Pacific Northwest

The best things to do in Florence, Oregon to immerse yourself in the local culture & natural beauty of the Oregon Coast. 

The Oregon Coast has its own kind of magic. I don’t recall ever coming across a coastal region that is as versatile, rugged, and serene. There are various hideaways waiting to be discovered in this underrated part of the world, including one of my favorite spots on the coast – Florence. 

The great thing about this beautiful coastal city is that even though it’s a small town, there are still tons of things to do in Florence, Oregon. 

I visited Florence – Oregon, not Italy – a couple of times while I was living Portland and on trips when I would go visit my parents just outside of Eugene. 

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A complete guide to the Oregon Country Fair so you know what to expect, what to enjoy, and where to stay during this hippie festival in Veneta, Oregon.

The Oregon Country Fair has become a staple in Oregon since its start in 1969. I heard about it enough times before I moved to Oregon – mainly from my hippie parents – and I knew I wanted to check it out for myself once I was living in the Pacific Northwest.

The Oregon Country Fair is a three-day festival in Veneta, just outside of Eugene, Oregon.

The fair usually happens at the beginning to middle of July and is something between a renaissance fair, music festival, and an acid trip from the 60s. They continue to expand the festival every year because it has become such a big deal in the community over the past 50 years.

In 2019, the fair had a record attendance with over 50,000 attendees. You could say it has kind of become a big deal in the US festival scene.

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If you’re looking for the perfect Columbia River Gorge day trip from Portland that includes stops at Hood River and Timberline Lodge, put the ‘Fruit Loop Tour’ on your list now.

I didn’t hear the words “Fruit Loop Tour” until a good few months into my time in Portland. My boyfriend heard a few locals at his work talking about it and he suggested it would be a great day away from the city – I mean who doesn’t love a good ol’ Columbia River Gorge day trip?

When he told me all that it involved – Portland to Hood River and Mt Hood, in addition to the Columbia River Gorge, I was so in. It sounded like the most quintessential day trip from Portland I could think of.

Fruit Loop challenge accepted!

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Experiencing the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is one of the best things to do in Ashland. This is everything you should know before you go!

“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” – William Shakespeare

Shakespeare is a writer I’ve always loved and quoted. People may say his plays are antiquated and irrelevant, but I find the opposite to be true.

I find his plays to be some of the few that translate well to modern times, especially when you have productions like the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, updating and revamping Shakespeare and his contemporaries constantly.

From the moment I was first introduced to my local Shakespeare Santa Cruz production of King Lear when I was a little girl, I’ve dreamed of going to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland.

I already knew that Ashland was the best Shakespeare town in Oregon, and I imagined it to be this beautiful place with constant fall foliage. The perfect backdrop to watch Shakespeare come to life.

When I made it to Ashland for the first time at the age of 25, I was not disappointed by my childhood dreams of attending an Oregon Shakespeare Festival production (or two!).

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The ultimate packing guide for hiking in Oregon, so you can enjoy the best of the Pacific Northwest without having to worry what to bring with you.

This last year I had the chance to do a lot of hiking in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest as a whole.

I found myself chasing waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, exploring mountainous landscapes at Mt. Rainier National Park, and even adventuring around the epic scenery to be found on Vancouver Island.

Although a lot of these hikes were during spring and summer, the great majority of the hikes I did in Oregon were in the midst of winter.

I used the beautiful nature that was anywhere from 1-3 hours outside of Portland to get rid of any lingering winter blues.

The Pacific Northwest is notorious for gloomy, rainy, and wet weather.

It does snow occasionally too.

Basically, if you’re hiking during the winter, you should be prepared for any kind of weather.

The weather can also change multiple times throughout the course of a day.

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The ultimate guide to Eugene breweries! This is where you can find the best beer around town, from someone who has visited Eugene over a dozen times.

With the quality hops that come out of the Willamette Valley and the clean water supply, it’s no big secret that Oregon has a solid craft beer scene. Portland is hyped up – a tad too much in my book – and Bend gets a nod as well, but have you heard of the other fantastic craft beer scene in the city of Eugene?

Eugene gives Portland a run for its money in terms of quality over quantity. You’ll see brews from here all over Oregon, as guest taps in dive pubs to classy craft breweries. Overall, the Eugene breweries are versatile, hopped up, and delicious.

You don’t get the wacky creativity that comes out of a select few breweries in Portland, or more likely, California, but there is an abundance of very well brewed beers around Eugene.

I’ve had the chance to explore the craft beer culture in Eugene because my dad and stepmom live just outside the city, in Veneta. Luckily, my dad is a big beer drinker as well, so I was able to have some father-daughter bonding while doing this “research” around town.

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Seeing the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with Jerry’s Rogue River Jet Boats is one of the most unforgettable experiences you can have on the Oregon Coast.

There has been only one other time in my life that I’ve been on a jet boat, and that was on the famous Shotover Jet Boat Ride in Queenstown, but even New Zealand didn’t compared to the beauty I found from the back of the famous Rogue River Jet Boats in Gold Beach.

Now it’s hard to beat that one. It’s a raucous 20 minute ride that is reminiscent of an amusement park ride where there are death-defying spins and close calls with cliff sides. In other words, it was an adrenaline rush in the best ways.

The recent jet boat ride I did with Jerry’s Rogue Jets in Gold Beach, Oregon was a different experience in a few ways. There were still spins here and there, but the main purpose of the tour wasn’t for the giddy-inducing stomach flips. It was for the scenery.

And, let me tell you, the Rogue River knows how to set a beautiful scene.

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There are plenty of free things to do in Portland, Oregon if you know where to look. Here are 8 ways to stay busy in ‘Stumptown’ without spending any money.

Portland is one of those cities where you sometimes need a little help to see what’s what rather than just taking it for what it is on the outside, especially when it comes to the best free things to do in Portland.

I’ve lived in Portland for a year and a half, and, to be honest, it wasn’t the easiest nor most welcoming city to move to without an already established friend group.

A lot of the best things to go see and do are not immediately apparent when strolling through the city, you have to dig a little deeper to find out where that Portland charm lies.

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