Mount Hood reflected in Mirror Lake, Oregon

Spruce goose evergreen aviation museum triddle

Wizard Island in Crater Lake National Park - Oregon 2008

The

Portland metropolitan area The Portland metropolitan area is a metro area in the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington centered on the principal city of Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) identifies it as the Portland–Vancouver–Hillsboro, ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

has a variety of nearby

tourist attraction A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural b ...

s which are suitable for a day trip from the Portland area, in addition to about 80 within the metropolitan area itself (see

Tourism in Portland, Oregon Tourism in Portland, Oregon is a profitable industry that serves many. In 2018, Portland area tourism generated $5.3 billion in direct spending by 8.6 million overnight person-trips and employs 36,360 people who were paid $1.5 billion. Overnight per ...

). Generally, there is no public transportation to these destinations, though exceptions are noted in descriptions. The communities have at most small airports serving only general aviation; scheduled airline service is available only to Portland and Eugene. {, class="wikitable sortable" ! colspan=2 , Driving distance ! rowspan=2 , Travel hours
(each way) ! rowspan=2 , Direction ! rowspan=2 , Type(s) ! rowspan=2 , Attraction ! rowspan=2 , Description , - !mi !km , - , , , align=right , , , N , , historical , ,

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is a United States National Historic Site located in the states of Washington and Oregon. The National Historic Site consists of two units, one located on the site of Fort Vancouver in modern-day Vancouver ...

, , Pre-pioneer exhibits, history, reenactments , - , 79.3 , 128 , 1.5 , W , cultural, nature ,

Cannon Beach Cannon Beach is a city in Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Its population was 1,690 at the 2010 census. It is a popular coastal Oregon tourist destination, famous for Haystack Rock, a sea stack that juts out along the coast. In 2013, ''Nati ...

, Small beach town wit
restaurants, shopping, and galleries
as well as outdoor activities including

Haystack Rock Haystack Rock is a sea stack in Cannon Beach, Oregon. It is the third-tallest such intertidal structure in the world. A popular tourist destination on the Oregon Coast, the monolithic rock is adjacent to the beach and accessible by foot at low ...

an
Ecola State Park
The town hosts
Sandcastle Contest
annually. , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , nature , ,

Oregon Coast Aquarium __NOTOC__ The Oregon Coast Aquarium is an aquarium in Newport in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 1992, the facility sits on along Yaquina Bay near the Pacific Ocean. The aquarium was home to Keiko, the orca who starred in the movie ''Free ...

, , Oceanic wildlife, flora, and fauna, intertidal, touching pond, kelps, jellies, etc.; adjacent to

Hatfield Marine Science Center The Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is a marine science research and education center next to Yaquina Bay of the Pacific Ocean in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is operated by Oregon State University in cooperation with five state and federal ...

and close to

Yaquina Head Light The Yaquina Head Light, also known early in its existence as the Cape Foulweather Lighthouse, is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast of the United States, established in 1873. It is located in Lincoln County, near the mouth of the Yaquina River near ...

, - , , , align=right , , , E , , nature, historical, sport , ,

Timberline Lodge Timberline Lodge is a mountain lodge on the south side of Mount Hood in Clackamas County, Oregon, about east of Portland. Constructed from 1936 to 1938 by the Works Progress Administration, it was built and furnished by local artisans during the ...

, , skiing and snowboarding year round, 1930s Cascadian architecture, easy access to wilderness and mountain climbing , - , , , align=right , , , E , , nature, historical , , Hood River , , professional and amateur windsurfing and kiteboarding on the river, also follow the "Fruit Loop" for a 20+ mile tour of over 30 farms and wineries , - , , , align=right , , , E , , nature , ,

Multnomah Falls Multnomah Falls is a waterfall located on Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, east of Troutdale, between Corbett and Dodson, Oregon, United States. The waterfall is accessible from the Historic Columbia River Highway and Interstate 84 ...

, , impressive waterfalls;

Historic Columbia River Highway The Historic Columbia River Highway is an approximately scenic highway in the U.S. state of Oregon between Troutdale and The Dalles, built through the Columbia River Gorge between 1913 and 1922. As the first planned scenic roadway in the United ...

, - , , , align=right , , , NE , , nature , ,

Cascades Volcano Observatory The David A. Johnston Cascades Volcano Observatory (CVO) is a volcano observatory in the US that monitors volcanoes in the northern Cascade Range. It was established in the summer of 1980, after the eruption of Mount St. Helens.Mount St. Helens Mount St. Helens (known as Lawetlat'la to the indigenous Cowlitz people, and Loowit or Louwala-Clough to the Klickitat) is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United St ...

eruption history, exhibits, education, and convenient viewing of the volcano , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , nature , ,

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is an aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Its exhibits include the Hughes H-4 Hercules (''Spruce Goose'') and more than fifty military and civilian aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and spac ...

, , , - , , , align=right , , , S , , event , , Hood to Coast relay race , , Late August team charity fundraising race, among longest major relays and the largest with 20,000+ participants, course from

to Seaside on the Oregon Coast , - , , , align=right , , , E , , event , , Mt. Hood Jazz Festival , , mid-August celebration of jazz music, usually with live notable performers , - , , , align=right , , , W , , event , ,

Oregon International Air Show The Oregon International Air Show - formerly the "Portland Rose Festival Air Show" - is an annual event held in Oregon, United States. The event began in 1988, and has an average annual attendance of 55,000. Profits from the show are distributed t ...

, , largest civilian air show on the U.S. West Coast, July or August , - , , , align=right , , , W , , historical , ,

Washington County Museum Five Oaks Museum, formerly known as the Washington County Museum, is a history museum in Washington County, Oregon, United States. It is located at the Rock Creek campus of Portland Community College (PCC), north of Beaverton, Oregon. From 2012 t ...

, , , - , , , align=right , , , W , , nature , ,

Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals The Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals is a non-profit museum in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Located just north of the Sunset Highway on the northern edge of Hillsboro, the earth science museum is in the Portland metropolitan area ...

, , , - , , , align=right , , , W , , nature , ,

Saddle Mountain State Natural Area Saddle Mountain State Natural Area is a state park in northwest Oregon. It is located in the Northern Oregon Coast Range in central Clatsop County, about by road from Seaside. A long hiking trail climbs to the top of Saddle Mountain, which ...

, , challenging five-mile (round trip) hike to scenic panorama of the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, and dozens of miles of state forests covering NW Oregon and SW Washington , - , , , align=right , , , SE , , nature , ,

Bagby Hot Springs The Bagby Hot Springs are natural hot springs located in the Mount Hood National Forest about southeast of Portland, Oregon, United States and about east of Salem, Oregon. The springs are within the Cascade Mountains in a heavily forested are ...

, , natural hot springs with rustic private tubs, requires a three-mile (2 km) (round trip) forest hike , - , , , align=right , , , E , , nature , ,

Trillium Lake Trillium Lake is a lake situated south-southwest of Mount Hood in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is formed by a dam at the headwaters of Mud Creek, tributary to the Salmon River. It was created by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife in 196 ...

, , quiet mountain lake with view of Mount Hood, camping, fishing, and boating in summer, Nordic skiing in winter , - , , , align=right , , , E , , nature , ,

Wildwood Recreation Site The Wildwood Recreation Site is a natural recreation area surrounded by the Mount Hood National Forest in northern Oregon, United States. It encompasses of old growth forest and five miles (8 km) of interpretive trail along the Salmon Riv ...

, , picnicking, hiking, guided nature in

Mount Hood National Forest The Mount Hood National Forest is a U.S. National Forest in the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the city of Portland and the northern Willamette River valley. The Forest extends south from the Columbia River Gorge across more than of fore ...

, view Salmon River , - , , , align=right , , , SE , , nature , ,

Smith Rock State Park Smith Rock State Park is a state park located in central Oregon's High Desert near the communities of Redmond and Terrebonne. The day-use area of the park is open daily from dawn to dusk. The park also has a camping area as well that accommodat ...

, , rugged scenery, rock climbing, hiking, picnicking , - , , , align=right , , , S , , nature , ,

Silver Falls State Park Silver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than , and it includes more than of walking trails, of h ...

, , zero to ten miles of hiking to see up to seven spectacular and varied waterfalls;

Oregon Garden The Oregon Garden is an botanical garden and tourist attraction in Silverton, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1999, it is home to over 20 gardens including the Rose Garden, Children's Garden and Silverton Market Garden. It is open 365 days a ye ...

is on the way , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , casino , ,

Chinook Winds Casino Chinook Winds Casino and convention center is a Native American casino located in Lincoln City, Oregon. It is operated by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz. The casino's amenities include a 227-room hotel, a gaming floor (between two floors), t ...

, , Oceanfront Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment; bus service available , - , , , align=right , , , N , , casino , ,

Ilani Casino Resort The ilani Casino Resort ( ) is a casino operated by the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and located near La Center, Washington. The casino opened on April 24, 2017, after a lengthy legal battle over the tribe's right to establish a reservation on which to ...

, , Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , casino , , Spirit Mountain Casino , , Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment; bus service available , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , culture , ,

Sitka Center for Art and Ecology The Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, located in Otis, Oregon, Otis, Oregon, United States, was established in 1970 as an entity of the Neskowin Coast Foundation, which was founded May 8, 1970. The Sitka Center was established to expand the relatio ...

, , artist/ecological colony; advance arrangements required; day workshops or multi-week residency obligation , - , , , align=right , , , SW , , nature , , Whale Watching Center , , staffed state park facility assists visitors see and understand passing whales and other sea life; Depoe Bay also has whale-watching cruises , - , , , align=right , , , W , , agriculture , ,

Tillamook Cheese The Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) is a dairy cooperative headquartered in Tillamook County, Oregon, Tillamook County, Oregon, United States. The association manufactures and sells dairy products under the "Tillamook" brand name ...

, , self-guided cheese factory tour; restaurant , - , , , align=right , , , W , , historical , ,

Tillamook Air Museum Tillamook Air Museum is an aviation museum south of Tillamook, Oregon in the United States. The museum is located at a former U.S. Navy Air Station and housed in a former blimp hangar, known as "Hangar B", which is the largest clear-span wooden ...

, , Private World War II aircraft collection housed in a WW II blimp hangar , - , , , align=right , , , W , , cultural , , Seaside , , Small tourist-focused coastal city with the

Seaside Aquarium __NOTOC__ The Seaside Aquarium is a privately owned aquarium in Seaside, Oregon, United States. It is one of the oldest aquariums on the West Coast. History The building where the aquarium is located was built initially as a natatorium in the 1 ...

, arcades, many motels and rental houses, a 1.5-mile promenade (sidewalk) along the seawall, Miss Oregon Pageant (early July) , - , , , align=right , , , W , , cultural , , Astoria , , small historical city with the

Astoria Column The Astoria Column is a tower in the Pacific Northwest, northwest United States, overlooking the mouth of the Columbia River on Coxcomb Hill in Astoria, Oregon. Built in 1926, the concrete and steel structure is part of a city park. The -tall colu ...

Fisher Poets Gathering The ''Fisher Poets Gathering'' is an annual event held on the last weekend of February in Astoria, Oregon, where men and women somehow tied to the fishing industry get together to share their poems, tales, and songs in celebration of the lifestyle a ...

, Riverfront Trolley; close to Fort Stevens , - , , , align=right , , , S , , nature , ,

Crater Lake Crater Lake (Klamath language, Klamath: ''Giiwas'') is a volcanic crater lake in south-central Oregon in the western United States. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and is famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The ...

, , One-of-a-kind natural feature, focus of Oregon's only National Park

See also