The People's Coast

The Best Oregon Beaches Within 3 Hours of Portland

Our coast brims with spectacular beaches. Here are a few that will leave you breathless.

08/29/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Sam Stites

Oar You Ready?

Where to Launch a Paddleboard, Kayak, or Canoe Near Portland

Eight gorgeous destinations, all less than two hours away.

06/20/2025 By Molly Allen and Sam Stites

Lake Life

Our 8 Favorite Lake Trips near Portland (Yes, You Can Still Book One)

Gorgeous views and easy water access await at these lakeside campgrounds.

07/10/2024 By Sam Stites

Fast Cars

Is Portland a Formula E Town?

We caught up with the crowd at the first-ever Formula E race in the Northwest, and learned electric car races smell better.

06/17/2024 Photography by Robb Farrington By Robb Farrington With Sam Stites

Outdoors

15 of Our Favorite Oregon State Parks

Find lush coastal rainforest, towering waterfalls, arid high desert, and everything in between.

05/16/2024 By Sam Stites

Outdoors

Hidden Gems among Oregon's State Parks

If you weren't looking for them, you'd never find them.

04/18/2024 By Sam Stites

Fore!

The 10 Best Portland-Area Public Golf Courses

These are the top public golf courses in the metro area, all within 35 minutes of downtown.

03/26/2024 By Sam Stites

Bar Week

We Mapped the 5 Essential Portland Bar Crawls

A topography of our favorite bar-filled neighborhoods across the city.

10/11/2023 By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Sam Stites, and Matthew Trueherz Illustrations by Michael Novak

Power Ranking

We Ranked Every McMenamins in and around Portland

The local brewery-winery-distillery-historic-hotel-theater-concert-hall-wedding-venue-etc. empire turned 40 in 2023, and we graded every one within 20 miles.

09/22/2023 By Dalila Brent, Arianne Cohen, Katherine Chew Hamilton, Isabel Lemus Kristensen, Michael Novak, Margaret Seiler, and Sam Stites

Avoiding Travel Hell

And the 5 Best Direct Flights Out of Portland Are...

No traffic. No lines. No 4 a.m. wake-ups. We found the best direct round-trips that PDX offers. Because we love you.

09/15/2023 By Sam Stites

Back Off, Idaho! A Visitor's Guide to Eastern Oregon

A Cheat Sheet to Enjoying the Counties Voting for ‘Greater Idaho’

Without places like Burns and Baker City, Joseph and the Alvord Desert, Oregon just wouldn’t be Oregon.

09/04/2023 Edited by Sam Stites

Back Off, Idaho!

Where to Eat, Stay, and Play on a Road Trip to Eastern Oregon

Who knew La Grande was such a shopper’s paradise? A rodeo in Pendleton, vintage bling in La Grande, biscuits and gravy in Baker City, a historic hotel in Burns, plus hot springs.

09/04/2023 By Margaret Seiler and Sam Stites

Back Off, Idaho! A Visitor's Guide to Eastern Oregon

Wild Times at Silvies Valley Ranch

Make the 6-hour drive for the golf, stay for everything else at this retreat and golf resort.

09/04/2023 By Sam Stites

Back Off, Idaho! A Visitor's Guide to Eastern Oregon

5 Crucial Tips for Camping in the Alvord Desert

We caught up with experienced playa-goers for their critical advice on visiting this otherworldly terrain.

09/04/2023 By Sam Stites

Blazes

The Wildfires We're Watching Closely, and Where to Avoid

Air quality has improved around Portland, but areas in Central Oregon and the Cascade Mountains are still on fire.

09/02/2023 By Sam Stites

Outdoor Films

A New Documentary on Black Outdoorsmen Premieres in Portland

The film, which delves into the lives of five men in the predominantly white industry, premieres in Portland on August 26 with star Chad Brown.

08/24/2023 By Sam Stites

Getaway

Unlimited Flying on Frontier's GoWild Pass? We Investigated

We had some questions about the program offering a month of travel from PDX for just $49.

08/22/2023 By Sam Stites

Trails

Hike of the Month: Forest, Wildflowers, and Sea at Two Rivers Trail

Just south of Pacific City, you can enjoy 2.7 miles through wildflower meadows and lush woodland on this peninsula at Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

08/21/2023 By Sam Stites

Got it bad and that ain't good

The 1905 Is in Trouble: Portland Jazz Musicians Rally

Portland's "home for jazz" has fallen on financial hard times, but the community around club owner Aaron Barnes isn't letting it go down without a fight.

08/18/2023 By Sam Stites

Get on the Bus

Yep, You Can Take a Bus There: Expanded Bus Service Comes to Oregon

New bus routes and expanded service emerged from a partnership between regional carrier Pacific Crest Bus Lines and national conglomerate Megabus.

08/11/2023 By Sam Stites