With summer coming up in the next couple weeks lots of people are looking to get out of town and go sightseeing. Though being able to go out of state or to another country takes more planning and money, there are plenty of places to go locally right here in Oregon. Go on a hike, to the river or lake. The beach with some friends. There are lots of places to see in your hometown that could easily be done on a Saturday afternoon. If you wanna stay more in the Portland area, places like the Rhododendron Gardens and the Pittock Mansion are good places to go if you want to see the Portland skyline and some pretty flowers. Rhododendron Gardens are located between Reed College and Eastmoreland Golf Course. It has lots of shade great for a hot summer afternoon, with flowered walking trails and plenty of places to sit down and enjoy the flowers. The Pittock Mansion is a great place to go if you want to see the Portland skyline from high above the city. Located in the West Hills of Portland, the mansion was first built in 1914 and still stands today, open for people from all over to come and tour the inside of the house. 

Moving further outside of Portland, going more towards Mt. Hood. There are many hiking trails and lake spots to cool off with some friends on a hot summer day. Places like Estacada Lake and Lost Lake are great places to go if you wanna take out your paddle board or kayak. With steady waters and great views too. If you’re looking to go float the river with friends, the Barton to Carver float is a great one to do. It’s a perfect way for you and your friends to spend your day out in the sun. If you’re looking for something more laid back you can check out 10th street docks in West Linn Oregon. They are a good place to go to lay out, get a tan, or take out your boat and even paddleboard. 

If you want to get in touch with nature with a hike the Mirror Lake Loop Trail and Multnomah Falls Trail are great places to check out this summer. Another beautiful hike would include the Angel’s Rest which is approximately 4.5 miles with a moderate elevation gain, short distance, and the incredible reward at the summit showcasing a view of the Columbia River Gorge and Portland’s northern metro. If you’re looking for a beautiful hike with a view of different water features you may want to check out the Tamolitch Blue Pool/Mckenzie River Trail. This moderately challenging trail takes you on a 3.9-mile trek to the beautiful Tamolitch Pool. 

Another amazing part of Oregon is the beautiful coast. With Oregon being a west coast state there are many beaches you can visit. One being Cannon Beach, backed with hilly woodland and boasts Haystack Rock. When low tide occurs the beach’s tide pools are where you can find sea stars and colorful anemones. Another popular beach in Oregon is Seaside. This beach has lots of attractions like the seaside aquarium, amusement park and of course the ocean and sand. Lincoln City is also a popular beach giving variety to the Oregon Coast adventure. This beach includes shores of Lincoln City beach, Roads End State Recreation Site, D State Recreation site and Siletz Bay. Following this the visitors also have access to available activities hiking to swimming and boating. The beach is a great place to spend the day, or even weekend this summer with family and friends, with plenty of things to do and see, you’ll never be bored. 

Overall, take advantage of the outdoors this summer. With the beautiful weather there are so many opportunities to spend time in the water or hike some beautiful views.
Oregon has so much to offer for its residents and even folks from neighboring states or even from the other side of the country. Make sure to stop and look around and take in the world around you and go see something new this summer. We hope you have a great summer and see lots of new things.