Oregon vs washington state scenery12/19/2023 For starters, this extremely bike-friendly community encourages one to pedal away a Saturday afternoon on the 37.8-mile Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway (i.e., the largest collection of such structures in the Western United States). Twice it has been awarded the "All-American City" honors, owing to a mixture of wholesome traits. This sub-11,000-resident city rests in Lane County, just South of Eugene. Cottage Grove The beautiful Cottage Grove Lake in Oregon.Ĭottage Grove, the name alone, conjures pleasant imagery. With an average of 300 sunny days per year, there is always an excuse to get outside and enjoy the community (floating down the Deschutes River is another popular pastime). But running is not the only game in town. The extensive and alluring trail network (51 miles are immediately accessible while others head off into the mountainous wilderness, led Bend to become a host of the Mountain Running National Championships and to garner the title of "America's Best Trail Running Town" by Outside magazine. Within the unique landscape of Oregon's High Desert sits the former logging town of Bend. One of the most picturesque towns in Oregon (well, to be fair, it's a moderately-sized city) is also one of the prettiest desert towns in all of America. Bend Aerial view of the Old Mill District in Bend, Oregon. For those searching for alternative muses, Ashland also has award-winning galleries displaying evocative exhibits, top-tier restaurants to satisfy all food lovers, and artisanal shops to uncover. Perhaps the biggest draw is the 82-year-old Oregon Shakespeare Festival which offers regular theatrical performances by dedicated Thespians. In fact, this Jackson County community has been voted one of the best small art towns in America. Situated at the base of the Siskiyou and Cascade mountain ranges, the rich scenery inspires the artist within. Just 16 miles North of the California border, in Southwestern Oregon, Ashland invites admirers of beauty, both natural and designed. Visitors to Hood River Valley will also delight in the "Fruit Loop," a stretch of 27 farmside fruit stands, wineries, breweries, and/or flower fields. Hood River is also no exception to Oregon's hiking-fostering ways and also encourages bikers and ski bums to get after it. Find a spot on the Columbia River Gorge to watch scores of adrenaline-hungry characters harness the power of nature while in the shadow of snow-capped Mood Hood (Oregon's highest peak) and other extensions of the stunning Cascade Range. This 8,313-resident city is considered the windsurfing capital of the world. Hood River is nestled on the banks of the titular waterway and the substantial Columbia River, which defines part of Oregon's border with Washington. Hood River Hood River in Oregon with Mount Hood forming the backdrop. In town, there are early-1900s historical buildings to be admired and theaters, shops, and restaurants to be enjoyed, while just outside of the city limits, the Southern Oregon Coastal Wilderness unveils appealing beaches, rugged sand dunes, and forested trails upon which the legendary distance-runner/Olympian, Steve Prefontaine, cut his teeth. Coos Bay and nearby North Bend and Charleston make up an enriching area known as Oregon's Adventure Coast. The harbor city of Coos Bay (sitting on the Pacific Ocean-adjacent bay by the same name) is mysteriously a beautiful waterfront community that is also relatively undiscovered (according to the 2020 census, the population was a mere 15,985). Coos Bay The waterfront at Coos Bay, Oregon. There are attractive hubs for adventure-seeking youths, solitary sites of refuge for the introspective and/or elderly, trails to hike (a prerequisite across all demographics), mountains to climb, waters to bathe in, and forests to, well, also bathe in! These nine communities should be top of the list of anyone seeking an abundance of aesthetic appeal. As such, there is no shortage of quaint, splendid, and gosh-darn-it, downright pretty towns to visit. Sandwiched between Washington (to the North) and California (to the South) and bordered to the East by Idaho, "The Beaver State" pulls from many scenic ecosystems and ways of life. Oregon represents the wild heart of the Pacific Northwest. The 9 Most Picturesque Small Towns in Oregon
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