Travel & Outdoors

Oregon Trails

The Boom-and-Bust Tales of 8 Oregon Ghost Towns

Hopeful homesteaders, gold mining boomtowns, and resorts that slid into the sea.

10/15/2025 By Rebecca Jacobson Illustrations by Jordan Kay

Gearing Up

Meet the Outdoor Store Designed for Latinx Adventurers

BaseCamp, from the outdoor education nonprofit Loco por la Aventura, wants to make gear shopping more accessible.

10/06/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Hit the Trail

9 Sublime Fall Hikes In and Around Portland

Head to these trails in Oregon and Washington for misty waterfalls, migrating birds, and golden-needled larches.

10/06/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Portland Monthly Staff

Transit Trip

We Rode from Portland to Seattle on City Buses

Pro: It cost $7 total for seven buses. Con: It took seven hours.

10/02/2025 By Margaret Seiler

Halloween

Visit These Portland Haunted Houses For Halloween Pregaming

Haunted manors, zombie graveyards, and spooky drive-ins to get you in the most frightful of moods.

10/02/2025 By Portland Monthly Staff

Restaurant Review

Hayward Is Oregon Wine Country’s Destination Restaurant

The Willamette Valley’s most decorated upstart is no longer the underdog. Can it shine in the limelight?

10/01/2025 By Jordan Michelman Photography by Thomas Teal

Squash Season

13 Great Pumpkin Patches to Visit near Portland This Fall

Pumpkins? Check. Also: hayrides, corn mazes, farm animals, apple cider doughnuts, and so much more.

09/29/2025 By Cami Hughes and Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Get Out

What to Do in Oregon in October

Celebrate the harvest in Hood River, have fun with fungi in Yachats and Eugene, and cheer on pumpkin regatta paddlers in Tualatin.

09/24/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Portland Monthly Staff

Leaf Peeping

Where to Check Out Fall Colors in Portland and Beyond

See changing autumnal foliage from the top of Mount Tabor, in the Portland Japanese Garden, and across Oregon.

09/22/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Portland Monthly Staff

Fun with Fungi

A Beginner’s Guide to Mushroom Foraging in Oregon

Intimidated? Don’t be. Here’s all you need to know to get started—including the ultimate hack for finding the freshest intel.

09/17/2025 By Emma Marris Illustrations by Michael Novak

Openings

New Pacific Northwest Hotels, Resorts, and Getaways to Know

Luxury tents, saunas, ocean views, and an attic library.

09/17/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Brooke Jackson-Glidden

WEIRD OUT

Visit These 13 Oregon Oddities and Roadside Attractions

Our state has shipwrecks, shoe trees, and sinkholes awaiting you.

09/16/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen, Margaret Seiler, and Portland Monthly Staff

Travel

8 Fun and Easy Fall Day Trips near Portland

Sip cider in Hood River, get spooked in St. Helens, and celebrate the fall harvest around Wilsonville.

09/09/2025 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen and Portland Monthly Staff

Bier Fest

Oktoberfest Already? Here’s Where to Go In and Around Portland.

Break out your lederhosen for pretzel tossing, dachshund races, and a goat petting zoo.

09/04/2025 By Alex Frane and Portland Monthly Staff

Hit List

The Best Farms and Orchards for Apple Picking near Portland

We’ve narrowed down the region’s autumnal offerings, with great mountain views, kid-friendly vibes, and rare varietals ripe for the picking.

09/04/2025 By Alex Frane and Portland Monthly Staff

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

Get Out

What to Do in Oregon in September

Dahlias are in bloom, Crater Lake goes car-free, the Pendleton Round-Up kicks off, and Oktoberfest has us raising our steins.

08/27/2025 By Portland Monthly Staff

Swimming

Portland Hotels with Outdoor Pools for Summer Splashing

Why should tourists have all the fun? Avoid the city's overcrowded public pools by treating yourself to a lil' staycation.

08/26/2025 By Margaret Seiler and Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Transit Trip

We Took the New North Coast Express Bus to Rockaway Beach

This summer weekend bus heads straight for Oregon Coast hits like Tillamook and Cannon Beach. We had the cushy coach practically to ourselves.

08/21/2025 By Margaret Seiler