About the Author

Jennifer Burns Bright

Jennifer Burns Bright serves as the editor of long-form travel content for Travel Oregon’s website and annual visitor guide, as well as other custom publications in Oregon’s dynamic travel industry. Based on the Oregon Coast, she holds a Ph.D in English Literature and has been certified as a Master Food Preserver and Master Gardener. Her writing specialties include culinary travel, wellness and resorts, as well as general travel in the Pacific Northwest. She spends her free time foraging for wild foods, renovating her WWI-era home, and exploring our beloved state.

How to Enjoy Oregon’s Bounty With Less Waste

March 21, 2025
Oregon is a food lover’s dream, from the farm-grown produce in its green valleys to the fish you can purchase right off the docks at coastal ports. Sourcing food straight from the people who grow and harvest it is budget-friendly and good for the environment, too. To help celebrate Food Waste Prevention Week (April 7-13, 2025) all year round, here’s how to shop smart and support local farmers and producers at the same time. More
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Culinary Experiences , Farmers Markets , Eat & Drink ,

8 Top Hotels for a Relaxing Portland Stay

April 18, 2024
Getting away from it all can mean a remote trip to the mountains or coast, but sometimes a staycation or getaway in the city can provide a refreshing break. In the past few years, downtown Portland’s lodging options have been growing steadily, and new hotels are not only located close to excellent tax-free shopping, dining and cultural offerings, they also have amenities for cozying up all weekend without ever leaving the property. Here are some of our favorite options, including stays with expansive spas, funky... More
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Boutique Hotels , Hotels & Motels , Trip Ideas , Retail , Eat & Drink , Places to Stay ,

Plan the Perfect Central Oregon Wellness Getaway

March 13, 2024
As someone who lives on the Oregon Coast with its cool maritime climate and misty forests, I always find Central Oregon’s bright, dry, high desert a wonderful getaway for a sunny spring wellness break. Though the area is known for adrenaline-fueled sports, I seek out slower and cozier pleasures when I head to the communities of Bend, Sisters and Sunriver. There I enjoy mountain vistas, pristine rivers and scented forests of juniper, larch and pine, or I head indoors to cozy spas and museums. Here... More
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Central Oregon , Bend , Favorite Trips , Health & Wellness , Trip Ideas ,

Celebrating America’s First Zero-Proof Distillery

October 5, 2023
Hood River-based Wilderton Botanical Spirits opened the country’s first nonalcoholic distillery with a dedicated tasting room in Hood River in July 2023 — here’s what to expect on your next round of drinks. More

Indigenous Flavors Meet Fine Dining

February 21, 2023
Chef Jack Strong learned traditional foodways as part of his Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians upbringing. When the executive chef and cookbook author took the helm at renowned JORY Restaurant at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg in October 2022, he found heritage foods ready to welcome back his family. More
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Native American Culture , Restaurants , Eat & Drink , Culture & History ,

The Unsolved Mystery of Oregon’s Beeswax Wreck

November 22, 2022
Of the many treasures washed to shore on Oregon’s North Coast — a stretch of cliffs and sand known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” for its shipwrecks — one created quite a buzz in 2022. No, not the gold and jewelry discovered on the lost ship in “The Goonies.” We’re talking beeswax, and a ship carrying a load of it in its cargo hold that wrecked in 1693. More
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Oregon Coast , Astoria , Museums , Culture & History , Attractions ,

Guide to Foraging Wild Berries in Oregon

July 25, 2022
To the joy of foragers like me, wild berries that flourish each summer mean you don’t need anything more than a bucket and an identification guide to collect pounds of juicy, jeweled fruit. With homemade berry pie or jam on the horizon, many families head out to their special spots for a time-honored tradition from July to October. Though you can easily buy farm-grown blackberries at markets or mountain-foraged huckleberries at stands or though CSAs in season, there’s nothing like the incomparable pride of foraging... More
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Oregon Food Trails , Favorite Trips , Family Fun , Culinary Experiences , Trip Ideas , Eat & Drink ,

How to Hunt for Agates on the Oregon Coast

May 27, 2022
There are people who look out at the ocean, and there are people who look at the rocks. I realized I was the rock type after moving to a small town on the South Oregon Coast and taking endlessly long beach walks that usually ended with my pockets pounds heavier. Scanning the gravelly sand fulfilled a deep craving I didn’t even realize I had. Part thrift shopping, part meditation, hunting for beach treasures somehow gave rest to troubled thoughts and let time fall away. More
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Oregon Coast , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

Luxury Getaways in Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge

March 23, 2022
Oregon Food Trails
With soaring cliffs, views of Mt. Hood and a rolling landscape that evolves from golden hills to craggy, forested cliffs with cascading waterfalls, the Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge region is one of Oregon’s most sublime natural areas. Though simply experiencing the thunderous power of water tumbling down into rushing rivers or hiking through alpine forests are luxuries, you can elevate any experience with special tours, restaurants and accommodations to make the trip even more unforgettable. More
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Mt. Hood & Columbia River Gorge ,

Luxury Getaways on the Oregon Coast

February 15, 2022
If you love the ocean, any getaway to the Oregon Coast can make you feel like a million bucks. Breathing in the salty air, catching a whale spouting from a cliffside trail, digging clams for an impromptu dinner over a campfire: All these experiences are Oregon luxuries with little to no cost. But for special occasions or just an unforgettable experience, the state’s 363 miles of coastline provide many ways to splurge.  More
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Oregon Coast , Kayaking , Oregon Food Trails , Guides & Charters , Bed & Breakfasts , Tour Companies , Canoeing , Favorite Trips , Other Outdoor , Clamming & Crabbing , Boutique Hotels , Scenic Drives , Tours & Guided Trips , Dining , Health & Wellness , Culinary Experiences , Hotels & Motels , Resorts , Beach Activities , Restaurants , Vacation Rentals , Seafood , Paddle Sports , Destinations , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Activities , Cities & Regions , Places to Stay , Guides & Tours ,