|
Travel Oregon – What’s New –Summer 2015
Summer days are precious and our desires are simple here in Oregon. To really know our state, you have to get out and experience it. This is why Oregon is one of the best places in the world for outdoor adventure. If you’re looking for world-class cycling, golfing, kayaking, rafting, windsurfing or just about anything else-ing, look no further than Oregon this summer.
| |
|
|
Follow the 7 Bikes for 7 Wonders statewide scavenger hunt
It’s time to get up close and personal with Oregon’s 7 Wonders. After all, custom bikes are on the line in an epic ‘7 Bikes for 7 Wonders’ scavenger hunt. Oregon’s 7 Wonders -- Mt. Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, Smith Rock, the Coast, Crater Lake, the Painted Hills and the Wallowas – each served as inspiration for seven of the state’s leading bike builders. The result? One-of-a-kind, locally made bicycles uniquely suited to exploring a particular Wonder. Starting June 15, each bike will be hidden at one of the 7 Wonders so that anyone can find, own and ride a part of Oregon. Clues will be posted on TravelOregon.com and on social media using the hashtag #7bikes7wonders.
| |
|
Argonaut Cycles created the ultimate bike for the varied landscape of the Columbia River Gorge: one that’s built for climbing and able to handle its fair share of gravel roads (pictured above).
| |
|
Commune with nature via Cascadia Expeditions
Oregon’s diverse landscape beckons adventurers ready and willing to become one with sheer cliff walls and rushing rivers. With Cascadia Expeditions, adrenalin junkies are assured a memorable wilderness experience, from quick one-day jaunts to several days off the grid. Professional guides take groups on exhilarating whitewater journeys, navigating rivers including the John Day, Grande Ronde, Klamath, Deschutes, Sandy and North Santiam. For those with a need to scale world-class rock formations, a climbing adventure at Smith Rock is a must-do. Yoga retreats incorporating rafting or climbing heighten the experience of communing with nature. The Willamette Valley is not to be overlooked, as unique kayaking, rafting and hiking excursions around Corvallis await, as does a requisite craft brew tour to revitalize the senses.
| |
|
Photo credits: 7 Bikes 7 Wonders, Chantal Anderson; Farm loops, Tatum Shaw; Commune with nature, Judiaann Woo; Sea lions, cheetahs and puppies, Wildlife Safari
| |
|
|
Farm loops offer fresh experiences
Straddling the Willamette River in the northern Willamette Valley, Portland is the ideal jumping off point for touring the region’s growers and producers. An hour’s drive east along the scenic Columbia Gorge brings travelers to the Hood River Fruit Loop. Meandering through orchards, farms and farm stands, wineries and cideries, the route provides ample opportunities to enjoy freshly picked, sun-warmed produce or foods and beverages crafted from local harvests. To Portland’s south, the self-guided Farmlandia Farm Loop conveys epicureans from farmers markets to the growers themselves, passing through West Linn, Stafford and Wilsonville’s collection of farms, ranches, vineyards and nature areas. The hard cider scene Plus, for a hands-on experience with local ingredients, The Kitchen at Middleground Farms offers unique, cooking classes and events in a cattle barn refashioned into a state-of-the-art kitchen. The Kitchen recently added a two story guest “ barn” where visitors are treated to comfort and countryside views.
| |
|
Sea Lions, cheetas and puppies oh my!
Closing in on its 85th anniversary of public access in 2017, the Sea Lion Caves in Florence continue to delight visitors to the Oregon Coast. The cavern, extending the length of a football field and rising the height of a 12-story building, is the largest grotto in the U.S. Best known as home to the Stellar sea lion, the residents can be observed perched in the rookery outside the caves in spring and summer during breeding and birthing periods. Nestled in a beautiful 600-acre wooded valley in Southern Oregon is Wildlife Safari, home to over 600 animal species from around the world. Complete with an underground tunnel and “Indiana Jones” style cave, the park’s newest exhibit is the Elephant Waterhole, where guests can watch the elephants splash and play in their waterfall and sand-yard. In spring of 2015, the park also welcomed Pancake and Dayo, their new Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy and cheetah cub pair. Both born on Feb. 28 in different states, fate brought them together to serve as ambassadors for Cheetah conservation (and cuteness overload).
| |
|
|
