes & Reservoirs , Tour Companies , Rafting , Beer & Breweries , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Attractions ,

Sea Turtles Forever

May 19, 2017
A steady stream of rain didn’t stop the volunteers on Earth Day 2017 at Cannon Beach. Combing the beach with garbage bags and their plastic-gloved hands, the 40 or so volunteers spent two day handpicking tiny bits of plastic from the reedy shoreline — layers upon layers of broken-up pieces of fishing line, plastic bottles,… More
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Oregon Coast , Sustainable Travel , Trip Ideas ,

Trips That Leave No Trace

May 12, 2017
As a 6-year-old growing up in Hawaii, Travis Mazingo was jumping off 50-foot waterfalls with his dad. He was surfing well before his teenage years, exploring national parks and backpacking with his grandmother in a crater on Maui. He’s kept it up through his 20s and 30s, moving to seven states to chase his pursuits… More
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Guides & Charters , Sustainable Travel , Sports , Trip Ideas , Events ,