Kerry Newberry

You can meet Alpaca herds in nearly every region of the state — on guided tours and vineyard retreats, ranch stays and farm dinners. Once you hang out with an alpaca and absorb their breezy nature, you can’t help but feel a little less stressed and a little more carefree. Here are several top family-friendly experiences that will turn you into an alpaca-phile in no time. More

Seeking a sojourn in some of the state’s most secluded and serene natural areas? Set amidst alpine lakes and ancient lava flows, the Newberry Country Trail in Central and Southern Oregon is the spot to unplug and unwind. Located just south of Bend and Sunriver, and home to the 54,000-acre Newberry National Volcanic Monument, the region combines the best of Oregon’s blue-ribbon rivers and mountain peaks. More

Autumn is prime time for country escapes. As you travel back roads, you’ll pass colorful leaves turning mountain slopes golden and scarlet hues. You can taste crisp cider from heritage barns and pick buckets of apples for baking pies. Up pop the pumpkin patches and corn mazes, as well as the aroma of ripening pears. In wine country, the grape clusters hang heavy from the vines — plump and deeply purple — and the bustle of harvest fills the air and sparks the imagination. More

Surrounded by the sprawling Eagle Cap Wilderness, the completely renovated Minam River Lodge exudes alpine luxury — and it’s one of the few hike/fly-in lodges left in the country. There are only three ways to access it: by foot, on horseback or charter plane. More

“Oregon is one of the best places in the world to grow pinot noir,” says Jesús Guillén, as he plucks grape clusters to sample for ripeness and flavor. “The first wine I fell for was pinot, and that’s why I make wine here.” More

Hundreds of vineyards and wineries dot the Willamette Valley, a relatively young wine region that has gradually drawn international acclaim for its vintages. But 50 years ago, all of this was just a dream — an unlikely one, at that. It was a visionary crew — a mix of academics, teachers and engineers — who planted the valley’s first grape vines. And despite countless naysayers in more established wine grape-growing regions, these renegades and risk takers persisted. Now they are known as the storied wine... More

Xin Liu peers out across the steely-blue waters of Yaquina Bay, where long-legged herons wade and a winter mist drifts to shore. It’s here, he promises, you can get a taste of place like no other. “Yaquina Bay oysters are unique because they grow in this small estuary,” Liu says. “There’s a lot of water exchange daily. With low tides comes fresh water, and with the high tide, salt water rushes in.” More

It’s early morning in the Willamette Valley, and a soft rain pitter-patters across a thick canopy of Douglas fir trees. Two chefs — father and son — stand side by side surveying a confetti of pine needles carpeting the forest floor. The harder the rain falls, the more excited they get. “Truffle hunters actually prefer… More

If you’re lucky, you’ve seen it: The poetic silhouette of a gray whale lifting its peaked tail flukes high above the surf. The action lasts but a moment, and although it might appear like a greeting from these enigmatic sea creatures, it signals a dive to feast near the bottom of the ocean floor. It might make you wonder: what’s life like beyond the surface level for these gentle giants, and why do they migrate so far? More

Editor's note: This is part two of a wine country itinerary that stretches from the Willamette Valley to Walla Walla. See part one here. As we glide into downward facing dog, mountain peaks and wild flowers pop into view. It’s the third time we’ve arched into the yoga pose that resembles an upside down letter… More