307 Best Sights in Oregon, USA

The name derives from an archaic Spanish word meaning "to plant grapevines," and that's exactly what this winery's husband-wife team started doing in the late '90s. Abacela has steadily established itself as one of Oregon's most esteemed wineries. Hot-blooded Spanish Tempranillo is Abacela's pride and joy, though inky Malbec and a subtly floral Albariño also highlight a repertoire heavy on Mediterranean varietals, which you can sample in a handsome, eco-friendly tasting room where you can also order light appetizers to snack on.

Housed in a sloped Oregon pine building designed to mimic the look of the surrounding hills, this beautiful winery is worth visiting for its looks alone. After a brief tour of the facilities, guests are ushered into an underground cave filled with French oak barrels and seated at small tables illuminated by candlelight. Here guests are guided through a tasting of Abbot Claim’s unfined, unfiltered, and (mostly) estate Pinot and Chardonnay produced relying heavily on biodynamic and organic methods. Make sure to take a peek at the “oculus,” a little library room off to one side of the cave with a skylight that lets in plenty of natural light.

David Adelsheim is the knight in shining armor of the Oregon wine industry—tirelessly promoting Oregon wines abroad, and always willing to share the knowledge he has gained from his long viticultural experience. He and Ginny Adelsheim founded their pioneer winery in 1971. They make their wines from grapes picked on their 230 acres of estate vineyards, as well as from grapes they've purchased. Their Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay all conform to the Adelsheim house style of rich, balanced fruit and long, clean finishes. They also make a spicy cool-climate Syrah from grapes grown just outside the beautiful tasting room.  Tours are available by appointment.

Arguably the first of Portland's several hipster-favored East Side neighborhoods to earn national attention, the Alberta Arts District (aka Alberta) has morphed from a downcast commercial strip into an offbeat row of hippie-driven counterculture and then more recently into a considerably more eclectic stretch of both indie arts spaces and sophisticated bistros and galleries. Extending a little more than a mile, Northeast Alberta offers plenty of one-of-a-kind dining and shopping. The area is also home to some of the best people-watching in Portland, especially during the Last Thursday (of the month) evening art walks.

This family-run winery between Corvallis and Eugene takes sustainable wine-making to the next level, championing their own brand of "grazing-based viticulture" that uses barnyard critters, including adorable kune kune pigs, to help clear the land and keep the biome in prime working order. The result is balanced Pinots that often sell out soon after they're released.

Since Argyle opened in 1987, it has consistently produced sparkling wines that are crisp on the palate, with an aromatic, lingering finish and bubbles that seem to last forever. The winery also produces Chardonnay, dry Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir. Stop by the sleek tasting room for a four- or six-wine flight, or sign up for the "Sparkling Experience," which includes a property tour and an eight-wine flight served with charcuterie.

For the best view of the city, the Coast Range, volcanic Mt. St. Helens, and the Pacific Ocean, scamper up the 164 spiral stairs to the top of the Astoria Column. When you get to the top, you can throw a small wooden plane and watch it glide to earth; each year some 35,000 gliders are tossed. The 125-foot-high structure sits atop Coxcomb Hill, and was patterned after Trajan's Column in Rome. There are little platforms to rest on if you get winded, or, if you don't want to climb, the column's 500 feet of artwork, depicting important Pacific Northwest historical milestones, are well worth a study.

Opened in fall of 2022 in a stylish 33,000-square-foot building, this new hometown headquarters of the spirit that helped turn Portland into a craft distilling mecca offers 30-minute tours (by reservation only) of the state-of-the-art production areas, a tasting of both the gin and a cocktail in which it's used, and even a peek inside the office of actor and co-owner Ryan Reynolds.

If you're after a wine-tasting experience that feels less like a formal presentation of wines and more like sitting down with old friends, Bells Up is the place to go. It’s run by a husband-and-wife team—Sara and Dave Specter—who personally lead wine tastings, one group at a time. Along with the expected Pinot Noirs and Blancs, Bells Up offers Syrah, Cabernet, and the occasional lesser-produced varietal, such as including Seybal Blanc, and each wine is named for a piece of classical music, which—like the name of the winery itself—is inspired by Dave’s love for the French horn.

Beachcombers love Cannon Beach for its often low foamy waves and the wide stretch of sand that wraps the quaint community, making it ideal for fair-weather play or for hunting down a cup of coffee and strolling in winter. This stretch can get feisty in storms, however, which also makes Cannon Beach a good place to curl up indoors and watch the show. Haystack Rock rises 235 feet over the beach on the south side of downtown, one of nearly 2,000 protected rocks that are part of the Oregon Ocean Island Wildlife Refuge, providing a nesting habitat for birds. Continue south past Tolovana Park—a playground located in the flood plain—to find the quiet side of Cannon Beach with a bevy of tide pools and few other souls. To the north of town, the beach gives way to Ecola State Park, a breathtakingly beautiful series of coves and rocky headlands where William Clark spotted a beached whale in 1806 and visitors still come to view them offshore during the twice-yearly migrations. From here, Sitka spruce and barbecues feature along the sands. There are a few excellent trails that hug the sometimes steep cliffs that rise above sand, including a 6½-mile trail first traced by Lewis and Clark, which runs from this spot past the Tillamook Head lookout and then eventually all the way to Seaside. Amenities: parking; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset; walking.

The town's public beach adjoins Cape Kiwanda State Natural Area, the southernmost section of famously picturesque Three Capes Loop, and extends south to Bob Straub State Park. Adjacent to Cape Kiwanda's massive 240-foot-tall dune, it's a fun place for visitors of all ages to scamper to its summit—views take in a small cove and tide pools below, and the walk, or slide, down is infinitely easier than the climb. The beach is also popular with tailgaters—it's one of the few places in Oregon where you can legally park your vehicle on the sand. You can also park in the lot beside Pelican Pub. Amenities: none. Best for: partiers; walking.

Located about 8 miles south of the beach town Netarts, this pristine and diverse park includes a moderately easy (though often muddy) 2-mile trail—marked on the highway as "wildlife viewing area"—that leads through giant spruces, western red cedars, and hemlocks, and ends with mesmerizing views of Cascade Head to the south and Cape Meares to the north. Wildflowers, more than 150 species of birds, and occasional whales throughout the summer months make this trail a favorite with nature lovers. The section of the park just north of the trail comprises a long, curving stretch of beach with picnic areas and campsites.

The highest vehicle-accessible lookout on the Oregon Coast, Cape Perpetua towers 800 feet above the rocky shoreline. Named by Captain Cook on St. Perpetua's Day in 1778, the cape is part of a 2,700-acre scenic area popular with hikers, campers, beachcombers, and naturalists. Information, educational films and exhibits, and trail maps are available at the Cape Perpetua Visitors Center, 3 miles south of Yachats. The easy 1-mile Giant Spruce Trail passes through a fern-filled rain forest to an enormous 600-year-old Sitka spruce. Easier still is the marked Auto Tour, which begins by the visitor center and winds through Siuslaw National Forest to the ¼-mile Whispering Spruce Trail. Views from the rustic rock shelter extend 50 miles south. For a more rigorous trek, hike the St. Perpetua Trail to the shelter. Other trails lead from the visitor center down along the shore, including a scenic pathway to Devil's Churn, next to which a small snack bar sells sandwiches, sweets, and coffee.

At this pristine, slightly off-the-beaten-path property managed by the Nature Conservancy, a dense, green trail winds through a rain forest where 100-inch annual rainfalls nourish 250-year-old Sitka spruces, mosses, and ferns. Emerging from the forest, hikers come upon grassy and treeless Cascade Head, an undulating maritime prairie. There are magnificent views down to the Salmon River and east to the Coast Range. Continuing along the headland, black-tailed deer often graze and turkey vultures soar in the sometimes strong winds. It's a somewhat steep and strenuous but tremendously rewarding hike—allow at least three hours to make the full nearly 7-mile round-trip hike, although you can make it out to the beginning of the headland and back in an hour.

For 66 miles, this nationally designated Scenic Byway meanders past a series of high mountain lakes and is good for fishing, hiking, and camping in the summer months. (Much of the road beyond Mt. Bachelor is closed by snow during the colder months.)

This picturesque 1-mile round-trip trek passes through a spring-fed meadow and is one of the park's flatter hikes. Wildflowers burst into full bloom here from July through mid-August. You can also access Castle Crest via a similarly easy ½-mile loop trail from East Rim Drive. Easy.

Whether it's the view of the imposing and stunning Gothic St. John's Bridge, which rises some 400 feet above the Willamette River, or the historic significance of Lewis and Clark having camped here in 1806, this 23-acre park is divine. Though there's no church, the park gets its name from the picturesque arches supporting the bridge. It's rumored that the ghost of a young girl haunts the bridge, and that may be true, but if you're told that it was designed by the same man who envisioned the Golden Gate Bridge, that's just a popular misconception. There's an off-leash area for dogs, and pollinator gardens have been added in recent years.

This expansive 681-acre tract of mostly industrial and commercial buildings was largely ignored by all but local workers until shops, galleries, and restaurants began opening in the neighborhood's handsome, high-ceilinged buildings beginning in the 1990s. These days, it's a legitimately hot neighborhood for shopping, craft-spirits and wine-tasting, and coffeehouse-hopping by day, and dining and bar-going at night. The neighborhood lies just across the Willamette River from Downtown—it extends along the riverfront from the Burnside Bridge south to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and Division Street, extending east about a dozen blocks to S.E. 12th Avenue. If you're coming by car, street parking is becoming tougher with all the new development but still possible to find, especially on quieter side streets.

One of Oregon's best coastal attractions illuminates the maritime history of the Pacific Northwest and provides visitors with a sense of the perils of guiding ships into the mouth of the Columbia River. Vivid exhibits recount what it was like to pilot a tugboat and participate in a Coast Guard rescue on the Columbia River Bar. You can tour the actual bridge of a World War II–era U.S. Navy destroyer and the 1951 U.S. Coast Guard lightship Columbia. Also on display is a 44-foot Coast Guard motor lifeboat, artifacts from the region's illustrious riverboat heyday, and details about Astoria's seafood-canning history. One especially captivating exhibit displays the personal belongings of some of the ill-fated passengers of the 2,000 ships that have foundered here since the early 19th century. In addition, the theater shows an excellent documentary about the river's heritage as well as rotating 3-D films about sea life. At the east end of the property, the city's former railroad depot now houses the museum's Barbey Maritime Center, which offers classes and workshops on maritime culture and wooden boatbuilding.

This contemporary 11,000-square-foot museum with expansive views of the Coos Bay waterfront contains an impressive collection of memorabilia related to the region's history, from early photos to vintage boats, all displayed in an airy, open exhibit hall with extensive interpretive signage. You'll also find well-designed exhibits on Native American history, agriculture, and industry such as logging, shipwrecks, boatbuilding, natural history, and mining.

Visitors are greeted by a resident taxidermy moose, Bruce, at this two-story museum, which showcases art, artifacts, and ephemera from Benton County and beyond in four different galleries. Highlights include a whimsical semipermanent exhibit that pairs hats with chairs from the same era, a display of inkwells from around the world, and all sorts of old-timey gadgets, from a vintage telephone switchboard to a massive Pontiac engine from 1929. 

Built in 1915, this regal log-and-stone structure was designed in the classic style of western national park lodges, and the original lodgepole-pine pillars, beams, and stone fireplaces are still intact. The lobby, fondly referred to as the Great Hall, serves as a warm, welcoming gathering place where you can play games, socialize with a cocktail, or gaze out of the many windows to view spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Exhibits off the lobby contain historic photographs and memorabilia from throughout the park's history.

Central Oregon’s first and most famous brewery produces and bottles its beer in this facility separate from the popular brewpub. Join one of the four daily tours and learn from the beer-obsessed staff; be sure to make reservations online or by phone, as tours fill quickly. The tour ends in the tasting room and gift shop, where participants get to try samples of the fresh beer; stick around for an extra pint in the adjacent outdoor beer garden.

Back in the early 1970s, Division Street (aka "Southeast Division") was earmarked for condemnation as part of a proposed—and thankfully never built—freeway that would have connected Downtown to Mt. Hood. For many years, this street sat forlornly, just a long stretch of modest buildings and empty lots. These days, Southeast Division—no longer threatened with condemnation—is one of the hottest restaurant rows on the West Coast, and sleek three- and four-story contemporary condos and apartments are popping up like dandelions. If culinary tourism is your thing, head to the 10 blocks of Southeast Division from about 26th to 39th Avenues. The main draw here is mostly food-and-drink related, and you'll also find a growing number of noteworthy restaurants and bars extending all the way to 12th Avenue to the west, and 50th Avenue to the east. You may hear some locals refer to the western end of the neighborhood as "Division/Clinton" referring to Clinton Street, a block south of Division, which has a clutch of great eateries and beautiful early- to mid-20th-century bungalows and houses, mostly from 27th to 20th Avenues.

In-demand winemaker Joe Dobbes provides custom wine-making services to many Oregon wineries too small to have their own winery or winemaker and also makes several lines of his own wines, ranging from his everyday "Wine By Joe" label to the premium Dobbes Family Estate label featuring great Pinot Noir, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. In addition to a few single-vineyard Pinot Noir bottlings, Dobbes focuses on blends from multiple vineyards to provide consistent, balanced, and interesting wines. Flights and wine by the glass are available in the tasting room, and unlike many wineries in the region, walk-ins are welcome.

When the French winery magnate Robert Drouhin ("the Sebastiani of France") planted a vineyard and built a winery in the Red Hills of Dundee back in 1987, he set local oenophiles abuzz. His daughter Veronique is now the winemaker and produces silky and elegant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Ninety acres of the 225-acre estate has been planted on a hillside to take advantage of the natural coolness of the earth and to establish a gravity-flow winery.

Durant is known across the state for their flavorful olive oils and this hilltop property is also home to the first commercial olive mill in the Pacific Northwest. Stop by the gift shop to taste some of the farm’s signature oils or head out back to see an old-fashioned (and not-in-use) olive press imported from Spain. While olive oil is the big draw, there's also a tasting room where you can sample estate wines by appointment.

At more than 360,000 acres, this is the largest wilderness area in Oregon, encompassing most of the Wallowa range with 535 miles of trails for hardcore backpackers and horseback riders. Most of the popular trailheads are along Eagle Cap's northern edge, accessible from Enterprise or Joseph, but you also can find several trailheads 20 to 30 miles southeast of La Grande along Route 203. Some areas of the wilderness are accessible year-round, while the high-elevation areas are accessible only for a few months in summer. To hike into the wilderness, you also need to obtain a free permit that will alert rangers of your plans.

Based in a large garagelike space in Southeast Portland's trendy Buckman neighborhood, ENSO is the creation of young and talented winemaker Ryan Sharp, who sources grapes from Washington, California, and Oregon to produce superb wines that are quickly earning notice in the national wine press. Notable varietals include Petite Sirah, Malbec, Dry Riesling, and the especially popular L'American blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Mourvedre. The high-ceilinged, industrial-chic tasting room—with exposed air ducts, a timber-beam ceiling, and a wall of windows (open on warm days)—has become one of the neighborhood's favorite wine bars, serving local Olympic Provisions charcuterie, Woodblock chocolates, Steve's Cheese Bar cheeses, and Little T Baker breads, plus local microbrews and a few wines, mostly from other Portland producers.

The massive rock formations of Face Rock Wayside, formed only by wind and rain, have names such as Elephant Rock, Table Rock, and Face Rock. To reach them, follow signs from Bandon south along Beach Loop Road; then walk down a stairway to the sand and enjoy the stone sights along this dramatic stretch of beach.