Travel & Outdoors

Swimming

Portland's Regional Government Wants to Give You a Life Jacket

A Metro naturalist breaks down his best pieces of advice staying safe near water, including the Sandy River, the Columbia River, and Blue Lake Park.

04/21/2023 By Sam Stites

Arty Attractions

Bend’s New Music and Performing Arts Scene

There’s more to this Central Oregon city than just outdoor adventures and great beer.

04/20/2023 By Sam Stites

Get Cultured

The Portland Japanese Garden Beckons You to Visit

The cultural icon is stunning in spring, but there’s no bad time to stop by.

04/19/2023 By Sam Stites

America's Best Airport

These Are All the Nonstop Destinations from PDX

Portland International Airport offers more than 60 nonstop flights to destinations in the United States, as well as Europe, Canada, and tropical locales.

04/14/2023 By Portland Monthly Staff

America’s Best Airport

New Restaurants and Shops Coming to PDX's Main Terminal

Loyal Legion, Portland Gear, and Smith Teamakers are among the storefronts that will appear when Portland International Airport's new terminal reopens.

04/12/2023 By Sam Stites

Hiking

12 Great Wildflower Hikes within Two Hours of Portland

Spring is wildflower season. Celebrate with some of our favorite floral displays in the region in the Columbia River Gorge or the Portland metro area.

04/07/2023 By Michelle Harris and Portland Monthly Staff

History

Looking for Pixieland in Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast

Memories and artifacts from the short-lived amusement park, opened in 1969, lurk in antique malls, coastal hotels, and more.

04/06/2023 By Matt Wastradowski

Camping

Camping in the Era of Fire Bans

Bans on campfires have changed how we rough it in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Here’s how to have fun in spite of them.

04/04/2023 By Matt Wastradowski

Events

What to Do in Oregon in April

Festivals this month celebrate Shakespeare in Ashland, tulips in Woodburn, crab at the coast, and more!

04/03/2023 By Portland Monthly Staff

Fore!

The Best Portland-Area Public Golf Courses

Here are the best 18-hole, public golf courses in the Portland metro area.

03/30/2023 By Sam Stites

Vancouver’s Dining Scene Makes a Case for World-Class Status

Vancouver gets the Michelin Guide treatment, with eight restaurants in the city earning stars.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 06/06/2023

This Perfect Seattle Weather Is Getting Oppressive

Tell me I'm not the only local who side-eyes the sunshine.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 06/06/2023

What to Do in Washington State in June

Homemade cars and Pride across the state: You better believe it's festival time.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 06/02/2023

The Worst Drives in Washington State

Bad traffic, disappointing scenery, and dangerous highways: Our picks for the least attractive road trips in the state.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 05/26/2023

The Best Parks in Seattle

From ball fields to swimming pools, beaches to botanic gardens: These are the city's 14 best outdoor spaces.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 05/19/2023

Seattle Divers Are Planning a New Underwater Park

Inspired by other Puget Sound preserves, volunteers look to protect the wildlife—and weird structures—far below the surface in Mukilteo.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 05/18/2023

Camp Cooking

How to Dutch Oven Cook like a Pro

Tournant chefs Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster share best practices for open-fire cooking with a dutch oven when you're camping, plus a recipe for clam stew.

03/29/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Camping

Outdoor Gear Essentials for Your Next Camping Trip

From walkie-talkies to comfy chairs to less-bad camp coffee, add these to your packing list.

03/28/2023 By Sam Stites

Spring Break

4 Hikes for Families Close to Portland

Take a hike in the Columbia River Gorge, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, along the Banks-Vernonia Trail, and at Canemah Bluff Nature Park in Oregon City.

03/27/2023 By Sam Stites

In Bloom

Wildflower-Covered Hillsides to Elegant Gardens, Oregon Blooms Are Booming

Tulips, azaleas, wild irises, begonias, roses ... whatever flower you’re thinking of, it’s probably growing right here in Oregon.

03/20/2023 By Isabel Lemus Kristensen

Ski Trips

Beyond Hood: Hoodoo

Hoodoo Ski Area near Central Oregon is the not-so-hidden gem of the Santiam Pass.

03/15/2023 By Sam Stites

Travel

7 Last-Minute Spring Break Destinations for Sun-Deprived Portlanders

Itching to get away from the rain for spring break? Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, and more await.

03/13/2023 By Dalila Brent, Shannon Daehnke, Gabriel Granillo, Katherine Chew Hamilton, Michelle Harris, and Julia Silverman

State Parks

After Marking a Century, What’s Next for Oregon State Parks?

One of the nation’s best state parks systems is busy updating facilities, studying climate change, and becoming a more welcoming environment for all types of visitors.

03/09/2023 By Sam Stites

By the Numbers

Oregon State Parks Facts and Figures

13 disc golf courses, nearly 3 million camper nights last year, 30 years of yurts, and the real reason behind the most visited state park

03/09/2023 By Margaret Seiler

Explainer

An Oregon State Parks Glossary of Terms

Park? Natural area? Heritage site? Why so many different terms for seemingly the same thing?

03/08/2023 By Sam Stites

Outdoors

Hidden Gems among Oregon's State Parks

From a sleepy spot on the Minam River in Eastern Oregon to a so-close-yet-so-far island in Portland on the Columbia, these parks are off the beaten path.