I have lived in Oregon my entire life and it still never ceases to amaze me how much it still remains the same after all of these years. In most typical steroetypes, when a person thinks of Oregon, they think of all the trees we have, the clear waters, and the wildlife that we have here….and not to mention all the elk they can eat! But, even though all of this is great, we also have a great many other things that are of interest, and in this layman’s travel guide, I am going to show you some great places to go and some neat things that may catch your interest if you ever decide to come to the Pacific Northwest.
One thing that most people may not know is just how friendly we are down here. Typically, the first impression that may come about is that we all eat roadkill stew, hunt as a pasttime, and that we spend all of our days strumming on the old banjo and sitting on the front porch. While this may seem as a humorous joke, it just isn’t true. While hunting and fishing may be two of our best recreations here, we also do other things , and they don’t involve firing a gun. Oregon sports some of the best skiing resorts in the country, such as Sunriver, Mt. Bachelor, Timberline, and Willamette Pass. We also have some of the best beaches in such places as Newport and Lincoln City. In eastern oregon, you can go sand dune buggying, hangliding and off roading if the great outdoors are more to your adventuresome spirit. So, needless to say, we are quite abundant for activity in this state, and we are all very proud of it.
Now, if you are looking for some great fun while you are here, here are some great places that you can visit while you are coming through:
1) The Enchanted Forest and Thrillsville USA (* Exit 121B I-5, just before you hit Salem) – The Enchanted Forest is one of our oldest and most well-known theme parks in the state. Carrying the theme of old fairy tales, you can walk all around the park and visit such places as Storybookland, Wild West Frontier, and The Haunted House. They also have a bobsled ride that can be ridden from the top (*which is about four or five miles up) and then slide down on a fast bobsled all the way to the bottom as if you had just sledded down the infamous Matterhorn!
If you are more into rides and thrills, then Thrillsville may be for you. Thrillsville has not been around as much as the Enchanted Forest, but it is still enjoyed by many an Oregonian as they have a ferris wheel, giant slide, and rollercoaster that resembles the famous ‘Zipper’ that you can find at Six Flags theme parks.
2) Sea Lion Caves (*Otter Rock, OR) – The Sea Lion Caves on the Oregon Coast is another great attraction to see, where your family will be introduced to the wonders of nature by actually being able to walk into a cave where thousands of sea lions perch as the approaching waves come in.
3) Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! (* Newport, Oregon) – This great museum in the coastal city of Newport is based off of the strange and weird phenomenon that is connected to the adventurer, Sir Arthur Ripley. Within its walls, it contains some of the great stuff that Ripley was famous for. Make sure you take the whole family!
4) The Oregon Coast Aquarium (* Newport, Oregon) – The Oregon Coast Aquarium is probably one of the most famous of the aquariums in the country next to Sea World, as it was once the home of Keiko, the orca star of the ‘Free Willy’ series of family films. But, the aquarium has even more to offer as we are shown the secrets of the ocean, from jellyfish all the way to tiger sharks. Recently, there has been a new addition to the site: an underwater tunnel that stretches five miles under the ocean where visitors can view aquatic wildlife in their own natural habitat. But, there’s no need to worry about water getting in as the tunnel is completely sealed by glass and allows spectators to see the fish in all their natural glory!
5) The Oregon Zoo (* Portland, Oregon)- The Oregon Zoo has had a long tradition of excellence in the zoo industry, with its variety of wildlife such as lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Stretching nearly six miles in diameter, they have every animal that you could think of from mountain goats to penguins. Make sure that you visit the Primate House, Reptile House, and their ‘Night Creatures’ exhibit, as these are some of the best exhibits that the Oregon Zoo has. You can also take a steam locomotive ride, where the train takes you all around the zoo and then further beyond, as your eyes befall deep canyons of trees and gulleys. Their restaurant is also fantastic and not to mention healthy. While they may be a little expensive, it’s worth it. But, be prepared to walk as with the vast expanse, your feet may hurt a little after a while. If you find that you cannot make it to your car, their zookeepers will be nice enough to drive you out to the parking lot by golf cart to give your legs that much-needed break.
6) The Portland Rose Gardens (* Portland, Oregon) – Located in the hills of Portland, The Portland Rose Garden is a gardener’s delight as they are treated to every kind of rose that is available, and they are all grown here just especially for rose lovers! (* Just make sure to only look and not take!) If you’re into flowers, make sure to make a stop here.
7) OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) (* Portland, Oregon) – OMSI is a science person’s dream as you can explore everything from the human body to our own galaxy. But, what makes OMSI an even greater investment is the laser light shows, which happen every summer here as lasers flash to the musical sounds of Metallica, Pink Floyd, and many other rock legends. If you like science, make this part of your trip!
8) Spirit Mountain Casino (* Grand Ronde Indian Reservation, Oregon)- Spirit Mountain is one of the most successful gambling casionos in the state, and also one of the nicest. About two hours outside of Portland, Spirit Mountain is a vast casino that carries just about any of your gambling entertainment needs. From slots to blackjack to poker, you can gamble as little as a penny all the way up to a dollar on slots, and other gaming tables are a great enviornment of fun and excitement if you like lots of action. Also if you can, get tickets to a show, as great superstars such as Eddie Money, Louie Anderson, Brooks and Dunn, Bill Cosby, Styx, Pat Benatar, and even Huey Lewis and the News have performed at this great casino. The tickets are usually thirty to fifty dollars and it’s ‘standing room only’, but it’s worth getting a chance to see greats like these!
9) Wildlife Safari (* Winston, Oregon) – Wildlife Safari is our open-air zoo, where from the comfort of your vehicle you can watch cheetahs run wild in their enviornemnt, watch as baboons scurry past you, and just about every kind of animal you can imagine. If you don’t like bars, for animals and you would like to see them ‘au naturale’, then take a trip here.
10) Whale Watching (* Depoe Bay, Oregon) – Depoe Bay on the Oregon Coast is considered the ‘whale-watching capitol of the world’. Charter a boat and watch as humpback whales splash and make their ways to deeper and warmer waters and marvel at the majesty of these great mammals. It can also be a great and fun educational trip for the kids. The charters are seasonal, as the whales only pass through here on a specific time of year, so check and make sure that you are going to be here at a time where you’ll be able to see one!
11) Electric Castle Wunderland (* Salem, Oregon): What, an arcade? What’s so special about that? Funny you should ask. While all of the others are absolutely fantastic, this place holds a special place in my heart as it was one of my hang-out spots as a boy. Wunderland is a video arcade where you can play arcade machines and redemption games for nickels, from one all the way to as many as seven nickles at a time. (* But most do not run over four). The machines are a little older, and for those of us who are gamers, it’s like a walk down Memory Lane as we play such greats as ‘Altered Beast’, ‘Super Mario Bros.’, ‘Donkey Kong’, and even newer titles such as ‘House of the Dead’ and ‘Silent Scope’. So, if you’re just looking for something a little more ordinary, then make sure you head to Market Street in Salem. Some of the games are even free to play also, and it only costs about $5 per person to get in, and if you have twenty dollars to split between the kids, plan on being there for at least four or five hours!
13 Camp Adair Pheasant Farm (* Camp Adair, Oregon) – A great place to watch these birds that we like to eat every once in a while. But, watch out for the Reeves variety. I was attacked by one once and they have a nasty penchant for biting!
From rodeos to history to wildlife, these are only but a few places that you can visit while you are here, and there are many more hidden treasures that I have left to explore myself in my fair state. So, if you are looking for a great place to ski, get away for the weekend, go fishing or hunting, or maybe play a hand or two of poker, then Oregon may be the place just for you!
