6 best day trips from Portland

Day trips compared

The day trips

50 km · About 40 minutes by car

1.Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls

A dramatic river canyon east of Portland lined with waterfalls; Multnomah Falls drops about 189 metres in two tiers below a stone footbridge. The Historic Columbia River Highway passes Vista House at Crown Point and Latourell and Wahkeena falls.

Getting there

Car via Interstate 84 or the Historic Columbia River Highway

Best for

First-timers, Families, Couples

95 km · About 1.5 hours by car

2.Mount Hood and Timberline Lodge

Oregon's highest peak has year-round skiing on its upper slopes and summer hiking through wildflower meadows. Timberline Lodge, a stone-and-timber lodge built in the 1930s, was used for exterior shots in The Shining.

Getting there

Car via US Route 26

Best for

Families, Couples

130 km · About 1.5 hours by car

3.Cannon Beach

An artsy coastal town beside Haystack Rock, a 72-metre sea stack with tide pools at its base and puffins nesting in late spring and early summer. Ecola State Park's headland trails are just north.

Getting there

Car via US Route 26

Best for

Couples, Families, Beach

45 km · About 45–60 minutes by car

4.Willamette Valley wine country

Rolling hills of vineyards around Dundee, Newberg and McMinnville produce Oregon's celebrated Pinot Noir. Many wineries offer tastings by reservation, and McMinnville has a historic main street and the Evergreen Aviation Museum with the 'Spruce Goose'.

Getting there

Car or organised wine tour to Dundee and McMinnville

Best for

Couples, Food lovers

100 km · About 1 hour by car

5.Hood River

A small town in the Gorge known for windsurfing and kiteboarding on the Columbia, and the Fruit Loop of orchards, farm stands and cideries in the valley below Mount Hood.

Getting there

Car via Interstate 84

Best for

Couples, Food lovers, Families

95 km · About 1.5 hours by car

6.Silver Falls State Park

Oregon's largest state park has the Trail of Ten Falls, a loop of about 11 km that passes behind several waterfalls, including the 54-metre South Falls.

Getting there

Car via Interstate 5 and Silverton

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Frequent TriMet buses run along the main east-side streets, including Hawthorne, Belmont, Division and Alberta.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask