woman swimming in vivid, clear blue water in Crater Lake — Crater Lake National Park. Click on my photos to pin on Pinterest!

Head out to the Pacific Northwest to visit the beautiful state of Oregon! There’s so many incredible sights to see. We are lucky enough to have friends who live near Bend, Oregon. We love to visit them and they’re great tour guides who have shown us around some of the best places in Oregon. In this blog, I’ll go over what cities to visit, what to do in each place, where to eat and stay, the best hikes, and my favorite photography spots all around Oregon.

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Getting to Oregon

The easiest airport to fly into in Oregon would be Portland International Airport. This airport is the largest, so they have the most domestic and international flights. Even though our friends live in Bend, Oregon, we fly into this airport and make a roadtrip down to Bend. It’s usually more affordable and then we have an excuse to make some great stops all over the state. I recommend renting a car to see the beautiful sights throughout Oregon.

Portland, Oregon

We haven’t spent too much time in the city of Portland, because it isn’t quite my vibe and I’d rather get out of the city to see the sights. However, it is a good central location for day trips to some pretty amazing places. Check out these highly rated vacation rentals right in Portland. Below are a few spots in and around Portland that I do recommend adding to your itinerary on your visit.

Blonde woman wearing white and black stripe dress running and smiling through the International Rose Test Garden — Running through the roses at the International Rose Test Garden in Portland

International Rose Test Garden

My favorite stop in Portland is the International Rose Test Garden. This garden is right in the city and there are over 10,000 roses here! I love how it feels like a little escape into nature. We visited at the end of August, and the roses were all blooming. This spot made me so happy! Admission is free, so there’s no reason not to stop during your time in Portland.

Pig Patas Tacos

Another stop I recommend in Portland is grabbing street tacos from Pig Patas Tacos. This restaurant was pretty unassuming, but the food was delicious! Ross and I were big fans on their street tacos. The Portland food scene is awesome, so you can’t go wrong with a lot of restaurants here.

Multnomah Falls

Just an hour away from Portland is Multnomah Falls. I recommend you make a stop here while you’re in the area, because this waterfall is truly incredible! Just make sure to get a reservation ahead of time if you’re visiting during the summer. This spot can get busy!

Haystack Rock

Only 1.5 hours in the opposite direction of Portland is the iconic Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. This area is so pretty and one of the best photography spots! There’s plenty to do around Cannon Beach, so you can definitely make a whole day of visiting this area and hanging out by the ocean. The Oregon coast can get chilly, so I recommend packing layers if you’re going to hang out on the beach.

Trillium Lake

Another amazing spot 1.5 hours away from Portland, is Trillium Lake. I highly recommend a stop here to see the amazing views of Mount Hood. It’s so peaceful. Ross and I took a break from driving to relax in our hammock at Trillium Lake. You can even camp at Trillium Lake Campground if you’d like to spend more time here. We love this spot and I’d love to come back again in the future.

Zigzag Mountain Cafe

If you’re looking for a place to eat while you’re over in the Mount Hood area, Ross and I stopped at the Zigzag Mountain Cafe in Rhododendron, Oregon. This was a cozy cafe right off the highway and they had delicious home cooked food.

Blonde woman standing on a small rock in Trillium Lake with a cloudy view of Mount Hood — Trillium Lake

Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon is such a cute city! We love it here and there are so many things to do around this area. This is where our friends live, so we’ve been lucky to have them as tour guides when we visit. I recommend staying in Bend to make the most of the sights and attractions around the area. There are a number of magical places just a short drive away. Check out these highly rated vacation rentals right in Bend.

Bend Whitewater Park

There are a lot of Californians who’ve made their way to Bend, so the surf culture is abundant here. Our friend, Dane, showed us around the Bend Whitewater Park. Here, the Deschutes River is modified with a manmade wave to surf on! It’s pretty cool. Make sure to bring a wetsuit and shortboard if you’re going to give it a try. You can also rent tubes, paddleboards, and kayaks if that’s more your speed. You can find out more info from the free Surfing Info Sessions from Bend Park & Recreation District. This is such an incredible experience to try out.

Man wearing a wetsuit in the river with a shortboard surfboard getting ready to surf — Ross surfing at Bend Whitewater Park

Broom Closet Bar at McMenamins Old St. Francis

A quirky spot for some nightlife in Bend is Broom Closet Bar at McMenamins Old St. Francis. This is a speakeasy, so you have to find the right door to get to the bar. It’s like you’re solving a little puzzle and then you’re rewarded with a fun bar with a great vibe. We loved this speakeasy!

Bevel Craft Brewing

We also enjoyed Bevel Craft Brewing for their laid back atmosphere and cute patio area. They also host some awesome food carts with the best food to pair with your beer. I recommend giving this place a visit.

Willamette National Forest

About an hour from Bend is the Willamette National Forest. Hiking through Willamette National Forest to get to Tamolitch Falls is a must on your visit to Oregon. This area is SO BEAUTIFUL! The trees are so tall and covered in lush moss. I absolutely loved taking photos here. It’s really a stunning area.

Blonde woman looking up at giant trees in the forest with sunshine peaking through — Hiking to Tamolitch Falls through the Willamette National Forest

Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool)

Like mentioned above, I highly recommend hiking through the Willamette National Forest to get to Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool). It’s a 3.9 mile out-and-back trail. AllTrails considerers this a moderately difficult trail. Since this spot is so stunning, it can get popular during the day. Try arriving early to beat the crowds. This trail is popular for a good reason. The Tamolitch Falls pool at the end is the most amazing, bright blue, water I’ve ever seen! It’s pretty crazy seeing this in person. It seems unreal. I tried getting into the water and that was a big mistake. It’s incredibly cold! This beauty is better to be seen from above than in the water. We went during the end of August, so the pool was calm and the falls were’t flowing at the time. You’ll get a different experience if you go during the spring. I highly recommend checking this hike out on your visit to Oregon. It was one of my favorite places!

Man wearing hiking gear looking out at the blue pool at Tamolitch Falls — Tamolitch Falls (Blue Pool)

Smith Rock State Park

Another fun hiking area near Bend is Smith Rock State Park, located in Redmond, Oregon. The rock formations here are unlike anything in the area. It’s a beautiful spot! We hiked the Misery Ridge Trail and it was difficult in the heat, but the views were rewarding. If you’re looking for a challenge, I recommend this hike.

Man wearing hiking gear standing on red rocks with the sun beating down — Hiking at Smith Rock State Park

Paulina Creek Falls

Paulina Falls Trail was one of the most unique hikes I’ve done. We hiked a waterfall! If you’d also like to do this, make sure you’re prepared with waterproof clothing and shoes. We wore our swimsuits and water shoes, because we were in the water to get under the falls and the rocks were slippery, so be careful! This hike was one of the coolest hikes I’ve done and it was so much fun to experience it with our friends.

Man and woman wearing black and red swimsuits underneath waterfall — Paulina Creek Falls

Paulina Lake Hot Springs

We tried hiking to some natural hot springs on Paulina Lake, but the weather wasn’t cooperating and we ended up turning back around. I’d love to get the chance to visit these hot springs, because they look so tranquill and relaxing. This area is very pretty, so although we didn’t get to the hot springs, the views made up for it. Next time I’m in Oregon, I’m making a stop here for sure.

View of a mountain across Paulina Lake with tree branches peaking into frame — Paulina Lake

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

If you’re not into hiking, but still want some amazing sights and photo opts, you can drive up to Newberry National Volcanic Monument. You get views of the caldera, previous lava flows, and some big, blue lakes. It’s right in the same area as Paulina Creek Falls, so you can do both of these on the same day.

Crater Lake National Park

Finally, another must do while in Oregon is visit Crater Lake National Park. Crater Lake is about 1.5 hours from Bend, so it’s very manageable to visit during a day trip. The views in this National Park are spectacular all over and it’s an amazing photography spot. If you’re looking for some adventure, we spent the day cliff jumping and swimming in the beautiful Crater Lake. This lake is breathtaking. It’s extremely clear, vividly blue, and very deep. If you make your way down Cleetwood Cove Trail, you’ll see a cliff jumping spot and areas to swim. It was quite the rush, since the water in Crater Lake is so cold! For us, it was definitely worth it, because we had an incredible time.

Woman wearing black bikini floating on her back in the beautiful blue Crater Lake with mountains in the background — Swimming in Crater Lake

Overall Thoughts on Oregon

Overall, Oregon is such a lovely place. I’ve had the pleasure of exploring many areas throughout the state, and each area has amazing and unique features. Oregon has a little something for everyone and I definitely recommend visiting!