How wonderful that you’ll be honeymooning in Bend! There is so much to see and do here. Where should I begin… take a walk on the Deschutes River Trail, which stretches 19 miles on trails both paved and dirt. Wander downtown and in Drake Park with views of the mountains and river. Dine at Jackson’s Corner, Zydeco or 10 Below for some of the best food in town. Follow the Bend Ale Trail to try some of Bend’s best craft beers. Depending on the season, ski Mt. Bachelor or boat an alpine lake. Grab a coffee and pastry at Sparrow Bakery or Village Baker. Visit the amazing High Desert Museum for natural and cultural history. Stay at the swanky Oxford Hotel or a great resort like Black Butte Ranch or Sunriver.
Which Southern Oregon city is best for people with limited mobility?
I suggest you focus on the town of Ashland, right off I-5, which has a fun energy and is accessibility-forward. I apologize I can’t give you specifics on what exact places will have wheelchair accessibility, but I do know that the city in general makes effort to be so. Take a stroll through Lithia Park, which has paved paths that are mostly flat and smooth. There are a number of hiking trails in Southern Oregon, but I do believe they’d be challenging with a cane. Instead, I suggest the Bear Creek Trail section between Ashland and Talent (a walk/bike paved trail). (Note: while Medford is taking strides to make the Hawthorne Park area of the path safer, I do not recommend it for a solo traveler yet).
I hope this helps and have a fun and safe trip!
Where should we have our big annual friends camping trip?
Your camping trip sounds like a great tradition. Here are a few ideas to consider:
1) Oregon Coast – Cape Lookout State Park: The Oregon Coast is an amazing place to visit any time of the year, and I think that Cape Lookout is extra special because you can hike out to the end of the cape. There are lots of campsites, including group sites and even yurts! There’s also beautiful hiking, delicious seafood (of course), and other coastal fun to be had.
2) Eastern Oregon – Hart Mountain: This is a bit of a drive, but there are hot springs, antelope, hiking, and it’s just gorgeous. There’s camping right by the hot springs — it’s primitive but spacious, and I believe it’s free (it was as of a couple years ago). The star-gazing is top-notch, especially from the warmth of the hot springs. There’s some good hiking, and it’s close to the Steens as well if you wanted to explore further east. If you really want to “get away,” Hart Mountain is the place to go.
3) Northeastern Oregon – Wallowa Lake: There’s a reason this area is called the Alps of Oregon. It’s unbelievably gorgeous. These mountains typically get less snow than the Cascades, so there will likely be more hiking trails that have melted out and are ready to go. There are lots of camping sites and a few group sites at Wallowa Lake State Park. You’re also close to wild and beautiful Hells Canyon area and the idyllic town of Joseph. If you and your friends like beer, I’d recommend a stop at Terminal Gravity in Enterprise on your way in or way out. 🙂
I hope this helps get you started!
Are there any new attractions near Pacific City to see?
There is an escape room in Cannon Beach if you’re interested in a day trip. Other options that may interest you are ATV rentals for sand dune riding at nearby Sand Lake and Kayak Tillamook offers kayak tours at several locations in that area. Horse back riding tours are offered by Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides. Crabbing is made an easy activity at Kelly’s Brighton Marina to the north on Nehalem Bay with all of the rentals, licensing and even cooking and cleaning your catch right there.
For dining options outside of Pacific City, you could consider The Schooner in Netarts, Roseanna’s Cafe in Oceanside or Cafe at Hawk Creek in Neskowin. You can also taste specialty salts made locally at Jacobsen Salt Co. in Netarts.
What are the best wildlife viewing areas near Carlton?
You’re in luck — the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife maintains a great map where you can view the best wildlife viewing areas all over the state. Here’s the link: https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing. Click “view map” to get to an interactive version where you can get more information.
The closest wildlife viewing locations to Carlton are the following. You’ll mostly see waterfowl and other birds at these locations.
ODFW also puts out a very informative “Recreation Report” that is updated weekly by biologists around the state. Click “wildlife viewing” to see reports on the best options for you.
I’d also recommend you check out the Oregon Birding Trail. You can click to download directions for different driving routes that will take you to different birding stops around the state. The Yamhill Loop would be perfect for your trip. There’s even a winery, Winter’s Hill Winery, that’s an official stop on the birding trail!
Finally, if you want to see wildlife other than birds, you might want to check out the William L. Finley wildlife refuge. It’s about an hour south of Carlton, outside Corvallis. It is home to herds of Roosevelt elk, as well as many other native mammals that are fun to see.
I hope you enjoy your trip!
Where are some of the best places to find sea glass?
Oregon is not known for sea glass and I don’t know of any beaches that have a reputation as being better locations than others. Since most beach glass comes from bottles that have been floating in the ocean and come to rest on beaches pushed ashore by winds and tidal conditions, glass can be distributed anywhere along Oregon’s 363-mile coastline. Generally, beaches with gravelly deposits are the best places to find sea glass which can vary greatly with the season and tidal conditions. Typically sand builds up on Oregon beaches in the summer, covering up deposits of rocks and gravel, while winter’s higher tides and tidal surges strip the beach of sand, leaving gravel deposits exposed.
So, I think of sea glass the same as the search for agates, being more about the season and sand distribution than about specific locations, though beaches framed by cliff sides, known for rocky deposits and stream outfalls are a good place to start. On the North Oregon Coast, I think of Arcadia Beach near stream outfalls or Short Sand Beach in Oswald West State Park where Necarney Creek flows into the ocean. One of my favorite beaches for agate hunting on the North Oregon Coast is the beach at Oceanside on the north side of Maxwell Mountain that is accessed by a tunnel at low tide, though it can be hit or miss depending on sand levels. Short Beach is another option in that area. It is just to the north of Oceanside with a short trail head located alongside the road as you approach Cape Meares. On the Central Oregon coast, I suggest the beaches south of Cape Perpetua or Beverly Beach and Moolack Beach north of Newport. On the South Oregon Coast, the beaches south of Gold Beach expose rocky deposits when conditions are right.
What routes from Baker City should I take for an adventure?
Baker City is a great place to start any number of road trips that take you off of the interstate. If you are wanting to head toward the southwest (or southeast or further south) the easiest way is to head out toward Sumpter to Prairie City to John Day using Highway 7 to Highway 26. From John Day you can either head further south toward Burns, the Alvord Desert or Hart Mountain using Highway 395, or if you want to keep heading southwesterly, Highway 26 will take you toward Bend where you can connect with Highway 97 that takes you south toward Crater Lake and Klamath Falls. Additional highways from Bend then also can take you further west toward the coastal range an coastal highways depending on your preferred route.
Keep in mind that in winter months these roads may experience unfavorable conditions, although these early months have proven to be fairly mild. Visit the ODOT TripCheck website to keep apprised of changing conditions as you plan your travels. Have a safe journey!
Will Newberry Crater be open in April?
Newberry National Volcanic Monument will not be accessible by car. The road isn’t usually plowed and open until May. As for Lava River Cave, it isn’t open at all. Not until May 3.
What historic sites should we see in Salem?
What a fun travel adventure! Salem has a lot of historic sites to explore. First I recommend ordering a free Travel Salem guide, which will have loads of helpful information. In the meantime, here are some web links you can use to start your planning.
The Salem state capitol building: This is a must-visit, and if you’re not afraid of heights and don’t mind climbing a flight of stairs, you should go all the way up to the balcony on the top of the capitol tower and visit the Golden Pioneer statue. (Plus enjoy gorgeous views out over the capitol city.) Whether you do the tower tour or just the standard building tour, it’s a beautiful building and an interesting tour.
Willamette Heritage Center: This historic site in the center of Salem lets you tour 14 different historic structures, including the oldest remaining wooden frame houses in the Pacific Northwest. There’s a lot to see and do at this one location. I don’t know what dates in May you’ll be traveling, but if you happen to be there on May 12, it’s their annual “Sheep to Shawl Festival” which is a fun demonstration of everything of the entire fiber production process, from sheep-shearing to old-fashioned spinning and lace-making.
In addition, the very day I received your message, an article about historic sites to visit in Salem happened to pop up in my Facebook feed!
When visiting Coos Bay is it better to fly into Portland or Eugene?
In addition to Portland and Eugene, Medford (MFR) is also an option as an airport. The drive from Portland to Coos Bay is about 4.25 hours and if you have the time, it could offer the opportunity for more sightseeing. Your options would include traveling down the Oregon Coast, a stop at Silver Falls State Park near Salem or making a visit to Oregon wine country. I am assuredly biased, but choosing an Oregon Coast route would provide the most scenic bang for the buck, especially if you plan an overnight along the coast before continuing to Coos Bay. The route I would choose from Portland would be I-5 south to Albany/Corvallis, then west on US 20 to Newport. This driving route would add less than an hour to your travel time to Coos Bay, but would offer several great options for stops. If you wanted to do the drive in one day, I would limit stops to a few options like Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area in Newport, viewpoints at Seal Rock and Devil’s Churn and Cook’s Chasm at the Cape Perpetua Scenic Area. There are several very scenic stretches of roadway along this route. If you wanted to plan an overnight, the town of Yachats would be a good choice and would allow you to linger a little more and potentially add additional stops.
While in Coos Bay, don’t miss the short trips to Cape Arago (three stunning State Parks near the town of Charleston) and the beach and town of Bandon to the south.
Most of the lodging in Coos Bay I would describe as decent mid-range options. The Best Western Holiday Motel is conveniently located in downtown Coos Bay. I usually stay at the Mill Casino Hotel in nearby North Bend when I am in this area even though gaming is of no interest to me.
Happy exploring!