Senior editor Rebecca Jacobson steers Portland Monthly’s travel and outdoors coverage and writes about the more-than-human world, history, and arts and culture. She previously served as the magazine’s arts editor and digital editor. A former editor at Willamette Week and The Berliner as well as a contributor to several Wildsam field guides, she has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Montana.

Outdoors

Oregon, It’s Time to Book Your Summer Campsites

Six months out is the sweet spot for securing the state’s most coveted tent sites (and cabins, yurts, and fire lookouts).

01/03/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson

Near & Far

Our Travel Editor’s Top Moments of 2024

Brilliant birds, beautiful beaches, and decked-the-heck-out tiki bars.

12/30/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Get Out

What to Do in Oregon in January

Plunge into the Pacific on New Year's Day, dance to folk music in Florence, and cheer on sled dogs in Oregon's answer to the Iditarod.

12/26/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson and Portland Monthly Staff

Oregon Trails

8 Ways to Embrace Winter in Oregon

From snowshoeing to stargazing to dips in the sea, there’s no reason to fear the cold.

12/02/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson Illustrations by Jordan Kay

In Defense of Skinny Skis

Cross-Country Skiing Is More Joyful Than You Think

It’s serene, affordable, and as strenuous or leisurely as you want it to be—and a balm during dark Northwest winters.

11/19/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

As Told To

Meet Astrophysicist and Former Elite Cross-Country Ski Racer Alison Crocker

The Reed College professor reflects on racing, working hard, and waffles.

11/18/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

XC Ski 101

A Beginner's Guide to Cross-Country Skiing

Never clipped into skinny skis? Here's all you need to know. Plus: gear rentals, lessons, and clubs in the Portland area.

11/15/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Heat Seeking

Destination Saunas in Oregon and Beyond

Shvitz in a “wine barrel,” cold plunge in a river, or soak up the steam from a bubbling hot spring.

10/30/2024 Edited by Brooke Jackson-Glidden and Rebecca Jacobson

TBA

The Time-Based Art Festival Is 21. How’s It Looking?

Our editors recap PICA’s beloved festival, with all its glistening torsos, humor and rage, and lightsabers and tassels.

10/04/2024 By Matthew Trueherz and Rebecca Jacobson

Oregon Trails

9 Historic Oregon Cemeteries That Offer Clues to Bygone Eras

Find stories of shipwrecks, range wars, and prominent Portlanders.

10/02/2024 Illustrations by Jillian Barthold By Rebecca Jacobson

Squash the Competition

How to Grow a Giant Pumpkin and Paddle It to Regatta Victory

A reigning champion of Tualatin's annual race spills his hard-won tips.

09/20/2024 Illustrations by Sam Island By Rebecca Jacobson

Swifties Unite

The Definitive Guide to Watching the Vaux’s Swifts in Portland

It’s basically our city’s Mardi Gras.

08/27/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Farm Life

As Pickathon Grows, Its Music Lineup Doubles Down on Young Talent

The beloved festival runs a venue in Portland and just launched a nonprofit. But its heart remains the annual Happy Valley campout, stacked this year with Gen Zers.

07/26/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Bird to the Wise

Güero Bird Club Is Portland's Best Way to Get into Birding

The warm and welcoming group, led by the torta shop's kitchen manager, transforms novices into nerds. It worked on me.

07/17/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson Photography by Michael Raines Illustrations by Michael Novak

Prepare for Takeoff

PDX’s Revamped Main Terminal Opens Aug 14. Here Are the Highlights.

Construction isn’t over, but we’ll soon get a sprawling new lobby beer bar, faster security lines, and an unveiling of that dramatic timber roof.

07/16/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Hear Here

Three Songs Shaped by the Pacific Northwest

Black Belt Eagle Scout, Laura Veirs, and Laura Gibson took inspiration from cedars, the sea, and haunted hotels.

07/09/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Dive In

Cathedral Park’s New Swim Dock Opens Under the St. Johns Bridge

The beach area has a lot less concrete to trip over, too, thanks to volunteers and the Human Access Project.

06/28/2024 By Margaret Seiler

Field Notes

A Magical Old-Growth Forest Hike Just an Hour from Portland

The Old Salmon River Trail promises towering trees, carpets of moss, and a perfect pool for a dip.

06/25/2024 By Ellee Thalheimer

Hot Dam!

At This Southeast Portland Park, Both Humans and Beavers Are Builders

Errol Heights has an epic slide, a mini skate area, and trails through beaver habitat.

06/14/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson

Summer in the City

Three Urban Excursions to Soak Up Summer in Portland

From birds to boats to (forest) baths, who says you have to leave the city for a little adventure?

06/05/2024 By Rebecca Jacobson Illustrations by Mark Wang