Judy Jewell - Moon Oregon

bridge at Latourell Falls.

Truly epic in its breadth, Oregons landscape is diverse and dramatic. A broad deep-green swath, lush with farmland and studded with old-growth Douglas firs, runs between the rugged Pacific coast and the volcanic peaks of the Cascades. Farther east, youll find high desert, mountains, and deep river canyonsspectacular country thats largely unexplored by visitors.

But Oregon is much more than a scenic abstraction. In few places has human civilization meshed so agreeably with the natural environment. What helps make Oregon unique is the attitude of its citizens, who are fiercely proud of their state, its culture, and its open spaces. Equal to the great outdoors, the arts are cherished and draw crowds by multitudes. The state also celebrates its historical heritage, ethnic makeup, and straightforward high spirits with a thousand festivals. And the food? Much of Oregon is a huge garden where vegetables, fruit, wine grapes, and farm and ranch products reach perfection. Mighty rivers and 360 miles of Pacific coast provide shellfish, salmon, tuna, and halibut.

Whether its three days and four plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, shopping for wild morel mushrooms at the Sisters farmers market, dueling pinot noir tastings in Carlton, or kiteboarding near Hood River, youll find that Oregonians engage with everyday life with a verve thats at once intensely local yet tied to a larger, more universal perspective. In Portland, where organic and local are assumptions, not exceptions, life is rich with the culture and cuisine options of a cosmopolitan center, yet as comfortable and cozy as in a small town.

fly-fishing on the Deschutes River

Chinese dragon boats docked in downtown Portland

Corvallis farmers market

Oregonians tell a fable about a crossroads on the old Oregon Trail. Pointing south toward the California goldfields was a sign with a drawing of a bag of gold. Pointing north was another sign with the words To Oregon. The punch line? Only those pioneers who could read continued to Oregon.

Of course, the Oregon Trail is history now, but that doesnt mean that the movement to Oregon is over. The same vaguely agrarian and utopian ideals that drew the pioneers still work magic on a new crop of immigrants eagerly moving to the Beaver State to seek the good life.

kiteboarding on the Columbia River

yurt at a coastal Oregon campground.

John Day Fossil Beds and the Painted Hills

Portland: The quirky, welcoming spirit of this flannel-clad, rain-scrubbed city makes it feel like a small town (

Columbia River Gorge: Waterfalls tumble from the mountains edge and deep-green forests cling to cliff walls in this living Pacific Northwest postcard ().

Crater Lake: High in the Cascades, the deepest lake in the country is Oregons crown jewel (

Mount Hood: The states highest peak is an all-season recreation playground ().

Coastal Road Trip: With highlights like Astoria, Cannon Beach, Cape Perpetua, and Yaquina Head, a drive along scenic U.S. 101 can be the trip of a lifetime ().

Shakespeare in Ashland: The soul of the Bard lives on during the three days and four plays at this charming towns annual theater festival ().

Hiking and Biking: The best way to experience Oregon is with a set of wheels ().

Pacific Northwest Cuisine: Fresh from the farm and the sea, Oregons bounty achieves perfection on a plate.