Travel & Outdoors

The Birds

Not All Is Lost: The Vaux’s Swifts Are Still Roosting In Portland

You can't go see them, thanks to COVID and our foul air. But it helps to know that they are there.

09/15/2020 By Julia Silverman

Oregon Wildfires

How to Keep Your Indoor Spaces Smoke-Free

Here are a few tips to help protect your lungs from the smoke.

09/11/2020 By Ainslee Dicken

Air Quality

What’s Canceled, Closed, Postponed, or in Limbo Due to the Oregon Wildfires?

The city itself isn’t burning, but smoke in the air is affecting everything from outdoor movies to dining to sports.

09/10/2020 By Portland Monthly Staff

Field Notes

North Cascades National Park Holds Once-in-a-Lifetime Views for Those Willing to Make the Drive

Spend a long weekend exploring the Rainbow-McAlester Loop.

09/09/2020 By Ben Tepler

Wildfires

Even the Oregon Coast Is Burning

Traditionally a place of refuge from heat and smoke, the skies above parts of the Pacific have turned red.

09/09/2020 By Ainslee Dicken

Disaster

Here’s How to Help the Victims of Oregon’s Wildfires

Thousands around the state are under evacuation orders as multiple fires rage, fanned by high winds.

09/09/2020 By Julia Silverman

Travel

Oregon's Labor Day Weekend Forecast: Sunny, With a Chance of COVID?

Pondering whether to hit the road this holiday? We've got thoughts.

09/04/2020 By Julia Silverman

Left Coast, Best Coast

In Praise of the Wetsuit, Essential Gear In Pandemic Times

With public pools closed, suited-up swimmers can find solace in the sea.

08/28/2020 By Julia Silverman

#VanLife

Rentable Camper Vans and RVs Pick Up New Fans in the Pandemic

Their usual international clients can’t get here, but rental companies are seeing plenty of interest from locals.

08/13/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Little Joys of Summer

Get Out of Town with These Daytime Drives

Bored at home? Take a spontaneous drive through scenic Oregon and be back in time for dinner.

08/01/2020 By Julia Silverman and Marty Patail

Trailer Lark

Social Distancing Was Already a Selling Point for Getaway House

Units come with everything you need to get away and stay away. But pro tip: BYO coffeemaker.

08/01/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Airport News

Expanded Concourse E Opens at Portland International Airport

Kites, curds, and classic carpet await at PDX—for those who are traveling again.

07/18/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Outdoors

Here’s What You Need to Know about Outdoor Recreation during COVID-19

Should I wear a mask outside? Which trails should I avoid? Here’s our brief guide to outdoor etiquette in and around Portland.

07/10/2020 By Lauren Carlos, Gabriel Granillo, and Julia Silverman

Summer Travel

This Year, Grown-Ups Can Go to Sleepaway Camp, Too

Picture-perfect Oregon overnight camps are pivoting to offer socially distant family cabin rentals.

07/03/2020 By Julia Silverman

Travel

Hotels in the Northwest Are Open, but Things Are a Little Different

Can you swim in the pool? Can you eat in the restaurant? With COVID-19, your vacation mileage may vary.

06/20/2020 By Jordyn Mayer

Outdoors

Going Camping in Oregon in the COVID Era? Plan Ahead.

As Portlanders head for the hills, they’ll find a patchwork of campground closures and limited services.

06/19/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Breaking News

Portland’s Nearby Wilderness Areas Begin to Reopen

As of May 15, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is back in business.

05/15/2020 By Benjamin Tepler

S’mores Beat

Summer Camp Is in Limbo, Just Like Everything Else

Will it be “Kumbaya” around a virtual campfire this year?

04/14/2020 By Margaret Seiler

Poetry

You Might as Well Write a Haiku About the Columbia Gorge for Poetry Month

We can't go there now/Instead, write of waterfalls/From a safe distance

04/09/2020 By Conner Reed

Birds of a Feather

A New Study Aims to Learn the Impacts of Social Distancing on Birds in the Pacific Northwest

Join in on the citizen science project and reap the cathartic benefits of bird-watching from your own backyard.

04/09/2020 By Gabriel Granillo

Portland Monthly