9 Serene Towns in Oregon for a Weekend Retreat
Oregon, one of the nation’s most geographically varied states situated in the American West’s Pacific Northwest region, is best known for its rugged coastline, snow-capped mountains, semi-arid shrublands, sandy beaches, high deserts, lush forests, and a plethora of pristine water bodies. While big metropolises like Eugene, Portland, Gresham, and the state capital Salem get hordes of vacationers throughout the year, the innumerable small towns scattered all over are idyllic retreats to spend your weekends away from the hubbub of crowded cities.
Jacksonville
Jacksonville, established in 1851-52 during the Oregon Gold Rush, occupies the Jackson Creek Valley, at the Miller Mountain’s foothills in Jackson County, approximately 5 miles west of Medford. An erstwhile primary financial hub of Southern Oregon, much of the town currently is a part of the Jacksonville Historic District comprising a collection of meticulously preserved 19th-century landmark properties. Superbly amalgamating old and modern amenities, Jacksonville’s downtown is packed with antique stores, souvenir shops, boutiques, bookstores, diners, and luxurious accommodations such as the McCully House Inn and Wine Country Inn. Adventure lovers can explore more than 16 miles of interconnected trails of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association Trails, while other travelers should tour the Beekman House Museum, Jacksonville Cemetery, Art Presence Center, Peter Britt Gardens, and Beekman Native Plant Arboretum. As part of the Britt Music & Arts Festival, different musical performances held in a natural amphitheater lure cultural enthusiasts from June to September.
Sisters
Forming a portion of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, Sisters is a cute alpine town in Deschutes County, situated about 154 miles southeast of Portland. Named after the adjacent Three Sisters Mountains, the town’s lively downtown district and its main thoroughfare - Cascade Avenue is chock-a-full of specialty shops, homey cafes, modern art galleries, award-winning restaurants, and first-class hotels like The Cottage Inn at Sisters, and Sisters Bunkhouse. As the chief center of the Deschutes National Forest’s Sisters District, several equestrian, hiking, and mountain biking trails such as the Peterson Ridge Trail and Suttle Lake Trail start from the town and lead holidayers to the Three Sisters Wilderness area. Revelers are drawn to the town’s multiple fun-filled events like the Sisters Glory Daze Car Show, Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters Rodeo, Artists Studio Tour, and Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.
Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach, a picturesque coastal Oregon resort destination in Clatsop County, has been recognized by National Geographic as “one of the 100 most beautiful places in the world.” Located just off the coast is the 235-foot-tall Haystack Rock, the town’s most famous attraction protected as a part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The Needles which rise straight out of the water are also placed adjacent to the intertidal sea stack. Cannon Beach’s other well-known site - the Ecola State Park stretches along the coastline and coupled with a massive network of walking pathways, picnic areas, and hiking trails provides a chance to witness the diverse wildlife in the abutting forests and tidepools. Take a leisurely walk on the golden-sand beaches that lead to the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, tour the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum, check out the artworks of distinguished Pacific Northwest artists at local art galleries, observe glass blowers at work in their studios, enjoy year-round live theater performances, spend time amidst the greens at the Les Shirley Park, Tolovana Beach State Recreation Site, and Haystack Hill State Park, and rest for the night at any of the town’s oceanfront lodging like Surfsand Resort or The Waves. Thousands flock to Cannon Beach yearly to participate in the Fourth of July Parade, Spring Unveiling, Stormy Weather Arts Festival, and sandcastle building competition.
Joseph
Home to 1,154 inhabitants as per the latest US Census, this small alpine community in Wallowa County is ringed by the Wallowa Mountains in the west and south, and the Hells Canyon in the east and north. Initially referred to as Lake City and Silver City, the town has been formally renamed in honor of Chief Joseph of the native Nez Perce tribe and flawlessly mixes warm hospitality and the marvelous natural beauty of Eastern Oregon with an artistic community’s creativeness. Due to the location of the reputed Valley Bronze foundry in Joseph, the downtown streets as well as the art galleries and local stores contain abundant gigantic bronze sculptures. The Wallowa Lake State Park offers multiple outdoor recreational activities such as fishing, camping, paddleboarding, wildlife-watching, boating, etc., while the crystal-clear waters of Wallowa Lake provide the ideal setting for a serene escape. During the warmer months, sightseers can get to the top of Mount Howard via the Wallowa Lake Tramway, from where breathtaking views of the Wallowa Lake and the Wallowa Mountains can be seen. Also, visit the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, Josephy Center for Arts & Culture, Iwetemlaykin State Heritage Site, Wallowology - Natural History Discovery Center, Zumwalt Prairie Preserve, and Nez Perce National Historic Park. Rest for the night after a hectic day of explorations at the Bronze Antler Bed & Breakfast, and Jennings Hotel & Sauna; and find time to attend the town’s annual festivals like Oregon’s Alpenfest and Chief Joseph Days Rodeo.
Baker City
The seat of government of northeastern Oregon’s Baker County, Baker City, christened in honor of the American Civil War hero and U.S. Senator Colonel Edward Dickinson Baker, is located along the Powder River in the picturesque Baker Valley between the Blue and Wallowa Mountains. As a settlement on the famed Oregon Trail, the town has a beautifully maintained 42-acre downtown historic district with over 130 properties including the Baker City Hall, Baker Heritage Museum, Geiser Grand Hotel, and Baker City Tower. The Eltrym - Baker City’s sole movie theater, the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, and Crossroads Art Center are other noteworthy attractions. Aside from being the headquarters of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, the town is a popular base for those who wish to travel along the Interstate 84 highway and access the neighboring Hells Canyon Recreation Area, Eagle Cap Wilderness Area, Anthony Lakes Ski Area, and the Elkhorn Mountains. Annually, Baker City hosts the Miners’ Jubilee, Hells Canyon Motorcycle Rally, Salt Lick Art Auction, and We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival.
Florence
A gorgeous coastal town in Lane County, Florence is at the center of the Oregon Coast at the Siuslaw River’s mouth, equidistant from Newport and Coos Bay. Originally colonized by the Siuslaw tribe of Native Americans, the town is a perfect weekend getaway along the U.S. Route 101 Highway and to the north of Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Stroll through the streets of Florence’s historic district and take note of landmark properties, locally-owned shops, boutiques, museums like the Oregon Coast Military Museum and Siuslaw Pioneer Museum, restaurants, and luxurious hotels such as the Driftwood Shores Resort & Conference Center, and the Three Rivers Casino & Resort. Florence’s not-to-be-missed points of interest include the Siuslaw River Bridge, Hobbit Trail, Sea Lion Caves, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Sweet Creek Falls Trailhead, Darlingtonia State Natural Site, and the nearby Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park.
Hood River
Hood River County’s administrative center, Hood River occupies the core of the Columbia River Gorge at the junction of Hood and Columbia Rivers, almost 30 miles north of the state’s tallest peak - Mount Hood. This pretty town often called the “Windsurfing Capital of the World,” is a paradise for adrenaline junkies offering a wealth of recreations all year round besides acting as gateways to a significant part of the Columbia River Highway and Mount Hood Scenic Byway. Being a prominent arts destination, the town features a large number of galleries and hosts a public art walking tour in downtown, in addition to art enthusiasts getting an opportunity to tour the Columbia Center for the Arts and other museums such as the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum, and the Hood River County Historical Museum. The countless wineries, eateries, ciders, and microbreweries serve a wide variety of agricultural foodstuffs sourced from the adjoining farms, orchards, and vineyards, whereas the Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa and the Hood River Hotel charms vacationers with their outstanding facilities. Every year, the town celebrates the Hood River Hard-Pressed Cider Fest, Hood River Valley Blossom Time, Hood River Hops Fest, Hood River Valley Harvest Fest, and Roy Webster Cross-Channel Swim.
Cottage Grove
Affectionately called the “Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon,” Cottage Grove is a tiny Lane County town immediately south of the Row River and the Coast Fork Willamette River’s meeting point. Sandwiched between a national forest and the Ocean, the community excellently amalgamates the tranquility of a small town with all the modern-day amenities of a big city. Cottage Grove’s most prominent sites of interest are its six covered bridges: Centennial Covered Bridge, Chambers Covered Bridge, Currin Bridge, Dorena Bridge, Mosby Creek Bridge, and Stewart Bridge, all located a short distance from the town’s downtown. Holidayers must also browse the quaint shops, art galleries, Cottage Theatre & the Opal Center for Arts and Education, museums, top-class eating joints, film locations, murals telling stories of the past, and resting places like the Best Western Cottage Grove Inn. Outdoorsy types can trek the Brice Creek Trail in the warm season or head straight to witness the astounding waterfall and swimming hole-filled Umpqua National Forest. Additionally, many yearly cultural events like the Bohemia Mining Days, Christmas Extravaganza, Cottage Grove Half Marathon, and Western Oregon Exposition Heritage Fair are held here.
Yachats
Yachats, which gets its name from the indigenous Siletz language, and means “dark water at the foot of the mountain,” is a teeny coastal community in the southernmost part of Lincoln County, bounded by the mighty Pacific on the west and the Central Oregon Coast Range on the east. Dubbed, “The Gem of the Oregon Coast,” notable black basalt rock dominates much of Yachats’s coastline forming a variety of sea landmarks like Thor’s Well, Spouting Horn, and Devil’s Churn. Adventurists are drawn to the Yachats 804 Trail that continues past the beach’s 7-mile stretch as the Oregon Coast Trail linking it with Amanda’s Trail and ultimately leading to Cape Perpetua. Scores of premier gift shops, breweries, eateries, art galleries, and hotels such as Adobe Resort, Overleaf Lodge & Spa, etc., fill the town’s Downtown. Furthermore, do not miss some of Yachats’s interesting attractions like the Little Log Church & Museum, Yachats Public Library, Yachats Commons, Yachats Community Presbyterian Church, North Fork of the Yachats Bridge, and various natural areas including the Siuslaw National Forest, Yachats Ocean Road State Natural Site, Smelt Sands State Recreation Site, Yachats State Recreation Area, Gerdemann Botanical Preserve, and Yachats Community Park.
From Joseph - ‘Oregon’s Little Switzerland’ to Cottage Grove - ‘Covered Bridge Capital of Oregon,’ the small towns in the 27th most populous and 9th largest state of the nation capture the true essence of the Beaver State. With extraordinary scenic beauty, fascinating attractions, wonderful recreations, colorful celebrations, and friendly locals, these Oregon towns are repositories of everlasting memories for travelers who come to unwind and recover from the stresses of everyday life.
