The Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon has a variety of nearby tourist attractions which are suitable for a day trip from the Portland area, in addition to about 80 within the metropolitan area itself (see Tourism in Portland, Oregon).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Smith_Rock_and_the_Crooked_River.jpg/220px-Smith_Rock_and_the_Crooked_River.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Mount_Hood_reflected_in_Mirror_Lake%2C_Oregon.jpg/220px-Mount_Hood_reflected_in_Mirror_Lake%2C_Oregon.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Spruce_goose_evergreen_aviation_museum_triddle.jpg/220px-Spruce_goose_evergreen_aviation_museum_triddle.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Wizard_Island_in_Crater_Lake_National_Park_-_Oregon_2008.jpg/220px-Wizard_Island_in_Crater_Lake_National_Park_-_Oregon_2008.jpg)
Generally, there is no public transportation to these destinations, though exceptions are noted in descriptions. The communities have at most small airports serving only general aviation; scheduled airline service is available only to Portland and Eugene.
Driving distance | Travel hours (each way) |
Direction | Type(s) | Attraction | Description | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mi | km | |||||
9 | 14 | 0.25 | N | historical | Fort Vancouver National Historic Site | Pre-pioneer exhibits, history, reenactments |
79.3 | 128 | 1.5 | W | cultural, nature | Cannon Beach | Small beach town with restaurants, shopping, and galleries as well as outdoor activities including Haystack Rock and Ecola State Park. The town hosts a Sandcastle Contest annually. |
135 | 217 | 2.8 | SW | nature | Oregon Coast Aquarium | Oceanic wildlife, flora, and fauna, intertidal, touching pond, kelps, jellies, etc.; adjacent to Hatfield Marine Science Center and close to Yaquina Head Light |
62 | 100 | 1.5 | E | nature, historical, sport | Timberline Lodge | skiing and snowboarding year round, 1930s Cascadian architecture, easy access to wilderness and mountain climbing |
61 | 98 | 1.25 | E | nature, historical | Hood River | professional and amateur windsurfing and kiteboarding on the river, also follow the "Fruit Loop" for a 20+ mile tour of over 30 farms and wineries |
31 | 50 | 0.75 | E | nature | Multnomah Falls | impressive waterfalls; Historic Columbia River Highway |
109 | 175 | 2 | NE | nature | Cascades Volcano Observatory | Mount St. Helens eruption history, exhibits, education, and convenient viewing of the volcano |
37 | 60 | 1 | SW | nature | Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum | |
200 | 320 | 6 | S | event | Hood to Coast relay race | Late August team charity fundraising race, among longest major relays and the largest with 20,000+ participants, 322 kilometres (200 mi) course from Timberline Lodge to Seaside on the Oregon Coast |
17 | 27 | 0.5 | E | event | Mt. Hood Jazz Festival | mid-August celebration of jazz music, usually with live notable performers |
17 | 27 | 0.75 | W | event | Oregon International Air Show | largest civilian air show on the U.S. West Coast, July or August |
13 | 21 | 0.5 | W | historical | Washington County Museum | |
15 | 24 | 0.4 | W | nature | Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals | |
72 | 116 | 1.7 | W | nature | Saddle Mountain State Natural Area | challenging five-mile (round trip) hike to scenic panorama of the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River, and dozens of miles of state forests covering NW Oregon and SW Washington |
69 | 111 | 1.75 | SE | nature | Bagby Hot Springs | natural hot springs with rustic private tubs, requires a three-mile (2 km) (round trip) forest hike |
60 | 97 | 1.5 | E | nature | Trillium Lake | quiet mountain lake with view of Mount Hood, camping, fishing, and boating in summer, Nordic skiing in winter |
44 | 71 | 1.0 | E | nature | Wildwood Recreation Site | picnicking, hiking, guided nature in Mount Hood National Forest, view Salmon River |
142 | 229 | 3 | SE | nature | Smith Rock State Park | rugged scenery, rock climbing, hiking, picnicking |
58 | 93 | 1.5 | S | nature | Silver Falls State Park | zero to ten miles of hiking to see up to seven spectacular and varied waterfalls; Oregon Garden is on the way |
87 | 140 | 2 | SW | casino | Chinook Winds Casino | Oceanfront Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment; bus service available |
25 | 40 | N | casino | Ilani Casino Resort | Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment | |
62 | 100 | 1.5 | SW | casino | Spirit Mountain Casino | Native American casino with gambling, food, live entertainment; bus service available |
70 | 110 | 2.25 | SW | culture | Sitka Center for Art and Ecology | artist/ecological colony; advance arrangements required; day workshops or multi-week residency obligation |
102 | 164 | 2.5 | SW | nature | Whale Watching Center | staffed state park facility assists visitors see and understand passing whales and other sea life; Depoe Bay also has whale-watching cruises |
75 | 121 | 1.5 | W | agriculture | Tillamook Cheese | self-guided cheese factory tour; restaurant |
75 | 121 | 1.75 | W | historical | Tillamook Air Museum | Private World War II aircraft collection housed in a WW II blimp hangar |
79 | 127 | 1.5 | W | cultural | Seaside | Small tourist-focused coastal city with the Seaside Aquarium, arcades, many motels and rental houses, a 1.5-mile promenade (sidewalk) along the seawall, Miss Oregon Pageant (early July) |
97 | 156 | 2 | W | cultural | Astoria | small historical city with the Astoria Column, Fisher Poets Gathering, Riverfront Trolley; close to Fort Stevens |
285 | 459 | 5.5 | S | nature | Crater Lake | One-of-a-kind natural feature, focus of Oregon's only National Park |