Day Trips from Portland Oregon

Portland, Oregon is a great place to live/visit, but sometimes you might want to take a day trip from the city to see another part of the state.

This list contains the very best day trips you can take in Oregon so you can pick whichever ones sound the best to you.

This post is all about day trips from Portland Oregon.

*Mt. Hood

If you enjoy life at a higher altitude, Mt. Hood is a great place to visit.

You can visit in summer or winter but my favorite is winter because you can go skiing.

One of the places on the mountain for skiing is Timberline Lodge (fun fact: the exterior of the hotel was used in the movie The Shining).

Another great place that is a little pricier for a lift ticket is Mt. Hood Meadows ski resort.

If you like skiing but want a cheaper lift ticket, Ski Bowl is a great option (just note that the mountain needs to have a lot of snow as it is the lowest spot on the mountain).

*The Columbia Gorge

Another place you can visit is the Columbia River Gorge. This location has some of the most beautiful hikes and trails in the entire state (and most include a visit to a stunning waterfall).

The most famous waterfall in Oregon is Multnomah Falls. This waterfall is actually right near the parking lot so if you’re not into hiking, it’s a great waterfall to visit.

If you want more of an adventure, take the hike to Silver Falls. This waterfall is extra cool because you can actually walk on the trail underneath the falls!

*Pacific Coast

If the beach is your favorite place, the Oregon Coast is absolutely gorgeous!

The most famous beach that you have probably seen most often on Instagram is Canon Beach.

Another option that comes with a dairy factory visit and fresh ice cream is the Tillamook beach. You can easily visit both the beach and the factory in the same trip.

Other beaches include Seaside (which has a great boardwalk to wander down), Pacific City (has a giant sand dune to climb) and Indian beach (especially awesome if you are/were a Twilight fan as this is the beach they filmed on).

*Bonus Ideas

-Smith Rock

Smith Rock is a pretty cool place to hike. In the middle of nowhere are these giant bolder hills that are fun to explore.

-Eugene

The only time I ever went to Eugene was for a Duck game but even if you are not a UofO fan, Eugene is a nice place to visit. Lots of local hikes to explore and many restaurants to refuel at after a day in nature.

-Seattle

You can visit both main Pacific Northwest cities in one trip by taking a day trip to Seattle. Of all of the cool things to do in Seattle, exploring the Pike Place Market is probably my favorite.