USA Guide
The Pacific Northwest
Oregon
For nineteenth-century pioneers on the arduous Oregon Trail, the rich and fertile Willamette Valley was the promised land, and it's still the heart of the state's social, political, and cultural life. Portland, the biggest city, has a cozy European feel; Salem, the state capital, maintains a small-town air; and Eugene, at the southern foot of the valley, is a likable college community.
East of Portland, waterfalls cascade down mossy cliffs along the Columbia River Gorge, south of which looms the imposing presence of Mount Hood. Central Oregon is based around the popular recreation hub of Bend, while further south around Grants Pass, the major rivers carve steep gorges and make for some excellent whitewater rafting, and the liberal hamlet of Ashland offers a splash of culture with its annual Shakespeare Festival.
The Oregon Coast's most northerly town, Astoria, enjoys a magnificent setting strewn with imposing Victorian homes, while farther south, wide expanses of sand are broken by jagged black monoliths, pale lighthouses look out from stark headlands, and rough cliffs conceal small, sheltered coves. Finally, the rugged deserts and lava fields of Eastern Oregon are much more remote, and some small towns still celebrate their cowboy roots with annual rodeos.
Wherever you go, try to pronounce the state's name as "OR-uh-gun"; calling it "or-EE-gone" will mark you as a tourist, and is sure to invite a quick correction.
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