From the craggy coastline to snowcapped peaks in the state’s eastern corners, Oregon offers outdoor adventures all year long. To get you started, here are 24 guided excursions, food-focused trips and seasonal adventures for 2024 and beyond.
1. Celebrate cellar season: Ring in the new year with cellar season — a time when Willamette Valley winemakers throw a log in the fireplace, offer behind-the-scenes tours, and host cozy events at less-crowded wineries and tasting rooms between January and March.
2. Ice skate in downtown Portland: The all-new Portland Winter Ice Rink features pop-up shops, eateries and an outdoor ice rink under the Morrison Bridge in downtown Portland through January. Consider booking a few nights at any of the Rose City’s new hotels to take advantage of even more of the city’s excellent food, drink and arts.
3. Hit the slopes: Fresh powder and bluebird skies await at Oregon ski areas. Take ski or snowboarding lessons near Bend at Mt. Bachelor or Mt. Ashland Ski Area in Southern Oregon. Known for night skiing, Mt. Hood Skibowl also offers night snowtubing with music and colorful lights.
4. Listen to sea-inspired poetry: On the last weekend in February, anglers from around the world descend on Astoria for the FisherPoets Gathering — where they perform songs, recite poems and swap stories inspired by life at sea. Stay a few days for storm watching or shopping in Astoria’s historic downtown.
5. Go bird-watching in Klamath Falls: Watch dozens of species of migrating birds around Klamath Falls, Upper Klamath Lake and the broader Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge this winter.
6. Warm up in hot springs: A handful of hot springs dot the Cascade Range, from natural outposts like McCredie Hot Springs to developed resorts such as Breitenbush Hot Springs and Belknap Hot Springs.
7. Visit Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site: Learn about John Day area history through the prism of its earliest Chinese residents at the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site, open May through October.
8. Tour the Hood River Fruit Loop: Between late March and mid-May, thousands of cherry, apple and pear trees cover the Hood River Fruit Loop in a blanket of white and pink blossoms. Sip estate-grown cider, pick up goodies at a farm store and soak up the beauty of Mt. Hood.
9. Head Through Hells Canyon: Take a jet-boat tour on the Snake River with Hells Canyon Adventures, which heads into the deepest river gorge in North America.
10. Paddle Oregon’s North Coast: Tour the estuaries, tidal forests and salt marshes of Oregon’s North Coast with an expert guide like Kayak Tillamook.
11. Attend a Tribal Powwow: The annual Delta Park Powwow in Portland features dancing, arts and crafts exhibitors, and other celebrations of Native American culture throughout the Pacific Northwest. Check out tribal events in Oregon that happen year-round.
12. Celebrate Pride: June might be Pride Month — but LGBTQ+ celebrations like Wine Country Pride take place throughout summer and year-round across Oregon.
13. Float the McKenzie River: Sign up for a half- or full-day guided float with Horse Creek Lodge, and navigate more than a dozen miles of Class II and Class III rapids on the emerald-hued river.
14. Stargaze at Oregon’s first dark-sky park: Pitch a tent under starry night skies at Prineville Reservoir State Park — Oregon’s first International Dark Sky Park — where rangers lead educational programs in summer. Learn more about stargazing in Oregon.
15. Enjoy a car-free trip to the Columbia River Gorge: Kick back with a car-free trip to the Columbia River Gorge, where shuttles stop at the base of world-famous waterfalls and in charming communities. Several popular waterfalls are wheelchair-accessible.
16. Take a boat tour of Crater Lake: In 2023 a new fleet arrived for boat tours at Crater Lake National Park. Learn all about the lake’s history and geology on your guided tour of this must-visit park — plan to stay at least a few days.
17. Support Oregon’s Black-owned businesses: August is National Black Business Month, but Oregon’s Black-owned businesses are worth supporting all year long.
18. Attend the Oregon Shakespeare Festival: See a mix of classic productions and contemporary plays at the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland and spend a few days taking in the arts, food scene, shopping and uncrowded trails.
19. Feast on Oregon Food Trails: Stop along any of the Oregon Food Trails on your next road trip for seasonal produce, creative craft beverages and farm-to-table dining.
20. Plan a fall getaway to Steens Mountain: Enjoy cooler temperatures on the trail, watch aspen groves turn golden in the autumn sun and soak nearby at Crane Hot Springs, where you can camp overnight and bask in the glow of the moon.
21. Embrace autumn at a harvest festival: Nosh on apple cider doughnuts and pick your perfect pumpkin at the Bauman’s Harvest Festival through late October near Woodburn.
22. Sample Central Oregon’s craft brews: November is Bend Ale Trail Month, when you can win prizes for visiting nearly three dozen acclaimed craft breweries across Central Oregon.
23. Take a food tour: Get the inside scoop on Portland’s culinary scene with an expert guide like Lost Plate Food Tours, which explores downtown eateries, food-cart pods and more.
24. Spy migrating gray whales: Between mid-December and mid-January, nearly 20,000 gray whales migrate south past the Oregon Coast. See the animals from the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay, and learn more from helpful volunteers during Whale Watch Week.
