Nothing beats a good road trip detour to see weird natural formations or oddities along your route. In Oregon you can visit magnificent marine phenomena, historic sites that spotlight fascinating communities and places where legends come to life. Best of all, many of the state’s most curious attractions are easily accessible to travelers of all abilities, making them ideal for a multigenerational road trip. Here are a few offbeat spots across the state that merit a visit.
Geological Marvels and Natural Wonders
Just outside of Yachats, Thor’s Well is among the weirdest of the many geological marvels found along the Oregon Coast. This magnificent attraction — visible from a wheelchair-accessible platform overlooking the Pacific — consists of a 20-foot basalt hole that appears to be swallowing the ocean, an optical illusion that’s especially noticeable after high tide. It’s often paired with other nearby curiosities, including the Spouting Horn blowhole and Devil’s Churn, an inlet that formed in such a way that incoming water often sprays hundreds of feet in the air. Just be very careful if you are walking nearby on the rocks and keep to established trails.
A 20-mile drive south of Thor’s Well, the Darlingtonia State Natural Site near Florence features a different type of natural wonder: a protected bog full of a strangely shaped carnivorous pitcher plant also known as the cobra lily or Darlingtonia californica. These plants get their insect fix by producing enticing nectar inside jug-shaped leaves that flare out on top like a cobra ready to strike. Insects looking for food fly inside, then, unable to find the way out, they are digested by the plant. You can see a marsh full of these curious plants by taking a stroll along a short, flat boardwalk with handrails that’s adjacent to the parking lot — keep in mind that picking or disturbing the plants is illegal.
One of the most mystifying natural attractions in the state is the Metolius Balancing Rocks, found in the Deschutes National Forest in Central Oregon about 30 miles northeast of Sisters. These otherworldly rock formations consist of tall spires topped with separate stones that balance atop them like hats. While the rocks look as if they’ve been stacked with human hands, the formations are the result of two different volcanic events. The first created the spires and the second brought in the balancing stones. They’re accessible via a 0.6-mile out-and-back trail that’s unpaved but well maintained, with minimal elevation gain.
Rural Relics Spotlighting Oregon History
Oregon’s history has plenty of whimsical attractions, the most fascinating of which is undoubtedly the Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day. It protects a Chinese apothecary built in 1865 that feels like a life-size time capsule, with shelves stacked with old medicine bottles labeled in Chinese, plus housewares, furnishings and canned goods from nearly a century ago. Docent-led tours bring the site’s history to life, and wheelchairs can be accommodated with advance notice.
Near Medford the Golden State Heritage Site preserves another piece of late-19th-century Oregon — one of a handful of mining communities that’s now a ghost town. Today the former town of Golden and surrounding settlements have four buildings to see, namely a church, a home, a shed and an old post office/general store.
The Eugene area has its own claim to unusual historic fame: the largest collection of covered bridges this side of the Mississippi. There’s a particularly large concentration about 20 miles south of Eugene in Cottage Grove, including the county’s oldest, Mosby Creek Bridge. This bridge was built in 1920 to help people safely cross over the creek. Drive over the bridge to relive Oregon of yesteryear.
Bigfoot, Puppets and Videotapes
While mom-and-pop video-rental stores existed across the world, Blockbuster was the industry leader for a spell, only to be eventually usurped by online streaming platforms. Today only one shop remains, the Last Blockbuster in Bend. Drop in to rent a film or to simply check out the ephemera displayed museum-style throughout the store.
“Keep Portland Weird” isn’t just a city motto painted on a wall in Old Town Chinatown, directly across from Voodoo Doughnut. Visitors of all ages can see a weird and wonderful collection at the Portland Puppet Museum. Tucked away on a residential street in Southeast Portland, this little space is one of only a few such museums worldwide and showcases around 2,000 puppets from 38 countries in revolving exhibits. Puppet-making workshops are a delight for all ages.
The town of Boring has an unusual name, but it’s far from dull, partly thanks to the North American Bigfoot Center. Step inside to find an extensive museum that tells the story of Oregon legend Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch. You’ll also learn about other popular cryptozoological beings around the world through displays and interpretive panels. There’s even a robust gift shop stocked with Bigfoot-sighting guides and every type of related memorabilia imaginable.
