Oregon Tourist Attractions – Mostly Natural!

Where the verdant forest provides cool breeze and splendid scenery, miles of shoreline refreshes visitors, and snowy hills provides for some breathtaking activities is what Oregon all about. That is why my title says that the Oregon tourist attractions are almost natural, but that doesn’t mean that there are no museums or aquariums! Well, one can find all tastes here – right from camping to snowboarding or from museums to gardens. All the cultural draws are in the city of Portland on the west coast, while the lazy shoreline is becoming livelier with strolls and kite flying.

This time I am sure you would like to visit this region for a week’s time once you go through the details of my experience of the major Oregon tourist attractions.

Portland Oregon Downtown

I directly went to the Portland town to explore most of its attractions. Among all the Oregon tourist attractions, first visit was to the International Rose Test Garden that was discovered in 1917 and is now the famed rose park. As per the story, hybridists from different regions on the planet sent roses to protect them from the Europe terror during the First World War. Today, you can view the 7,700 rose bushes including some 550 types amidst fountains, paths, and statues. The main attractions here are the small roses along the center aisle (have won an award), the Shakespeare Garden, and the Frank L Beach Memorial Fountain. You can opt to have a free guided tour here. There is no admission fee and it is accessible via the MAX train to Washington Park Station followed by Bus 63.

Next is the oldest zoo near Mississippi called the Oregon Zoo that has already won an award. Here, you can spot Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins, and Arctic polar bears among a wide variety of animals in their natural habitats. The zoo is an international center for wildlife preservation and research. There are many summer concerts held here and a railway ride is worth taking to reach the Washington Park. The admission fee is $9.75 for adults and $6.75 for children (3-11).

Then, the Museum of Science and Industry is simply entertaining for a person of any age. There are interesting fixed and temporary displays on topics such as math, science, and technology along with the laboratories for performing some exciting science experiments. It is also the home of one of the technologically advanced planetarium in the country, the Omnimax Theater, and the submarine USS Blueback that you must have seen in the ‘Hunt for Red October’. The admission fees are $11 (adults), $9 (children 3-13). For the Genius display of the Da Vinci, they are $5 for Adults and $3 for Youth/Senior. The Omnimax charges $8.50 for adults and $6.50 for children.

I visited one more garden called the Portland Classical Chinese Gardens also called the ‘Garden of Awakening Orchids’. This is a classic garden in Chinatown resembles the traditional gardens of Suzhou in China. Regarded as the cultural heritage garden, it is also a live museum of flora and fauna. There is also a classical tea house also known as the Tower of Cosmic Reflections to discover the art and culture of Chinese tea. You can reach here via the Max train and its admission charges are $8.50 for adults.

Now, it was the turn of the most visited Cannon Beach famous for its Haystack Rock that is steep formation. During low tides, you can stroll to this rock and marvel at its giantness.

Visitors are allured with magnificent hiking trails, tidal pools, quaint hotels, cottages, and restaurants.

I thought to go for some skiing and so I reached the famous ski resort of Mt. Hood Meadows at 67 miles from Portland. With both alpine and nordic ski areas, the sunny and wind-protected east is the ideal one. For accommodations, there are close by hotels and lodges. Do not miss the scenery over the snowy Central Cascade Range between the runs. Do spend some time at the Timberline Lodge for its complex architectural built and for an ideal rest. The Meadows provide weekend and holiday travel from Portland near TRIMET Park for a round-trip price of $59 with lift pass.

Lastly, I explored the Crater Lake National Park that is worth a visit because of its most clear waters in the Crater Lake – not to be found anywhere else on the planet.