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.

3 Tips for Solo Travel in Central Oregon

March 8, 2023
Having experienced much of what Central Oregon has to offer — first as an adoring visitor and later as a Bend resident — I’ve noticed the region seems well suited to these encounters as a solo traveler. Smiling service workers are stoked to share their beautiful region with the wider world, community-minded lodgings host crackling fire pits, and conversations come easy while waiting for meals at the region’s myriad food-cart pods. More
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Central Oregon , Bend , Favorite Trips , Trip Ideas ,

Winter Glamping in Oregon’s Vintage Trailers

November 22, 2022
For decades, the polished aluminum of the potato-shaped Airstream trailer represented an embrace of the open road in the United States. While Airstreams have fallen by the wayside in favor of RVs, teardrop trailers and other modern conveniences, they hold a special place in the hearts of those enamored with a back-to-the-basics brand of travel. More
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Favorite Trips , Glamping & Tree Houses , Lodging , Glamping & Treehouses , Trip Ideas , Places to Stay ,

Winter Sunsets on the Oregon Coast

November 10, 2022
Although we usually associate summer with lingering sunsets over the ocean, winter just might be the best time of year to see them on the Oregon Coast. More
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Oregon Coast , Scenic Drives , Trip Ideas ,

Cómo Explorar el Bosque Nacional Malheur

June 27, 2022
Con sus 1.7 millones de acres, el increíble Bosque Nacional Malheur, aún en crecimiento en el sureste de Oregon, abarca tres condados, cubre Blue Mountains y contiene un par de áreas designadas como Ríos Salvajes y Escénicos por el gobierno federal. More
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Eastern Oregon , John Day , Wilderness & Natural Areas , Family Fun , Destinations , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation ,

How to Explore the Malheur National Forest

May 26, 2022
At 1.7 million acres, the sprawling Malheur National Forest in Southeastern Oregon spans three counties, blankets the Blue Mountains, and contains a pair of federally designated wilderness areas and Wild and Scenic Rivers within its borders. More
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Eastern Oregon , John Day , Wilderness & Natural Areas , Destinations ,

Find Colorful History at Eastern Oregon’s Blue Basin

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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Bicycling , Lakes & Reservoirs , State Parks , Oregon Food Trails , Guides & Charters , Tour Companies , Mountains , Other Outdoor , Tours & Guided Trips , Boating & Jet Boating , Parks, Forests & Wildlife Areas , Parks & Recreational Areas , Camping , Rivers & Streams , Wilderness & Natural Areas , Waterfalls , Fishing , Hiking & Backpacking , Paddle Sports , Destinations , Trip Ideas , Outdoor Recreation , Eat & Drink , Scenic Byways , Guides & Tours ,