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.

7 Things You Didn’t Know About Oregon

May 8, 2017
Have you heard of our obsession with artisan doughnuts? Or our love of beer, wine, coffee and spirits? And it pairs so well with the great outdoors: all-year round you’ll find us camping, hiking, biking and paddling through rivers, forests, mountains and coastline. Even when we come inside to rest, we’re soaking up some an… More
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Southern Oregon , Plush , Covered Bridges , Historic Sites & Oregon Trail , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Attractions ,

5 Epic Adventures in La Pine

May 4, 2017
If you’re not paying attention, you can easily bypass the quiet town of La Pine. It’s 30 miles south of the activity in Bend and 60 miles north of Crater Lake, one of Oregon’s most popular destinations. But with quick access to the Newberry Crater, Deschutes River, Deschutes National Forest, Cascade Lakes and other major… More
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Central Oregon , La Pine , State Parks , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Sip & Savor Oregon Wine Month

April 27, 2017
Nowadays, you can go almost anywhere in the state and enjoy a glass of Oregon wine with your locally sourced meal. That was hardly the case in the 1970s, before Oregon wine country began to take root. It was 1972 when Stephanie Pearl Kimmel had just returned from studying in France. She had been so inspired… More
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Willamette Valley , Eugene , Culinary Events , Museums , Restaurants , Wine & Wineries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Attractions , Events ,

Cheers to Oregon Wine Month

April 17, 2017
Do you prefer your wine tasting with food pairings, live music and supporting great causes? Oregon offers that all year-round but really steps it up during Oregon Wine Month in May, which culminates in a grand Memorial Day Weekend finale at tasting rooms in all corners of the state. Wherever your wine adventures lead, know that Oregon wines fly free on Alaska Airlines, so you can take a bottle of Oregon wine country home with you. More
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Culinary Events , Culinary Experiences , Wine & Wineries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

Clear Creek Distillery’s Branch-to-Bottle Brandy

April 11, 2017
The bottles on the trees at McCurdy Farms in Hood River are not a form of public art — although they are quite beautiful. Each spring, right after the blossoms fall in April or May, the bottles are tied with twine onto the orchard’s largest pears, called the King Pears. That’s when Clear Creek Distillery's… More
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Portland Region , Hood River , Farm & Ranch Stays , Farms & Ranches , Spirits & Distilleries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Golfer’s Paradise in Central Oregon

April 6, 2017
Sure, Central Oregon is home to some of the state’s best craft brews, skiing and cycling. But golf is also on the list — and these four award-winning spots are a golfers’ paradise, steeped in beauty with views of the Cascade Mountains, ponderosa pines and ancient lava rock. Sneak in a few holes on these championship courses on your next visit. More
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Central Oregon , Bend , Golfing , Sports , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Slam Dunk for Sweet Wife Baking

April 4, 2017
At first, people didn’t know what to call Jenny Mowe’s fancy bake shop treats at Sweet Wife Baking in Baker City, the historic town near the edge of Oregon’s eastern border. “Cowboys were coming in ordering ‘sandwich cookies,’” Mowe says. “I said, ‘Oh, you like the macarons?’” They asked if her pickled strawberry pie had… More
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Eastern Oregon , Baker City , Artisan Producers , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

Celebrate Earth Day in the Gorge

March 30, 2017
As hikers know, spring wildflowers make this season special at the Gorge. What visitors may not realize is that these wildflowers flourish each year in part thanks to strategic efforts to control noxious weeds, which disrupt the native ecology. More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Hiking & Backpacking , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Getting to the Coast is Half the Fun

March 28, 2017
Oregon Coast Highway 101 — the route that runs along the Pacific Ocean — is full of scenic drives and inspired spots to eat, drink and play. But what about the trip there and back? We’ve got you covered, with a few noteworthy and convenient stops worth checking out along some of the most popular northern,… More
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Oregon Coast , McMinnville , Amusement Parks , Farm & Ranch Stays , Family Fun , Farmers Markets , Farms & Ranches , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Attractions ,

Train to Summit Mt. Hood

March 9, 2017
One day each June, a group of climbers emerge from Timberline Lodge in the middle of the night, load up with head lamps, ice axes, crampons, harnesses and backpacks, and begin their careful ascent up the south route of Mt. Hood. About five hours later — just in time for sunrise — they reach their… More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge , Guides & Charters , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Sporting Events , Sports , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , Events , Back Country Guides ,