Travel & Outdoors

Biking

Biketown Rides Are Free This Weekend in Honor of Earth Day

The Nike-sponsored Portland bike share program's all-electric fleet is free for up to an hour if you have the app.

04/22/2022 By Conner Reed

For the Birds

Tufted Puffins Are Disappearing from Oregon’s Coast

A conservationist group in Cannon Beach is on a mission to save the iconic seabirds, who make Haystack Rock a summer home.

04/22/2022 By Michelle Harris

Columbia River Gorge

Heading for the Gorge’s Waterfall Corridor This Summer? You’ll Need a Permit.

The pilot project runs May 24 to September 5 for Wahkeena, Oneonta, Horsetail, and Multnomah Falls. Permits required spring weekends at Dog Mountain, too.

04/18/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Winter Sports

Ski Season Isn't Done With Us Yet, Oregon

April's snow showers dumped more than five feet of new powder on Mount Hood and environs—and the wintry weather isn’t done yet.

04/15/2022 By Julia Silverman

Direct Flight

The Nation’s Capital Is Waking Back Up and You Can Get There Nonstop from PDX

Looking to take a trip from Portland to Washington, D.C.? Here's what to do during a long weekend in the nation's capital.

04/14/2022 By Julia Silverman

Events

What to Do in Oregon in April

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

04/01/2022 By Dalila Brent, Shannon Daehnke, Michelle Harris, and Margaret Seiler

Service Trips

Breitenbush Offers Discount Lodging in Exchange for Restoration Work

The Oregon hot springs resort is still recovering from the 2020 forest fires, and guests are invited to help during service weeks.

03/23/2022 By Shannon Daehnke

Mammalia

Last of the Big Ones

Scientists with Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Institute look to uncover the secrets of the mysterious ocean dwellers.

03/22/2022 By Cami Hughes

Travel

The Ultimate Guide to the Columbia River Gorge

Waterfalls, hikes, history, breweries, wineries, great food, a historic post office, and views galore

03/17/2022 Edited by Gabriel Granillo By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Conner Reed, Margaret Seiler, Julia Silverman, and Matt Wastradowski

Public Transit

CAT vs. Cars

Traffic, packed parking lots, and new permit requirements make driving in the Gorge tough. Take the CAT bus to Multnomah Falls and Hood River instead.

03/17/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Guide to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

New tulips just dropped: The rural farmland north of Seattle erupts into a rainbow of color during the state's biggest flower fest.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 03/27/2023

Ranking Seattle's Tourist Traps

From the Space Needle to Smith Tower, just how cheesy are the city's biggest attractions?

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 03/23/2023

How to Rent a Camper Van in Seattle

Four wheels, a bed, and the open road: Van life is within reach with Volkswagens, Sprinters, and more.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 03/21/2023

A Road Trip from Fort Spokane to Kettle Falls

Deep in Central Washington, the mighty Columbia spreads itself into Lake Roosevelt, and a scenic highway traces its shores.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 03/17/2023

Where to Hit the Slopes for the End of Ski Season

The Washington ski season is almost over—better make those last turns count at these local ski resorts, including Crystal and Mount Baker.

By Allison Williams [email protected]
Published 03/15/2023

A Viewing Guide for the UW Cherry Blossoms

The quad at the University of Washington has your flower peeping covered. Plus, tips for parking and hanami how-tos.

By Seattle Met Staff
Published 03/09/2023

Checklist

I Spy! Look for These Landmarks in the Columbia River Gorge

The Oregon and Washington sides of the Gorge are home to huge dams, towering wind turbines, tall waterfalls, a wild art museum, and a ‘spooky’ pizza place.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Margaret Seiler

Gorge Guide

Where to Eat, Stay & Play in Hood River, White Salmon & Bingen

Windsurfing, cherry-picking, and rafting await in these Oregon and Washington towns in the Columbia River Gorge.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Julia Silverman

Recovery

What We Can Learn 5 Years After the Eagle Creek Fire

The 2017 fire changed the landscape of the Columbia River Gorge, especially on the Oregon side of the river.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Gorge Guide

Check Out the Closest Attractions in the Columbia River Gorge

Zip lines and treehouse suites at Skamania Lodge, classic soft serve in Cascade Locks, and hiking trails and waterfalls galore!

03/17/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Conner Reed, and Julia Silverman

Love

The Bridal Veil Post Office Celebrates 135 Years

Every year this Oregon ghost town post office sees a flood of wedding invitations from couples hoping to secure a Bridal Veil postmark.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Shopping Road Trip

Shop Stops in the Columbia River Gorge

Hood River’s Oak Street and its counterparts in Bingen and White Salmon make these connected Gorge towns a stealth shopping destination for clothes, gifts, and more.

03/11/2022 By Gabriel Granillo, Margaret Seiler, and Julia Silverman

History

The Day The Dalles Dam Silenced Celilo Falls

Wilbur Slockish recounts when The Dalles Dam flooded Celilo Falls, the site of a centuries-old intertribal fishing and commerce market.

03/09/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Hiking

Essential Rainy Day Hikes around Portland

From Beaverton to the Columbia Gorge and beyond, explore raging waterfalls, ambling rivers, and lush forests with these close-to-home hikes.

03/04/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Michelle Harris