Margaret Seiler loves to write about local politics, history, sports (from the Thorns to Tonya Harding), and her hobby of extreme transit. A longtime copy editor, she also helps keep Portland Monthly clear, readable, and grammatically correct. The native Kentuckian landed in Oregon after youth-hostelling her way around the continent (before cell phones!) and worked at Willamette Week and the Portland Tribune before joining Portland Monthly in 2010. She lives in North Portland with her family.

Get Out

10 Photo Ops in Portland and Beyond to Prove You Live Here

Let your friends know where you are with pictures of the downtown Powell’s Books, the St. Johns Bridge, the airport carpet, and day-trip destinations like Cannon Beach.

09/28/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Trails

Hike of the Month: Eruption Trail at Mount St. Helens

This short-and-sweet walk from Johnston Ridge Observatory is all volcano photo ops, all the time. Parking is free, but that could change next year, among other national forest fee increases.

09/23/2022 By Margaret Seiler

History

Meet Some of the Women Who Helped Shape Oregon as We Know It

From securing the right to vote to leading the state in Salem to representing Oregonians in DC, we owe a lot to Redmond, Neuberger, Green, Kafoury & more.

09/20/2022 By Margaret Seiler

The Queen is Dead

4 Portland Pubs in Which to Mourn Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Looking for a spot to drown your sorrows about the passing of the UK monarch? We got you.

09/08/2022 By Michelle Harris, Margaret Seiler, and Julia Silverman

Fall Road Trips

Wacky Roadside Attractions and Treehouse Hotels Await in Southern Oregon

Throw the kids in the car and head south for rope swings, cave tours, and In-N-Out Burger.

09/08/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Transit

Frog Ferry: Dead in the Water

The recurrent fantasy of a Willamette River commuter ferry is back to being just a pipe dream, after local boosters give up on its latest iteration.

09/06/2022 By Margaret Seiler

House Hunters

A $19 Million Luxury Ranch Home Is Currently Listed in Central Oregon

Here are some celebrities we’d like to think would be on the market for the ornate ranch pad.

08/31/2022 By Michelle Harris and Margaret Seiler

Air Travel

Icelandair Is Extending Its Seasonal Portland Flights into January

Iceland’s wintertime northern lights and a heck of a New Year's party just got a little closer for Portlanders. Meanwhile, Delta’s nonstop from PDX to Tokyo, Japan, is delayed till 2023.

08/25/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Outdoors

Shady Hikes and Picnic Spots for Hot Days in and around Portland

From the fir frenzy of North Portland’s Columbia Park to a tree-lined trail on Sauvie Island, here are a few places to celebrate the shadows.

08/11/2022 By Cassondra Bird, Michelle Harris, and Margaret Seiler

Nature

Off to Pick Huckleberries? You Might Need a Permit

The wild berries lining mountain trails in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest are calling, but you'll need a Forest Service permit in advance for these purple goodies.

08/08/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Bicycling

Are You Ready for World Naked Bike Ride on Saturday, July 30?

The DIY, volunteer-run, bare-as-you-dare, pro-community, anti-oil-dependency ride is a Portland classic.

07/29/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Baseball

On an Epic Night, the Pickles Score 32 Runs and Blow Up a Whale

‘We have a whale we want to blow up and a number of children in the audience who would like to see that carnage happen.’

07/22/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Bicycles

5 Things to Know about Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride

The 2022 event happens Saturday, July 30, starting at Peninsula Park in North Portland.

07/21/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Hollywood

If Jennifer Lopez Is Going to Marry a Costar, Does It Have to Be Ben Affleck?

With his upcoming Nike movie, he’s got Portland cred, but let’s just imagine some of the alternatives: Jesus, Voldemort, George Clooney…

07/19/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Travel Deals

Great Wolf Lodge Offers a Free Night for 100 Travelers with Canceled Flights

If an airline messes up your holiday weekend, you might score a night at the hotel and water park just off I-5 near Centralia. But there's fine print.

06/29/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Style and Shopping

5 Portland Stores Where You Can Find Your Perfect Summer Swimsuit

Including two that will custom-make a suit for you from sustainable fabrics

06/23/2022 By Margaret Seiler and Julia Silverman

History Lesson

Arlington, MAC, University.... What’s the Deal with Portland’s Old Private Clubs?

Lamb in mint sauce! Dress codes! Turkish baths! President Taft, Teddy Roosevelt, and Tiger Woods!

06/22/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Greenspaces

A Celebration of Portland Parks

A thank-you note to the hiking trails of Forest Park, the playground of Wilshire and Arbor Lodge, the smell of roses in Washington and Peninsula Parks, and more

06/17/2022 Edited by Julia Silverman By Michelle Harris, Fiona McCann, and Margaret Seiler

Music

The 1985 Kate Bush Classic Resurrected by Stranger Things Is the Song of the Summer

Where in Portland have you heard “Running Up That Hill”?

06/15/2022 By Margaret Seiler and Conner Reed

Swimming

Not Signed Up for Swim Lessons in Portland Yet? There’s Still Hope

Expect to see a lot of "full," "waitlist," and "members only" messages, but there are still some spots available

06/10/2022 By Margaret Seiler