Tina Lassen

A rumpled landscape of fertile river valleys surrounds these friendly communities south of Eugene. Creswell and Cottage Grove provide a welcoming base for exploring the region’s winding back roads, which lead to scenic farm country, wineries, recreation areas and Lane County’s utterly charming collection of covered bridges. Creswell: A backdrop of lush green lands defines Creswell.… More

The stretch of the Oregon Coast due west of McMinnville feels especially wild, a jumble of high capes, sandy spits and rivers flowing into protected bays. Even US-101 has to curve inland here. That leaves Pacific City off the beaten path, a slightly sleepy beachfront town where sand drifts across parking lots and fishing dories surf… More

You choose the sports and the season; communities along this scenic route lay out the welcome mat 12 months a year. More

Springfield is often mentioned in the same breath as Eugene, the two cities forming the state’s second-largest metro area. But Springfield deserves its own spotlight, because there’s plenty to discover in this vibrant community surrounded by what seems like an endless expanse of rivers and woods. Paint the Town: Boutiques and antiques thrive on Main Street,… More

Oregon’s fourth-largest city, Gresham (pop. 109,397), feels more like an amiable small town thanks to its vibrant town center and bounty of public green spaces. Perched at the eastern edge of the Portland metro area, Gresham is a gateway to both urban pleasures and the outdoor wonders of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. Well-served… More

When you’re cruising across Central Oregon, the high desert plateau can feel as vast as the ocean, a sea of sagebrush and pine under an endless dome of blue sky. Yet surprises await around Madras (about 45 minutes north of Bend), where the land seems to crack open like an eggshell, revealing deep desert canyons,… More

Maybe Tualatin took inspiration from the Oregon Trail, the epochal pioneer route that ended just 10 miles east of here in Oregon City. A web of trails stitches through this town 20 minutes southwest of Portland, linking downtown businesses and leading off into parks and natural areas. You might also want to beat a path… More

Terrie Brigham and her sister, Kim Brigham-Campbell, members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, are sharing their generations-old family tradition with the public. More

The Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association advertises “a world of wine in 40 miles,” and it’s a fitting slogan. The unique geography of the Gorge creates a surprising array of microclimates and soils in a relatively compact corridor. More

I knew Oregon’s southwest corner, around Medford, for its wild beauty, where iconic Oregon rivers like the Rogue and the Illinois tumble through the deep seams of the Siskiyou Mountains. But it was a treat — literally and figuratively — to discover this same lush landscape is home to a thriving artisanal food and wine scene. More