Oregon’s Culinary Heroes
Two months into sitting idle while his restaurant was shut down due to Oregon’s mandated shelter-in-place order, Gregory Gourdet grabbed his knives to join a rotating cast of chefs to cook meals for the needy.
The top Portland chef, along with more than half a dozen chefs from The Nines Hotel, prepared 600 meals a day at Blanchet House, a Northwest Portland nonprofit that provides meals for those in need. Cooking for Blanchet House, Gourdet says, gave him a way to get outside of himself after quarantine.
All the Love Between Oregon and Japan
As the snowy summit of Mt. Hood rises in the distance, director of ground maintenance Hugo Torii roughly points out a new gingko tree he recently planted near the tea house at the Portland Japanese Garden.
“I’m not going to tell you [where it is] until it gets bigger,” Torii laughs, “because what if it dies in two years?” Though the sapling is a new addition to the garden, it’s part of a bigger vision for both Torii and the garden itself, one that has been in motion for decades.
Food-Lover’s Trip through the Willamette Valley (sponsored)
Less than an hour outside Portland, vineyard-covered hilltops begin to rise in the distance, as tree-lined neighborhoods make way for expansive farm vistas. Here in the Willamette Valley, the prize is world-class wine — paired, of course, with outstanding food — and it’s all made with local ingredients just a hilltop away. If you want to get a full sense of the valley in all of its bounty, a day trip just won’t do. Here’s how to experience the best the Willamette Valley culinary scene has to offer on a three-day road trip.
Top Winter Wonderlands for Snowshoe Adventures
A new world opened up above the snow-laden evergreens the first time I crunched toward the summit of Bennett Pass, with Mt. Hood standing sentinel over the sparkling valley. It looked like I was trapped in a snowglobe.
As a frequent hiker and paddler, I’m most familiar with the state’s lush forests and cool blue waterways. But in winter, snowshoeing Oregon’s expansive trails and undulating alpine passes has become my next favorite adventure. It makes me eager for each snowfall, when I can trade in my hiking boots for a pair of snowshoes.
You can get in on the action too. Snowshoeing is one of the most accessible — and underrated — ways of exploring the state in the cooler months, with white-dusted spots an easy haul from the big city to remote backcountry routes reserved for experienced trekkers. Where should you explore? Start with these top spots, from easy to advanced.
How a Cult Burger Joint is Shaking up Portland’s Food Scene
In a city with a world-renowned doughnut shop famous for its over-the-top decorations and flavor combos, it’s only fitting that Portland is also home to one of the tallest burgers in the country.
How to Paddle the Lower Columbia River Water Trail
It’s hard to imagine the marine prowess Native American tribes wielded along the mighty Columbia River, undeniably the most epic river in the Pacific Northwest. The wild, unknown waters — then untethered by dams — carved a path through mountains and plains, and connected thousands of miles of people, trade goods and food between British Columbia and the Oregon Coast.
Eastern Oregon’s Ancient Landscapes Come to Life (sponsored)
For thousands of years before Europeans arrived on the shores of what would become the United States, Native Americans lived and thrived with the land. In what is now Eastern Oregon, rushing waters brimmed with fish and trade centers teemed with tribal travelers. Snow-capped peaks held edible and medicinal roots within their rocky spires. And some of the state’s most iconic vistas were ancestral homes, places of celebration and traditional hunting grounds for tribes across the vast territory.
Soak in Oregon’s Magical Hot Springs
One of Oregon’s most distinctive features is its rugged, mountainous landscape. Those peaks, forged in large part due to volcanic activity and converging fault lines, have helped form one of the West’s most alluring — and elusive — attractions: hot springs. Those steaming pools, whether naturally formed or piped into luxurious private tubs, offer visitors and Oregonians alike a chance to relax and recharge in some of the state’s finest mineral-enriched water. Many as far back as the earliest Native populations in the region tout these waters’ healing properties for achy joints, bodies and minds. Whether you’re looking for respite or simply a new adventure, here are eight popular and lesser-known hot springs around the state.
Cool Places to Stay with Your Pup
What’s traveling when you have to leave your best friend at home? Thankfully, options abound for our furry friends across the state, where dozens of hotels, resorts and state parks do much more than simply allow your good girls and boys to share your room. From personal, proportionally sized pet beds to psychic readings (really), here are some favorite places to stay with your best bud on your next Oregon road trip.
Cool Places to Stay for Outdoor Adventures
Sometimes after a long, grueling day on the trail or cruising through pounding rapids, the last thing you want to do is set up a tent. For those outdoor enthusiasts who prefer a cushy bed over a sleeping bag, we’ve rounded up a host of accommodations from luxe properties and cozy bed-and-breakfasts to only-in-Oregon resorts and timeless lodges. These lush spots are perfect for complementing your springtime adventures —no construction required.
6 Surprising Facts about Oregon’s History (sponsored)
You may have studied or heard bits of lore about the Oregon Trail, but how much of the rest of Oregon’s history do you think you know? A new 7,000-square-foot permanent installation at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland aims to give visitors a much broader look at the Beaver State and its storied past.
How to Play at Mt. Hood Sno-Parks
Winter is a magical season in Oregon, when much of the state slumbers beneath glistening powder and the majestic mountains gleam like icy beacons. Skiers and snowboarders famously flock to the slopes of Mt. Hood as soon as the white stuff starts to fall, but winter fun doesn’t stop at the bottom of the hill.
Taste Oregon’s Most Iconic Ingredients
Portland is widely regarded as one of America’s greatest food cities, but that’s due in large part to what lies beyond city limits: Oregon’s farm-fresh abundance.
Cool Lakes for Summer Retreats
Oregonians wait all year for summer, when there are so few clouds in the sapphire-blue sky that we forget they were ever overcast. But on the dog days when the heat becomes too much to bear, we head for the lakes to cool our worries in still waters. From a painterly alpine lake in the Wallowas to a quiet multifingered lake on the Coast, here are a few lake retreats all across Oregon, where you can kayak, canoe, SUP, boat, hike, cast a line — or do nothing but chill on the shore with a cold drink in hand.