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What are the most photoworthy bridges and waterfalls in Oregon?

My first suggestion would be to order our Travel Oregon Visitor Guide, Scenic Byways Guide, and Oregon State map that we can mail to you for free. (Here is the link for that.) The scenic byways guide will be able to give you some ideas for beautiful places you might want to photograph, and the…

Is it illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon?

No. It is not illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon, although this is a relatively new law. In 2023, the Oregon legislature passed two bills into law that changed the way Oregonians and visitors pump gas. In rural counties, gas stations may offer self-serve gas at all hours. In non-rural counties gas stations…

Are there yurt campsites at Oregon State Parks?

Indeed! There are quite a few parks with yurts, actually. The most popular yurt campground is Valley of the Rogue State Park, located conveniently off I-5 near Gold Hill in Southern Oregon. Wallowa Lake State Park has two yurts that are designated ADA. The Oregon Coast has an abundance of yurt campsites; for instance South…

I will be in Eugene for a meeting on Jan 14th and 15th and would like to see some of the Oregon Coast; perhaps on the previous weekend or maybe starting on Jan 10th. What area would be relatively easy to drive to from Eugene or Portland? What kind of weather should I expect? Can you suggest some B&Bs? — Lois

From the coast, the most direct route to Eugene is from Florence on the Oregon Coast via OR 126 (just under 1.5 hours). You didn’t mention where you are traveling from, but it sounds like you may be coming from the north and you could easily spend four days traveling the North and Central coast…

What are the most beautiful sites in Southern Oregon? What is the best beach for RVs?

In the Southern Oregon Region, the most beautiful site arguably is Crater Lake, the centerpiece of the state’s only national park and a sacred site to native tribes long before settlers “discovered it.” The summertime and wintertime landscapes each show unique facets of this natural wonder. In Southern Oregon, there are several sites I recommend…

We are looking to spend 5 days around the coast in June 2013. We have found lots of cool lodges to stay in, but they mostly want at least 2 nights minimum stay. Would you recommend hotels and moving around the coast? Or, base ourselves in a lodge and travel from there each day? — Pete

I would recommend you plan your itinerary to base yourself strategically in two places and make day trips north and south from each base. For instance, to explore the South Coast, you could stay in Bandon and spend one day exploring north to the great State Parks southwest of Coos Bay (Shore Acres, Sunset Bay…

I’d like to plan a trip to visit colleges in Portland and Eugene. I’d also like to visit Medford all in 3-days! ~ Marnie S.

First of all, you can certainly fly in to the Medford area or begin even in Eugene or Portland.  That depends on you of course.  Portland is just shy of 2-1/2 hours north from the Eugene area.  Medford is about 3 hours south of Eugene.  So, if you fly in to Portland, you can spend one whole…

We are thinking of doing a road trip through Oregon for 2 weeks in early July 2013. We’re most interested in mountain / wildlife scenery in Oregon and coastal and wine experiences. We would also like to know if it is easy to do this by motorhome rather than car? – Gill W., Cardiff, Wales.

I believe I can give you some great ideas on how you can road trip your way around Oregon and see as much as possible in two weeks! First of all, let me say that either way you choose to travel, you will love it. I personally would love a road trip via motorhome because…

We are driving to Port Orford to visit the prehistoric gardens, then to Bandon for the Wildlife Zoo and then working our way back to Tillamook. We are looking for some special sights and sounds to visit on Highway 101. We’ve been to the lighthouses on the Oregon coast but are wondering about some not so common sights.What do you recommend?

If you’re doing the Prehistoric Gardens and the wildlife park, you would probably like the Sea Lion Caves, between Florence and Yachats on Highway 101. And, if you’re looking for unusual sights on Highway 101 as you head north, look for: Otter Crest Loop, between Newport and Depoe Bay Boiler Bay — especially at really…

What is one of the most scenic places to visit? – G.S.

The  Columbia River Gorge offers towering basalt cliffs, temperate rain forest, cascading waterfalls, and an abundance of hiking trails. Mount Hood is a beautiful snow capped peak surrounded by National Forest, more hiking trails, and alpine lakes. Both would be well worth your time. I suggest taking a drive along the Historic Highway from Troutdale,…

My husband and I are going to go up the Oregon Coast for a vacation. We want to stay in a hotel that is pretty much walk out to the beach. Any suggestions? We are probably going to start in the southern part and travel north.

We Pamper Campers mentioned the Fireside in Yachats. That hotel is adjacent to the Overleaf Lodge, which is also quite nice. The Adobe has its own restaurant, which always nice if you don’t want to drive around. Be advised, though, that all three Yachats hotels overlook a rocky shelf — beautiful but no long walks…

Where is a good place to spot Oregon Redwood trees? Any tips for a weekend getaway to see the trees and maybe an urban area of Oregon?

Our region is indeed home to a largely overlooked pocket of redwoods. They are on the extreme south coast near Brookings, just north of the border. This is a very remote area of the state, with no “urban” area anywhere close. You could, however, visit the Rogue Valley by driving east for about two hours…

I’m going to Crater Lake the beginning of July. What can I expect for weather? We will be there two days but in Oregon for two weeks. What else are must-sees in the area between there and Portland, or Portland and Seattle? We like the outdoors.

Glad to hear you’re focusing some of your visit on Crater Lake. It’s perhaps Oregon’s most unique feature and an attraction I always recommend. July in Southern Oregon is quite warm, upper 80s to 90-some degrees, occasionally peaking in the 100s. But Crater Lake is more than 6,000 feet above sea level, so it’s relatively…

We will be there in early June this year. Any suggestions for special places to see or extra special things to do during this time?

June is the very best time to visit the Zumualt Preserve, the vast prairielands owned by The Nature Conservancy in northeastern Oregon. Along with native wildflower species, you’ll see raptors of all kinds and it is sanctuary for elk and wolves, too. June is also when the Grande Ronde River is really flowing, offering a…

We are trying to plan a trip for later this year. We want to take in some more of Portland’s best, especially the scenic aspects of the Oregon Coast and perhaps some other spectacular sites (we love state and Nat’l Parks, great landscapes, farmland, trees, green space, etc.). We’re also trying to figure out how many days to try to set aside (5 – 12 days, max).

Highway 101 runs along the entire Oregon coast, from Washington State to California. There are state parks worth visiting along the entire stretch. Especially scenic are the stretches between Cannon Beach and Manzanita on the North Coast, and near Coos Bay on the South Coast (especially Shore Acres State Park). If you’re also interested in…

I’m looking to plan an anniversary trip for last week in July. Would like to stay somewhere near the coast that includes breakfast and would like to be close to horseback ride options. Other interests would be wine tasting and zoos/aquariums. Any Ideas?

One great trip is to fly into Portland, and drive through Oregon wine country (look around Yamhill County, and Hwy. 18), do a few tastings and maybe stay one night on the way. Try this site. Then, arrive at the coast and head south, to Newport, which is home to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Here’s…

Where are good places to hike see lots of wildflowers during the month of June?

Hiking is my most favorite outdoor activity so you have come to the right place. My favorite place to go hiking to see wildflowers, is Mary’s Peak. It is located in the Willamette Valley and I have included this website so you can further read about the area. You can read even more here and, for…

We only have about 9 days to spend in Oregon. We enjoy the outdoors and can handle full days. Any recommendations as to where to focus our trip to get the most out of our limited time? Also, what is the best summer month to visit?

I have to tout Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake, which is located in my region. It’s beautiful in all seasons but most accessible in summer. If you’re flying into Portland, you probably will want to take into account four to five hours of driving time to the southern part of the state. The best…

I am looking to do a trek across Oregon to visit all the historical landmarks. What places are a must see?

I’d start in Baker City and move west! Good start for historical landmarks: Flickr group.

How did Grants Pass get its name? I’ve heard several different versions.

The name, according to the City of Grants Pass, was selected to honor General U.S. Grant’s success at Vicksburg and a post office was established in 1865. Until after the turn of the century the name still retained the original spelling of Grant’s Pass, using an apostrophe. For more on the area’s history check out…