Category Archives: Sustainable Travel

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach with sandy beaches

The Pacific Coast Scenic Byway ‘Wind, Waves and a Long, Winding Road’

Yes, it’s possible to drive the entire Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in a single day. But it’s also pointless. Because you wouldn’t have time to experience any of the Instagram worthy viewpoints, stunning state parks and quaint coastal towns.

The Oregon Coast: one of 7 Wonders of Oregon

Tufted Puffin sculpture in Cannon Beach‘This Byway offers many natural wonders. Visit between November and June to watch the storms come in or to scan the horizon to catch a glimpse of migrating gray whales. Several rock formations are home to large colonies of seals and sea lions, and shorebirds abound in the countless estuaries. Tufted Puffins spend months floating and diving on open seas and return each spring to Cannon Beach’s Haystack Rock to lay eggs and raise their chicks. And then there’s the wind-sculpted dunes, marshes, lush agricultural valleys and majestic rainforests.’ Thanks to Travel Oregon for sharing this information.

Oregon Bed and Breakfasts along the Way

Yes, it’s possible to drive the entire Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in a single day. But why would you when could easily create an itinerary that includes stays a member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild in Oceanside, Lincoln City to Port Orford? Take a few days and enjoy the ride.

Sunset at Tunnel Beach oceanside
Tunnel Beach in Oceanside Oregon

The Oregon Coast Scenic Electric Byway

Oregon is embracing electric vehicles (EVs) with such enthusiasm we are creating Electric Byways across the state. The Oregon Coast Electric Byway allows you drive all 363 miles of the beautiful Oregon Coast and charge your EV along the way.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. 

Although mask guidelines are lifted:

● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.

● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.

We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly kind to yourself.

Red Barn surrounded by Pear Orchards in Bloom and Mt Hood

Three Oregon Scenic Byways lead to the Old Parkdale Inn in the Upper Hood River Valley.

Travel through the Columbia River Gorge on the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, HCRH, and around majestic Mt Hood on the Mt. Hood Scenic Byway. For the sustainable traveler the HCRH and Mt Hood Scenic Byways combined create one of six Electric Byways in Oregon: the Mt Hood and Columbia River Gorge Electric Byway.

These Three Oregon Scenic Byways lead to the Old Parkdale Inn

Sustainable travelers on the Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge Electric Byway can now circumvent the mountain from Portland with charging stations strategically installed along the way. Thanks to a grant from Travel Oregon the Old Parkdale Inn installed two EV stations. Vehicles with a range of 60 miles or less should travel this electric byway in a counterclockwise direction.

The Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway

The Historic Columbia River Highway, is a national treasure, each view point so spectacular that people come from all over the world to marvel at the vistas. Construction of the HCRH began in 1913 and was considered one of the greatest engineering feats in the modern age.

The Mt Hood Scenic Byway

The Mt. Hood Scenic Byway takes visitors on a majestic route around Mt. Hood, the highest point in Oregon at 11,240′. One of Oregon’s 7 Wonders, the now-dormant volcano is believed to have been formed 11 to 14 million years ago, is home to 12 glaciers and the source for five rivers that run into the Columbia. A 2 mile detour brings you into Parkdale and the Old Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast.

Mt Hood – Parkdale Oregon Bed and Breakfast

Two story beige house with brown roof and trim. Old Parkdale Inn Bed and BreakfastOld Parkdale Inn Bed and Breakfast – Recognized as an Oregon Bike Friendly Business and now with two EV charging stations. The Old Parkdale Inn is the ideal home base for outdoor adventures or a quiet retreat. Phone: 541-352-5551 View Old Parkdale Inn Availability

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. 

Although mask guidelines are lifted:

● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.

● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.

We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly be kind to yourself.

sun rays shining the WildSpring Guest Habitat labyrinth

WildSpring Guest Habitat is a small, eco friendly resort on the Oregon Coast in Port Orford and a member of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild.

WildSpring Guest Habitat sits on 5 Serene Acres

Gardens of WildSpring Guest Habitat overlooking the Pacific Ocean

The Guest Habitat offers luxury accommodations in a naturally beautiful environment. Five elegant cabin suites are filled with with art and antiques and sit in a secluded, peaceful forest

Luxury Accommodations Surrounded by Giant Trees

Experience a tranquil stroll though the sculpture gardens, walk the labyrinth or soak in a large open-air slate spa all overlooking the ocean.

Guests will enjoy a Guest Hall with modern guest kitchen, where a buffet breakfast is served. Help yourself to refreshments in the Guest Hall at any time, including popcorn and chocolates! In your cabin are spa robes, WiFi, a flat-panel TV/DVD, and CD/iPod stereo and comforting amenities. Maybe schedule an in-cabin massage.

Port Orford and the South Oregon Coast

It’s a short walk to an uncrowded beach on the Oregon coast in search of agates and driftwood. Be sure to stroll into the lovely small town of Port Orford with art galleries, hiking trails, birdwatching, historical sites and the most westerly lighthouse in the 48 states.

‘If you love trees, your heart will be happy here. Comfy warm cabins, well lighted paths to the guest hall and hot tub’a Tripadvisor contributor

WildSpring Guest Habitat is a remarkable place with incredibly serene energy. Energy that creates a sense of connection to the land and to those who have shared it through the years.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. 

Although mask guidelines are lifted:

● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.

● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.

We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly kind to yourself.

aerial view of Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast solar array

‘Travel brings us up close to some of our planet’s most stunning natural wonders and connects us with cultures around the globe. It also has the power to change places and the lives of the people who live there, for better or worse.’ Sustainable Travel International

Sustainable Business Practices

From the use of organic bath products and green cleaning solutions to natural fiber bedding and eco-friendly mattresses many member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are committed to providing luxury accommodations with sustainable business practices in mind.

Breakfasts are prepared with fresh, locally sourced Oregon grown fruits and vegetables. And some of our inns have taken ambitious action, working towards a net zero future. These climate solutions will protect the planet and its treasures by mitigating our carbon footprint, generating awareness, and helping the earth heal.

Sustainable Travel Solar Arrays

Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast installed a 20,000 kWh solar array in December 2014. Being connected to the grid the generated power we don’t directly use goes back into the grid. In the months of April through September, the array generates more power than the B&B uses. PGE credits it for what they generate.

‘Over an entire year, the array meets 70-80% of the B&B’s power needs. We manually change the tilt of the panels seasonally to take advantage of the angel of the sun. We’ve paid off the array between federal and state subsidies and the power generation’ reports the owner/innkeepers Kristin and Curt.

Solar Array at Yamhill Vineyards Bed and breakfastYamhill Vineyards Bed & Breakfast has 39 above ground panels generating energy for the B & B, which is also the innkeepers home. According to the environmental benefits, from the time of installation in April 2022 and January 14, 2023, the installation has saved 23,499 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere, the equivalent of 177 trees planted.

Geothermal

Yamhill Vineyards Bed & Breakfast has Geothermal heating and cooling. The inground loops pick up the constant temperature of the ground. The Water Furnace has an added pump for cooling the compressor which takes the heat from the compressor and transfers it to the hot water heater, thus we have a lot of hot water.

Along with this system Yamhill Bed and Breakfast also has a Honeywell air filtering system. Filtering the air in the house. We have a fan that can exchange the whole house air to keep the house air clean and fresh.

Carbon Neutral Credits

WildSpring Guest Habitat

WildSpring is fortunate to be located in an astonishingly beautiful part of our planet. They try to keep it that way.

Everything they do here has been designed to have a minimum impact on the environment, and all our choices were made with three questions in mind: Will it be beautiful in a natural way? Will it help protect the environment? Will it make guests feel cared for? Read about their practices to ensure guest comfort and well being.

WildSpring is a remarkable place with an incredibly serene energy that creates a sense of connection to the land and to those who have shared it through the years.

There is a sense of timeless reverence here, and it’s easy to lie in one of the hammocks looking up at the treetops swaying in the wind and imagine a different life.

In Japan, they call it “forest bathing,” based on research that shows time spent in nature lowers stress levels and increases the emotional and physical ability to heal. Click on the teal box to the right for more information. And, they are carbon neutral.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Old Parkdale Inn – Mt Hood Region – one Tesla and one ClipperCreek are a free amenity for registered guests and also will be available to those passing through Parkdale along the Mt Hood and Columbia Gorge Electric Byway.

Willamette Valley Bed and Breakfast – Willamette Valley Region – two Level 2 chargers for electric vehicles.

C. H. Bailey House – Southern Oregon Region – a EV charger

WildSpring Guest Habitat – Southern Oregon Coast – Tesla and Universal Level 2 J1772 charging units

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. 

Although mask guidelines are lifted:

● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.

● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.

We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly kind to yourself.

Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach with sandy beaches

‘Wind, Waves and a Long, Winding Road’

Yes, it’s possible to drive the entire Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in a single day. But it’s also pointless. Because you wouldn’t have time to experience any of the Instagram worthy viewpoints, stunning state parks and quaint coastal towns.

The Oregon Coast: one of 7 Wonders of Oregon

A large Puffin Sculpture on the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway‘The Pacific Coast Scenic Byway offers many natural wonders. Visit between November and June to watch the storms come in or to scan the horizon to catch a glimpse of migrating gray whales. Several rock formations are home to large colonies of seals and sea lions, and shorebirds abound in the countless estuaries. Tufted Puffins spend months floating and diving on open seas and return each spring to Cannon Beach’s Haystack Rock to lay eggs and raise their chicks. And then there’s the wind-sculpted dunes, marshes, lush agricultural valleys and majestic rainforests.’ Thanks to Travel Oregon for sharing this information.

Oregon Bed and Breakfasts along the Way

Yes, it’s possible to drive the entire Pacific Coast Scenic Byway in a single day. But why would you when could easily create an itinerary that includes stays a member inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild in Oceanside, Lincoln City to Port Orford? Take a few days and enjoy the ride.

Tunnel Beach Sunset in Oceanside Oregon
Tunnel Beach in Oceanside Oregon

The Oregon Coast Scenic Electric Byway

Oregon is embracing electric vehicles (EVs) with such enthusiasm we are creating Electric Byways across the state. The Oregon Coast Electric Byway allows you drive all 363 miles of the beautiful Oregon Coast and charge your EV along the way.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Our inns are following COVID-19 protocol guidance from the Oregon Health Authority. 

Although mask guidelines are lifted:

● Some businesses may choose to still require masks.

● Some people may choose to still wear a mask.

We have all struggled through COVID-19 and could use a little kindness. Please be respectful of local businesses and their workers and most importantly kind to yourself.

Bicycles on a deck

Cycle your way through Oregon – A Sustainable Travel Option. It’s time to get your bikes out of the basement, the shed or garage. Dust the seat off and grab your helmet and you are good to go!

One of the most scenic states in the country to ride bikes is Oregon. Oregon plays host to cyclists from all over the world every summer. It’s not unusual for some our Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inns to be filled with bicyclists when the weather is perfect here!

Oregon’s innovative Scenic Bikeways offers the very best scenic, historic, natural and cultural experiences to explore from the seat of your bike. Some of these trails take you through the most beautiful countryside you have ever seen. Small towns, villages, covered bridges. You can experience it on your bike this season! Restaurants and deli’s along the bikes routes are expecting you and we have heard nothing but positive experiences from our cyclists.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Across the State

Many inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are located along these bike trails too!  Most have storage for your gear, can fill your water bottles, point you in the right direction for pasta to get you through the next day and then send you off with a hearty culinary experience you will not forget!  They’ll even share some of their favorite scenic back roads nearby.

So, plan your trip, pack your bikes and we’ll see you bicycling in Oregon this season!  Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Hospitality Update: Oregon is one of the top states where it looks like social distancing is working. Our inns have been proactively doing everything in our power to keep you safe, welcome you back, as travel restrictions are being lifted. Not sure if your favorite inn is open? Give them a call as they just might be.