Various guides to all things Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.
Nothing is more gorgeously majestic than the Columbia River Gorge. This is the ultimate Pacific Northwest road trip itinerary. Whether you’re driving west from the Oregon desert, or east from Portland, as soon as you come upon the forested cliffs of the gorge on Interstate 84, you feel very tiny indeed. In a good way,…
As a state, Oregon ranks 3rd in the U.S. for the number of craft breweries per capita. When I moved to this area of the country I was most definitely NOT a beer drinker. I didn’t like the taste of beer and I couldn’t quite understand what the appeal was, other than the obvious…
As you step off the San Juan Island ferry into Friday Harbor, the quintessential charm of the place hits you square on. It is all at once a seaside port town and a throwback to 1940’s resort glamour. Not to say that everything isn’t up-to-date – San Juan Island has modern hotels and contemporary, chef-run restaurants. It’s just…
Orcas Island is slow-paced perfection, like much of life in the rural Pacific Northwest. Where the locals wave to you as you walk down the street. You can forget about the conveniences of city life: McDonald’s? Some people that live in the San Juans haven’t been to one in decades, if ever. It’s 10 pm…
Every summer, Oregon fully embraces the spirit of the wild west by celebrating the art of the rodeo. The Pendleton Round Up Sure, just about every state has their version of a rodeo, but in Oregon, the Pendleton Round Up rodeo is kind of a big deal. Attracting over 50,000 spectators from all over the…
At a coffee shop in Lopez Village, the friendly barista was very patient with an elderly Australian man who was having trouble paying with his credit card. Internet service is spotty on the very best of days on Lopez Island. When it was my turn to place my order, in comes a local who was…
