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.

Beginner’s Guide to Oregon Cyclocross

September 22, 2016
As I found myself flipped over my handlebars in my first race — and then smashed against a wooden course marker in my second race — I couldn’t help but laugh. The same way you might laugh when faced with a black diamond slope, a nearly vertical ascent to a sought-after summit, or the realization… More
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Bicycling , Sports , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Easy Weekend Trips from Portland

September 15, 2016
It’s one of Oregon’s best-kept secrets: fall just might be the best time to take a road trip. The summertime crowds have gone, the weather is blissful and many towns host all sorts of enticing shoulder season events to draw visitors out. Here are 5 easy, fresh fall outdoor adventure trips from Portland — all within a… More
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Oregon Coast , The Dalles , State Parks , Guides & Charters , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Bicycling , Fishing , Hiking & Backpacking , Sports , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions , Events ,

Explore Crater Lake, Public Lands by Bike

August 30, 2016
September is a magical time in Oregon’s parks — the perfect time for a joyride on two wheels. More
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Southern Oregon , Bicycling , Sports , Trip Ideas , Events ,

Re-Discover Suttle Lodge & Boathouse

August 25, 2016
After a 10-month closure, The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse at Suttle Lake — a rustic vacationers’ paradise about 13 miles west of Sisters in Central Oregon — reopens with a new look and feel. The 15.5-acre property in the Deschutes National Forest has operated as a timber lodge since the 1930s, with new versions built and modernized throughout the decades in… More
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Central Oregon , Sisters , Lakes & Reservoirs , Culinary Events , Culture & Heritage Events , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Restaurants , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Attractions , Events ,

Sipping Spots to Savor in the Mid-Valley

August 18, 2016
Sure, Corvallis and Albany are known for their adorable alpacas, fertile farmland and world-class wineries. But the mid-Willamette Valley also boasts an enviable homegrown food and craft beverage scene that’s ripe for visiting this fall, with the coziness of harvest season in the air. From cider to mead, coffee liqueur to native gin, here are… More
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Willamette Valley , Albany , Culinary Events , Beer & Breweries , Cider & Cideries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

7 Ways to Taste Oregon Fruit

August 3, 2016
Summertime in Oregon is all about the fruit — much more than the plump, juicy berries we find at U-pick stands and farmers markets in nearly every corner of the state. We’re talking fruit beer, fruit cider, fruit-based distilled spirits and fresh fruit. More
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Oregon Coast , Culinary Events , Cider & Cideries , Culinary Experiences , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

Wine-Lovers’ Adventure at Bounty of Yamhill County

July 26, 2016
It’s one thing to sip world-class wines from an Adirondack chair with a lovely view. It’s another thing to pair those wines with an afternoon yoga session, a river paddle and picnic, or even a hot air balloon ride. The Bounty of Yamhill County — a three-day food and wine event set for Aug. 25-27,… More
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Willamette Valley , McMinnville , Culinary Events , Culinary Experiences , Restaurants , Wine & Wineries , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink , Events ,

Wide-Open Country at Cottonwood Canyon State Park

July 21, 2016
With 8,000 acres of rugged terrain — vertical cliffs carved by the John Day River, deep canyons and rocky grasslands stretching for miles around — a trip to Cottonwood Canyon State Park in Eastern Oregon is like traveling back in time. Located about two hours from Portland (50 minutes southeast of The Dalles), Cottonwood is Oregon’s… More
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Eastern Oregon , Wasco , State Parks , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Attractions ,

Raised on ‘Dairy Done Right’

July 18, 2016
Jill Allen has loved the land since an early age. Born and raised not far from Tillamook, an area populated by more cows than people, she was active in Future Farmers of America and studied agricultural business at Oregon State University. After college she married a dairy farmer and laid down roots in Tillamook, where… More
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Oregon Coast , Tillamook , Trip Ideas ,

How to Book a Last-Minute Camping Trip

July 14, 2016
There’s good news and bad news for last-minute campers out there. Try these tips for finding first come, first served campsites in Oregon. More
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Camping , Outdoor Recreation ,