The beauty of the Pacific Northwest – besides, of course, its stunning natural beauty – is its proximity to endless day trips and weekends away. In under 90 minutes, you can escape the city and chase waterfalls, discover hidden tide pool ecosystems, or make snowballs in June. Add a few day trips from Portland to your Pacific Northwest itinerary for a taste of the best of Oregon in one quick trip. From the coast to the mountains, every day holds a new adventure in Portland.
How to Get Around Oregon
Renting a car is the easiest way to get to the many day trips from Portland. While there are a few guided tours or bus options, a rental car will offer ease and flexibility in your schedule.
Avis and Budget are my two rental car go-tos when traveling. Use the following coupon codes for a free upgrade on your next car rental.
Avis: UUWA036
Budget: UUWZ042
Three Easy Day Trips Around Portland
Columbia River Gorge
Drive Time from Portland: 30 minutes
Columbia River Gorge is a vast National Scenic Area just 30 minutes from downtown Portland. As the closest day trip option on the list, you could spend a full day exploring the various vistas and hiking trails, or pick one or two waterfalls and make this a half-day excursion.
Multnomah Falls
The Gorge is home to over 90 waterfalls, but the most iconic is Multnomah Falls. This postcard stop is the second largest waterfall in the US behind Yosemite. Only .25 miles from the parking lot to the viewing platform, it’s an easily accessible stop that draws huge crowds.
From May 26 through September 4, timed reservations are required to drive to Multnomah. Reservations open 14 days in advance, and can be booked for a $2 fee on recreation.gov. This ticket will grant your vehicle access for a one-hour window, though it does not guarantee parking.
Wahkeena Falls Trail
If you’re looking to be more immersed in nature, your first stop should be Wahkeena Falls Trail. This three mile loop will take you on a well-kept path through lush scenery and creeks to Wahkeena Falls, Lemmons Viewpoint, and Fairy Falls.
Trails are open daily from 9-5. Plan to arrive early, as weekends can get crowded and parking lots fill quickly. Parking for the Wahkeena Falls Trail is located just before the Multnomah Falls parking lot.
Hood River
Drive Time from Portland: 1 hour
Hood River can easily be a day trip of its own, or a second stop after a hike for lunch and a local drink. Drive another 30 minutes from Columbia River Gorge to the Fruit Loop town of Hood River.
Hood River
Oak Street is the main drive of town, lined with restaurants and boutiques to peruse. Mike’s Ice Cream is an Oak Street staple for a sweet treat served out of a quaint blue house.
For local beer and views of the Columbia River, head to Full Sail Brewing Company. Grab a bite to eat and sample some of the brewer’s limited release beers, exclusively found at their Hood River brew pub.
After lunch, stop by the Hood River Farmers Market, open every Saturday from May to November. Vendors from the area set up weekly, bringing the area’s famous fruit stands together to offer fresh produce, artisan foods and baked goods.
These fruit stands helped coin the name the Fruit Loop, a nod to the many local vineyards and fruit stands that dot the area.
Hood River Fruit Loop
The Hood River Fruit Loop is a scenic, driveable loop in the Hood River Valley made up of 28 farm stands, wineries, breweries, and flower fields. Depending on when you go, various fruits and blooms will be in season. The best time to visit the fruit loop is in the summer or fall.
From mid-June to early July, thousands of lavender plants will be in peak bloom at the Lavender Valley Farm. Although we visited too early in the season for the lavender haze, our day wouldn’t have been complete without a glimpse of Mt Hood through the aromatic buds.
Next to Lavender Valley Farm is Stave and Stone Wine Estates, a great stop on your Fruit Loop tour for wine tasting. Some other options for cider and wine on the Fruit Loop are Fox Tail Cider, Draper Girls Cider Company, and The Gorge White House.
Cannon Beach
Drive Time from Portland: 1 hour 30 minutes
Haystack Rock
In an hour and a half you’ll feel worlds away from Portland’s city buzz as you pull into the small coastal town of Cannon Beach. Haystack Rock is the pinnacle of Cannon Beach. As the tide retreats, it reveals a hidden world of starfish, crabs, and anemones. To see the vibrant marine life, check tide charts in advance. Look for 0.0 feet or lower, and plan to get there an hour before low tide to see the underwater ecosystems.
While you’re searching tide pools, don’t forget to look up. Cannon Beach is home to Tufted Puffins, identifiable by their black and white bodies and bright orange bill. The best time to see Puffins is first thing in the morning between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, April through August.
Hugs Point
Venture on to Hugs Point, five miles south of Cannon Beach. You’ll find walls of mussels lining the sandstone sea caves. In the spring, the changing seasons create a beach waterfall.
Low tide brought us to Cannon Beach in the early hours, so we were able to hit The Wayfarer for breakfast and iconic views before heading back to Portland.
What are your favorite day trips from Portland? Comment below!
