Continuing from our previous Northern California Road Trip, here is our second leg of our travels into our Southern Oregon Road Trip. Driving from California into Oregon is the ultimate nature lover’s road trip to add to your travel itinerary. Oregon is a stunning State full of incredible natural wonders to explore. We only touched a tiny bit of it on this trip, so I can’t wait to go back and explore more!
Drive Around the Rim of Crater Lake
Our first stop when we entered into the state of Oregon was the Crater Lake National Park. It is located in the South-Central region of Oregon. Can you believe that Crater Lake National Park is home to the deepest natural lake in the entire United States? The crater was formed over 7,700 years ago by a violent volcanic collapse of Mount Mazama, that was witnessed by the Klamath Native Americans that inhabited the region. The fresh water lake is famous for its crystal clear blue waters and is 100% fed by rain and snow. Absolutely no public boating or recreational vehicles are allowed on or near the lake in order to preserve the environment and ecosystem. You can only swim and fish and take a boat tour that is provided by the Park Ranger.
The drive around Crater Lake is approximately 6-miles. You can take your time to stop at all the scenic viewing sites, go on a short hike or simply rest for a picnic. It is a perfect day trip to enjoy with the whole family. The main Mazama Village has a restaurant that serves 3 meals, a gift shop and public restrooms. And it also has the Crater Lake Lodge for accommodations if you’re inclined to stay the night at Crater Lake. With additional cabins and camp grounds available as well. The National Park is open all year round so you can visit during the Summer or in the Winter when it is magically covered in snow.
I am actually quite fascinated by the geological history of the National Park. So make sure you read about the formation of this incredible lake.
*BONUS – Tour the Waterfalls of Southern Oregon
A perfect way to head North from Crater Lake into the city of Eugene or Bend, Oregon is to take the Highway 97 where it branches off into Hwy 58 or Hwy 126. All along this triangular highway formation is the Waterfall mecca of any Southern Oregon Road Trip.
If you are a waterfall chaser, then you will for sure enjoy the Southern Oregon Photography and Oregon Waterfall Guide by Follow Me Away. Make sure to visit their post about all the amazing waterfalls to visit on a road trip in Oregon. It is a stunning list of beautiful waterfalls that I am going to add to my own list for future travels to Oregon.
Quick Stop in College Town of Eugene, OR
University of Oregon
As you can obviously tell, the hubby is an USC Alumni and all alumnis are obsessed with the USC college football team. It is automatically written into their DNA as soon as they graduate. One of their friendly rivals is the University of Oregon. We had to make a stop in the university town or I would have never heard the end of it! And yes, he made me take photos of him in his USC gear in front of every darn Ducks logo! :::facepalm:::
The college town of Eugene was fairly quiet when we visited. Maybe it had something to do with it being in the middle of Summer and on a weekend. But if you’re a college football fan, this is a fun stop for a quick bite to eat and some souvenir shopping at the university shop.
If you’re looking for additional things to do around the city of Eugene, check out these cool guided city tours. It’s a great way to tour the city and see what it has to offer.
*BONUS – Spend Time at the Swan Island Dahlia Flower Farm
In the Summer months of August and September, there is a beautiful flower field a bit south of Eugene called the Swan Island. They specialize in growing one of my favorite flowers, Dahlias. It’s a lovely spot to add to your Southern Oregon Road Trip. We didn’t get a chance to visit this spot but I am for sure adding it to my list when we visit the area next.
The flower field is in full bloom around late Summer time. It is also when they host their Annual Dahlia Festival which is Free to attend. You can stroll through almost 40 acres of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 dahlia varieties.
You can also visit their Indoor Display Floral Rooms, over 400 floral arrangements, and over 15,000 cut dahlia blooms on display. The largest display put on by one grower anywhere in the United States!
Check out the City Sights of Portland, OR
Welcome to the city of Portland, Oregon! We have made it into the Northern end of Oregon! The charming city is a small bustling metropolitan downtown and only an hour and a half away from Eugene. It’s a popular city that is hip and trendy, yet down to earth. It offers the best of the best of the Pacific Northwest. There are an array of great shops and restaurants to cater to your city adventuring. It has a pretty happening Hipster scene too. Are hipsters still a thing? Or are they just part of main-stream society now?
We drove up into the Portland from Eugene. It was our last stop of our Southern Oregon Road Trip before we flew back home. We stayed only one night but we still managed to get around town for some sight-seeing. We also always book our flights for later in the day whenever we travel so we can still have the first half of the day available to do any last minute exploring such as visiting the Columbia River Gorge.
Make sure to check out my friend, Brianna’s in-depth Portland Guide at her blog the Casual Travelist. She gives some great city tips on restaurants, breweries, and sites to visit.
For the Foodies that enjoy great tasting food, craft beer or wine, check out these awesome tours! With guides that are local to Portland, you can’t go wrong with these exciting treks around the city to experience their incredible food culture!
Stroll around the Portland Japanese Garden & Rose Garden
The world-famous Japanese Garden of Portland is known as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in the world. Aside from Japan of course. Its expansive 12-acre property sports 8 different Japanese gardening styles such as a Bonsai Showcase and a Meditation Sand & Rock Garden that the Japanese are well-known for. The stunning garden is a welcome retreat away from the main city, yet still located not very far out of the city central. Make sure to add the Japanese Gardens to your list when you visit the Portland area.
The Portland Rose Garden is known as the International Rose Test Garden. It is located within 5-minute walking distance across the street from the Japanese Gardens. “Portland has long had a love affair with roses. In 1888, Georgiana Burton Pittock, wife of publisher Henry Pittock, invited her friends and neighbors to exhibit their roses in a tent set up in her garden; thus the Portland Rose Society was established.”
The garden has now evolved into a beautiful wonderland devoted to a variety of delicate award-winning roses, each with its own exotic and romantic name. The scent of roses wafting through the air as you stroll among the flower bushes is intoxicating. Have you ever smelled roses that smell so delicious, it makes you want to eat them? That’s how some of these amazing flowers made me feel.
Explore the Columbia River Gorge
Located only about an hour or so away from Portland, The Columbia River Gorge was designated a National Scenic Area — the largest in America — and you’ll soon find out why. The area is a large canyon, part of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Up to 4,000 feet deep, the canyon stretches for over eighty miles as the river winds westward through the Cascade Range, forming the boundary between the state of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south. Due to this land formation, this area is world-famous for its incredible waterfalls. Make sure to add it to your Oregon Road Trip itinerary no matter what!
Make sure to always check with the local national and state park guides to check for closures.
Visit the World Famous Multnomah Falls
The gorgeous Multnomah Falls is an incredible site to see. It is the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. Over 2 million visitors stop by each year to take in the spectacular views! It is fed by underground springs from Larch Mountain. This is also one of the best places in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to study geology exposed by floods.
It is a tourist hot spot and can get mighty crowded all year round. Parking may be a bit difficult so you’ll need to have a lot of patience. There are hiking trails open to the public all around the area. I highly suggest taht you park in one spot and hike to the other waterfalls in the area, it will save a lot of time. The views are 100% worth it! There are restaurants, shopping and restrooms located at the Multnomah Falls Lodge as well, so it’s a great stop for a break and rest.
If you are a waterfall chaser, make sure to check out these nearby falls that can be easily reached hiking from Multnomah Falls: Dutchman Falls | Ecola Falls | Wahkeena Falls | Fairy Falls
Cool Off at the Latourell Falls
Smaller in scale compared to Multnomah, the Latourell Falls is located within a half hour driving distance from Multnomah. But here, you can get up close and personal with the Falls. Surrounded by basalt columns and a small little cave behind the water, the easily accessible waterfall is less crowded and a beautiful sight to behold. It is surrounded by hiking trails and evergreen foliage, it is a gorgeous little fairy tale spot to explore on your Oregon road trip.
If you enjoy guided tours to see what the entire region has to offer, I’ve hand-picked some of the best tours for nature lovers to enjoy in the Columbia River Gorge area.
Where to Stay?
Portland Hotels & Inns
Hyatt House Portland / Downtown
The Duniway Portland – Hilton Hotel
Unique Portland AirBNB Stays
If you’re looking for a unique stay at an AirBNB in the Portland Oregon area, I would highly recommend these spots, especially if you’re a nature lover like myself. I picked these two particular stays because I would personally stay there myself.
THE MAGIC BARN
It’s rustic, it’s quaint, and it has the charm of a cabin in the woods. Except, it’s located in the heart of Portland Oregon. The private sculpture art studio has been transformed into a lovely living space, located just a short walk away from the main Magic House which is also available to rent on AirBNB.
ALPACA FARM RETREAT
As you know, I’m an animal lover. Even though this little retreat is located outside of the Portland downtown area, it’s not that far. I would totally stay here. Surrounded by acres of land and alpacas? Come on, this is a win-win situation!
Crater lake looks so beautiful!!!! Your photos are gorgeous! Did you stay at the alpaca house?? I’d love to do that! 🙂
What stunning photos! I’ve wanted to visit beautiful Multnomah Falls for years, but I haven’t heard of Lauterell Falls. And it’s amazing! Oregon looks like the perfect place for a road trip!
I was really hoping on doing a PNW road trip this year but that’s definitely going to have to be postponed. :[ Thanks for putting this together though! It gives me tonsss of awesome ideas for later on! :] Those photos are so beautiful!!
As much as I love the PNW, I still haven’t made my way to Oregon. That’s obviously changing as soon as we’re able to travel, it looks spectacular!
Wow so much beauty in Oregon. I have seen that famous waterfall but that Japanese garden is stunning,
WOW! I’m completely stunned by the Crater Lake! It looks out of this world. Would love to visit it Oregon one day and visit all these places 🙂
I travelled to the Crater Lake but missed these waterfalls and the Japanese garden! Saving it for the next time 🙂
Oregon is incredibly scenic! I couldn’t visit the South on my last trip but I would like to visit Crater Lake and the gorgeous waterfalls in that part of the state. We camped at Waldo Lake and drove all the way to the Columbia Gorge via Bend and it was a beautiful trip.
Wow, I had no idea Oregon was this beautiful! The crater lake, the waterfalls and especially the Japanese garden make me want to visit Oregon one day! You’ve captured the place beautifully!
This sounds like a fantastic roadtrip! I want to roadtrip to Portland but it would be from canada so I would miss those beautiful waterfalls. I love how Crator Lake doesnt allow motorized boats in order to preserve the environment!
Crater Lake looks like an amazing spot! I am in need of some nature time here soon and I have never been to Oregon. Looks like I may need to make a trip sooner rather than later!
Waterfalls are very impressive. Great place to relax. Thanks for the idea to visit this place.
Beautiful waterfalls I’ve never heard of these.
Definitely one to add to a USA road trip.
I love Oregon and I definitely need to explore more of it. Crater Lake National Park is high on my list! I love Multnomah Falls.