Thanks to recent press coverage, we know that the Governor of Oregon is planning on reopening the economy soon. This is great news because the Governors of California and Washington also plan on opening their economies as well in a show of unity that all three states stand together in terms of fighting Coronavirus and getting the West Coast economy back on track.
With Oregon’s economy getting close to restarting, and shelter at home orders soon to be lifted, you may be thinking about taking a day trip as soon as you possibly can.
This is understandable because after being cooped in your house for a couple of months, it stands to reason that you’re probably very eager to hit the road and get away from the same walls that you’ve been seeing every day for weeks.
In this article, we will provide you with a list of several awesome day trip destinations, all within 2-3 hours of Portland, that you should consider visiting within the coming months.
1. MULTNOMAH FALLS + COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
Distance: 29.6 mi / 35 mins, map
Oregon has over 200 waterfalls throughout the state. Multnomah Falls is the tallest and easily the most famous in the state. Elowah Falls and Oneonta Falls are also close to Multnomah. Beyond that, the Columbia River Gorge has beautiful views and many other waterfalls to explore.
2. WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Distance: 49 mi / 55 mins, map
Portland is technically within the Willamette Valley area that stretches 150 miles and is home to roughly 70 percent of Oregon’s population. In this case, we’re referring to the region where there are over 500 wineries, which makes for a great day trip. Drink responsibly! 😉
3. SILVER FALLS STATE PARK
Distance: 55 mi / 1 hr 15 mins, map
This is the largest state park in Oregon and has one of our favorite hikes in the area. It’s a relatively easy hike, and you can see 10+ waterfalls on one hike! You can even walk behind four of them. After seeing the easy ones in the Columbia River Gorge, we always recommend this hike next.
4. TRILLIUM LAKE
Distance: 60 mi / 1 hr 20 mins, map
Trillium lake is a great spot for fishing and camping, but the highlight is how calm and reflective the lake is. You get a perfect mirror image of Mount Hood, and I almost felt vertigo as if I was going to fall into the sky. If you go in the winter, the lake is completely covered in snow, and it’s a popular beginner snowshoe hike.
5. BAGBY HOT SPRINGS
Distance: 66 mi / 1 hr 41 mins, map
These natural hot springs have always been a popular spot and the wait time can vary depending on when you go. They are open for 24-hour use and there are three bathhouses at the site. There isn’t a road to the hot springs, so you have to hike 1.5 miles to get there.
That’s it for this post! If you have a favorite day trip destination that you like us to add to a future post, feel free to leave us a comment or connect with us on our Facebook page, and remember that Oregon is a beautiful state so you shouldn’t stay home, take the time to get out, once to shelter in place order has been lifted.
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