About the Author

Matt Wastradowski

Matt Wastradowski is a travel and outdoors writer living in Portland, Oregon. He’s written about the outdoors, craft beer, history, and more for the likes of Outside, Portland Monthly, and Northwest Travel & Life — and has written three Oregon-centric guidebooks for Moon Travel Guides.

Find Colorful History at Eastern Oregon’s Blue Basin

May 26, 2022
Notable for their multihued mineral streaks, Eastern Oregon’s Painted Hills are, without a doubt, the most famous site at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Yet there’s another colorful geological formation in these fossil beds: the Blue Basin, a rocky bowl that’s been shaped and tinted by nearly 40 million years of volcanic history. More
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Eastern Oregon , Mitchell , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

Family-Friendly Ways to Enjoy Central Oregon

April 14, 2022
If your kids are already begging to head out on your Central Oregon summer vacation, who can blame them? There’s so much to see and experience in and around Bend with a child’s wonder. You’ll have a jam-packed trip for the whole family, with indoor and outdoor entertainment that includes ancient lava flows, ninja fitness fun and the region’s fastest go-karts. Here are some ways to share great fun and make memories with the entire family. More
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Central Oregon , Bend , Family Fun , Trip Ideas ,

Love Letter to Oregon State Parks

February 22, 2022
With Oregon State Parks celebrating its centennial in 2022, we wanted to round up the many ways the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (of which Oregon State Parks is a part) has connected visitors with the outdoors over the past 100 years — and how they continue doing so today. Here are just a few of the many reasons we love Oregon State Parks. More
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State Parks , Destinations ,

Cheers to the Bend Ale Trail

January 31, 2022
When the Bend Ale Trail passport launched in 2010, it did so with eight breweries that represented the bulk of the regional brewing scene. At the time, the self-guided tour (one of only two in the nation) was unlike anything else in Oregon, giving beer buffs the chance to collect stamps at their favorite breweries and win fun prizes. Much has changed in the years since, not the least of all Bend’s brewing scene. Today more than two dozen breweries pour award-winning ales and lagers... More
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Favorite Trips , Beer & Breweries , Cider & Cideries , Regions , Cities , Eat & Drink , Trails ,

Plan Your Oregon Outdoor Adventures Now

December 20, 2021
It’s no shock to anyone who’s been outside lately: Oregonians and visitors of all backgrounds and skill levels are flocking to trailheads, riversides, waterfalls and other scenic destinations around the Beaver State in record numbers. With such a demand for coveted outdoor spaces, it takes a bit more planning for the perfect adventure — and there’s no better time to map out your trips for next season.  More
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Oregon Food Trails , Lakes & Reservoirs , State Parks , Guides & Charters , Bicycling , Mountains , Other Outdoor , Tour Companies , Parks & Recreational Areas , Tours & Guided Trips , Boating & Jet Boating , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Rivers & Streams , Camping , Wilderness & Natural Areas , Waterfalls , Fishing , Hiking & Backpacking , Paddle Sports , Destinations , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Scenic Byways , Guides & Tours ,

Experience the National Wildlife Refuges of Oregon

December 10, 2021
Today 18 national wildlife refuges occupy every corner of Oregon, offering safe habitat for hundreds of species of birds as well as fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. Best of all: Visitors can hike, watch for wildlife and more — all with smaller crowds than at the state’s most popular destinations. More
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Wildlife Viewing , Outdoor Recreation ,

Las playas menos concurridas en la costa de Oregon

September 30, 2021
Todas las personas que visitan la costa de Oregon tienen una playa favorita. Para algunos, es esa donde construyeron castillos de arena con varias generaciones de su familia. Para otros, es donde vieron un atardecer épico en un frío viernes de febrero o donde encontraron una estrella de mar por primera vez. More
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Oregon Coast , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

7 Places You Can Visit Thanks to Oregon Land Trusts

All around Oregon, you’ll find vast landscapes managed by land trusts — nonprofits that help conserve land to protect water, wildlife, open space and ultimately build more resilient communities. In our own backyard, the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts comprises more than 30 member organizations across the state that manage more than 420,000 acres, 100,000 of which are open for public access. More
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Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Wilderness & Natural Areas ,

The Otherworldly Charms of Oregon’s Christmas Valley

September 1, 2021
You won’t find shops hawking nutcrackers or colorful light displays in Christmas Valley — even if this quiet Southern Oregon community, roughly 95 miles southeast of Bend, is home to the likes of Snowman Road and Christmas Tree Lane. But what the no-stoplight hamlet lacks in Christmas cheer, it more than makes up for with easy access to some of the most dramatic natural curiosities in the Oregon Outback. More
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Southern Oregon , Christmas Valley , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

Less-Crowded Beaches on the Oregon Coast

August 25, 2021
Everyone who visits the Oregon Coast has a favorite beach. Here are some of our favorite less-crowded beaches to keep that sense of discovery and tradition alive. More
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Oregon Coast , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,