Fodors Travel Guides - Fodors Pacific Northwest: with Oregon, Washington & Vancouver

Portland. With its pedestrian-friendly Downtown and great public transit, Portland is easy to explore. The city has become a magnet for fans of artisanal food, beer, wine, and spirits, and its leafy parks and miles of bike lanes make it a prime spot for outdoors enthusiasts.

The Oregon Coast. Oregons roughly 300 miles of rugged shoreline are every bit as scenic as the more crowded and famous California coast. Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Cannon Beach, and the Columbia River Maritime Museum are key highlights.

The Willamette Valley and Wine Country. Just beyond the Portland city limits and extending south for 120 miles to Eugene, the Willamette Valley is synonymous with exceptional wine-making.

The Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood. Less than an hour east of Portland, the Columbia Gorge extends for about 160 miles along the Oregon-Washington border. Sailboarding, kitesurfing, hiking, and white-water rafting abound. Just 35 miles south of Hood River, iconic Mt. Hood is renowned for hiking and skiing.

Central Oregon. The swatch of Oregon immediately east of the Cascade Range takes in a varied landscape, with the outdoorsy city of Bend as the regional hub. Make time for the funky mountain town of Sisters and the world-famous rock climbing of Smith Rock State Park.

Crater Lake National Park. The 21-square-mile sapphire-blue expanse is the nations deepest lake and a scenic wonder. You can drive the loop road around the lake, hike, or take a guided boat tour.

Southern Oregon. Artsy Ashland and Old Westlooking Jacksonville have sophisticated restaurants, shops, and wineries. Nearby, Oregon Caves National Monument is a fascinating natural attraction while the Klamath Falls region has some of the best birding and wildlife-viewing in the state.

Seattle. As the Pacific Northwests hub of arts and culture, this world-class and picturesque city has a vibrant mix of swanky restaurants and cocktail bars, first-rate coffee shops and brewpubs, and trendy boutique hotels, alongside pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods loaded with indie retail and dining.

Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys. Right outside Seattle, you can tour the waterfront and museums of underrated Tacoma and bike past tulip fields in the Skagit Valley. The state capital, Olympia, is a good jumping-off point for exploring the towns near Mt. Rainier and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

The San Juan Islands. This relaxing and stunningly beautiful archipelago is prime whale-watching and kayaking territory.

Olympic National Park. Centered on Mt. Olympus and framed on three sides by water, this 922,651-acre park covers much of Washingtons forest-clad Olympic Peninsula.

Olympic Peninsula and Washington Coast. Wilderness envelops most of the Olympic Peninsula, with the Olympic Mountains at its core. Rugged terrain and few roads limit interior accessibility, but U.S. Highway 101 offers breathtaking forest, ocean, and mountain vistas.

North Cascades National Park. This 505,000-acre expanse of mountain wilderness is part of an area with more than half of the glaciers in America.

North Central Washington. Along the beautiful North Cascades Highway, youll encounter spectacular scenery and logging towns such as Sedro Wooley and Marblemount, as well as Winthrop.

Mount Rainier National Park. The fifth-highest mountain in the Lower 48, Mt. Rainier is massive and unforgettable.

Washington Wine Country. This fertile valley east of the Cascades has long been known for apple and cherry orchards, and in recent years as a highly prized wine-making areaincluding the vineyards around Yakima, Zillah, Prosser, and Benton City.

Spokane and Eastern Washington. Characterized by rolling, dry, treeless hills and anchored by the states second-largest city, Spokane, this area takes in the vast Columbia River valley and an eclectic mix of cities and towns, including wine-centric Walla Walla.

Vancouver and Victoria. Cosmopolitan Vancouver is a glorious city with tall fir trees, rock spires, the ocean at your doorstep, and a vibrant atmosphere. Victoria, with its stately Victorian houses and walkable Downtown and waterfront, is a stunner.