There are lots of things that make Oregon a great place for vacation.
The place with its natural scenery, eccentric culture and activities offered for any kind of visitors is surely one of the best travel destinations in the world.
There are literally tons of fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon and we have narrowed down some of them in the list below.
Portland Japanese Garden
For those of you who have always dreamt about sitting under the slowly falling petals of the cherry blossom trees and relax then you would surely visit the Portland Japanese Garden. This is amongst the few of very best fun things to do and places to visit in Oregon.
Quite contrary to its name of being a single garden, this place actually has quite a lot of gardens. Some of these gardens have their own streams and ponds that are filled with the exotic koi fish while others have ferns, stones, shrubs, water wheels and flowers just like a traditional Zen garden.
As for the architecture of this place, it was built following inspiration of the Minka Houses as the lanterns are lit along the walking trails.
Thor’s Well
Another one of the fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon is to visit the Thor’s Well. This is unlike the any sinkhole you have seen or visited in the past.
The power of Thor’s Well is ferocious as it is big and mighty and tends to attract tourists from all across the world.
Getting close to this sinkhole might send shivers down your back as one experience the ferociousness of the rock cursing power of the sinking water.
The place has other nicknames as well like the Drainpipe for the Pacific as it gets sunk into the ocean. But in the end this is a simple deep hole with the middle of a rock cropped out by pouring water. As the waves of water slam into the surrounding rocks, the water splash everywhere while the sinkhole acts in manner of a drain to empty the wave for the next ones.
Oregon Coast Aquarium
As we all known that Oregon is a state by the coast, there are many fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon. The place has plenty of ports, docks, marine life exhibitions, bays, and aquatic centers.
But when it comes to the place called Oregon Coast Aquarium, nothing holds the candle.
This aquarium is filled with hundreds of thousands of gallons of water to be used for showcasing creatures like seabirds and sharks.
There are also those underwater passes where one can stroll as if there are on the bottom of the ocean. Then there are the tide pools where one can get a sloppy kiss of a sea otter or touch an actual starfish.
Terwilliger Hot Springs
Out of the many fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon, one is definitely the visit of the Terwilliger Hot Springs. The place is located about quarter of a mile away from the city deep inside the wilderness where one can soak in hot water to let all the worries melt away.
There are actually 6 pools here each of which is separated with the rock arrangement close the river. The water of these springs is in-between 85 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Such perfect temperature of water sinks into one’s bones and muscles to loosen them up.
as a plus, the oxygen from the nearby mountains also has a soothing effect and would be unlike the polluted air one breathes in the cities.
Crater Lake National Park
The only national park in the entire state of Oregon is the Crater Lake National Park which has been the state’s greatest tourist attraction for many decades.
People from all across the northwestern US come here to travel the miles-long territory of forests, mountains, streams, waterfalls, and springs.
The biggest draw of this place is in its name which is the Crater Lake. Few thousand years ago, there used to be a volcanic eruption here that formed a crater which is currently 2000 feet deep inside the earth and is now filled to brim with water., this is the Crater Lake and is one of the world’s deepest lakes.
For hikers this place is like a paradise as they can hike on the rock pillars of the place while families can have fun swimming, camping, boating, and fishing in the lake.
Cherryfest
For those of you who love themselves some sweet sour cherries, you should definitely head out to Oregon in summer season.
The city of Salem in Oregon holds the Cherryfest in either July or June each year and it is one of the fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon.
Salem also happens to be known as the Cherry City due to city has cherry trees’ natural abundance.
City hosts various festivals and fairs all year long in dedication of this fruit but Cherryfest is heavy on all of them.
This festival has been celebrated since the pioneer days of the city itself.
John Day Fossil Beds
One great example of the desert beauty can be found in Oregon and it is known by the name John Day Fossil Beds. This is a desert area encompassing about 14000 acres filled with dry canyons and red cliffs along with prickly desert shrub on colorful badlands.
These fossil beds actually are the last remnant for those animal and plant life that used to live in the region of Oregon millions of years in the past.
For those who love to do some physical activity, they can take a hiking trail on one of the many hiking trails in the region. As for those who like a little less physically straining activity, they can check out the theater, bookstores, gift shops and museum in the region.
The place has even been listed as a national Monument of USA.
Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort
One of the fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon is the visit of the Out’n’About Treehouse Treesort. This lodging is unlike any other you have been to so far.
The rooms at this resort are made entirely out of the wood as they are on top of the trees that are about 40 feet off the ground.
Some of the individual cabins have names like Treezebo and Peacock Perch. After spending a day in your high above the ground treezebo, you can climb down at night to take part in many fu classes and events.
As for outdoorsy folks, they can enjoy activities like ziplining, horseback riding and hiking.
As for families, there are classes for mosaic painting and tie dyeing.
Mount Hood
Out of the many mountain ranges in State of Oregon, one of the very best is called Mount Hood.
The winter season is the best time to visit the Mount Hood as the place becomes filled with winter sport enthusiasts. People can be seen here doing skiing, snowboarding and sledding.
The summer season also has its own splendor at Mount Hood as the forests here become ideal place for camping and hiking.
There is also a resort here named Mount Hood Meadows which offers families all the amenities that they can find at their own home. This resort also offers rooms with cowboy rustic settings as well.
Sea Lion Caves
A visit of Sea Lion Caves is definitely to be added on list of fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon. This place is actually a series of many underground yet gigantic caverns where hundreds of sea lions can be seen playing and frolicking.
The walls of these caves are covered with lichens and moss while the underwater streams seem to always rush in a fast manner. After you are done taking photos of these sea lions, climb up on the Wale-Watching deck, who knows you might get a chance to spot an orca.
Wildlife Safari
For the families looking for fun things to do & best places to visit in Oregon, there is nothing better than a trip of the Wildlife Safari. The place with its savannahs and fields, feels as if one is taking an African safari.
The place spanning across 600 acres is home to many exotic animals like cheetahs, lions, hippos, giraffes, and elephants as all of them roam free in this protected land.
The place’s admission fees are no exploitative as they are mostly for the contribution towards the conservative efforts of these animals. Doing so, this place is one of a kind in entire state of Oregon.
Mount Jefferson
If you never heard of Mount Jefferson then here it goes. This is the 2nd highest mountain in state of Oregon which has steep cliffs, low oxygen levels and hard summits. This place is definitely not for families or for faint of hearts.
The place is heavily visited by thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies each year. The place has notoriety for taking at least 1 life each year in climbing attempts.
If one can traverse through the trails leading to its base and then all the way to the top, you will get to see one of the best landscapes of Oregon making the whole trip and its danger worth it.
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