Tag Archives: driving scenic oregon

Crater Lake Lodging

Start planning that Oregon Road Trip with a trip on the Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway.  Oregon has more designated scenic byways and tour routes than any other state.  The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is the only State B&B Association and a welcoming inn awaits you as you travel the backroads.  I am presenting a series of blogs to assist you in creating create amazing getaways and tours in Oregon.  Thanks Travel Oregon for sharing this information

A National Park, a National Symbol, a Natural Treasure.  From Oregon’s world-famous Crater Lake National Park to a prime viewing spot for bald eagles, this drive owes its dramatic scenery and abundant wildlife to a rich volcanic past. This All-American Road extends all the way to Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. But the Oregon segment alone offers plenty to absorb in a day.

The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway in Oregon's Southern Cascade Range‘You’ll encounter the ancient natural forces that shaped exquisite mountain lakes and snow-capped peaks throughout this ‘volcano to volcano’ driving adventure that stretches from Crater Lake in Oregon to Mt Lassen in Northern California.’

Might we suggest lodging accommodations at a Prospect Historic Hotel of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild when visiting this national treasure?

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, its environment, culture, and heritage with you.  Get to know our State like a local. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a world class city experience, or a new spin on business travel,  you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance when staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

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Journey Through Time Scenic Byway; An Oregon Scenic Byway

Journey Through Time Scenic Byway reveals tales of pioneers, towns boomed and busted, and creatures that wandered this terrain million of years ago.  The Journey Through Time Scenic Byway stretches 266 miles through north central to eastern Oregon.  Beginning in the community of Biggs and ending in Baker City, this Byway meanders through ghost towns and small farming communities that bring to Old West to Life.

‘The ‘Wild and Scenic’ John Day River, North America’s second longest undammed river, parallels much of the route, offering excellent rafting, fishing, and camping.   Geology buffs, and anyone who’s curious about fossils, will take great pleasure in the interpretive trails at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.  The monument is made up of three units, one of which is the Painted Hills, recently labeled one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon.   Thanks to Travel Oregon for sharing this information.

It’s that time of year again.  Time to start planning that Oregon Road Trip. Oregon has more designated scenic byways and tour routes than any other state.  The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is the only State B&B Association of B&Bs and a welcoming inn awaits you as you travel the backroads.

Wilson Ranches Retreat in Fossil, Oregon, a member of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild provides the perfect accommodations when traveling the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway.  The Ranch offers up true Oregon hospitality and an Old West Experience. Whether you start or end your Journey in Baker City, Baker City Blue Door Inn should be the inn of choice in Eastern Oregon.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share with you their version of Oregon Culinary Tourism and Geotourism.  Get to know our State like a local; stay with one of our nearly 100 hosts in any one of our many regions. Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats.  Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, taking in Oregon Geotourism, for a World Class City experience, or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

oregon wineries

Winter in the Willamette Valley

Winter in the Willamette Valley is just beautiful.  Rumor is visitors will encounter rain and even more rain.  And you might but what a sunny and gorgeous time of year especially for touring some of our finest Oregon wineries.  Winter is typically not as busy as the summer months so you might have the opportunity to meet the winemaker or owner, learn more about the wines and why they taste the way they do.  Some might even break out a library wine or take you to the barrel room.  Many wineries are family operations giving you an opportunity to develop an intimate relationship of the entire operation.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are amazed each and every week with its beauty, but it’s our guests sharing what they love about the Oregon wine country that seems to tempt us to sneak away now and then for a taste. And we do. The Innkeepers in the Willamette Valley of Oregon can direct you to their favorite winery, vineyard and tasting room.  All for the love of good Oregon Wine.

The Willamette Valley is also home to snowy mountain peaks, fine art, rich heritage and a delicious culinary scene.  The many wildlife refuges provide opportunities to view the migratory birds such as the majestic Bald Eagle and the dusky Canada Goose.  Winter rains fill the foothill waterfalls and rivers that flow under the Covered Bridges.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, it’s environment, culture, and heritage with you. Get to know our State like a local; stay with one of our nearly 100 hosts in any one of our many regions. Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats.  Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, taking in Oregon Geotourism, for a World Class City experience, or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

The Historic Columbia River Highway between Bridal Veil and Ainsworth State Park has reopened.  This section of highway has been closed since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire.  Visit TripCheck.com for current road conditions.  Winter weather may force closures of the Historic Highway.  You can now drive The Highway between Exit 22, Crown Point and Vista House to Exit 35 off of Interstate 84.

Imagine crafting a national treasure on a landscape so beautiful that each viewpoint is protected and people come from all over the world to marvel at its perfection. This is the Historic Columbia River Highway.  Whether you are seeing it for the first time or you know every inch by heart, each time you drive, bike, or hike along the Historic Highway, you begin the journey anew.

Construction of the Historic Columbia River Highway began in 1913 and was considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the modern age.

As its name implies, the Byway is incredibly rich in cultural history.  This stretch of the Columbia once served as fishing and meeting grounds for the many indigenous peoples of the Columbia Basin.  Oregon Trail Pioneers also traveled down the Columbia in the mid 1800s.

When the highway first opened in 1916, Teddy Roosevelt praised its scenic grandeur and remarkable engineering. And The Illustrated London News went on to call it “the king of roads.” With its mossy stone walls and graceful viaducts winding past dozens of waterfalls, this All-American Road still reigns as one of the world’s most glorious drives.’

Oregon has more designated scenic byways and tour routes than any other state.  The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is the only State B&B Association and a welcoming inn awaits you as you travel the backroads.  Enjoy our series of scenic bikeways, byways, and tours posts, helping you to create amazing getaways and tours in Oregon.  Thanks Travel Oregon for sharing this information

Start planning your road trip through the Columbia River Gorge by booking a room at either a Portland or Mt Hood Region bed and breakfast of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild

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.

McKenzie River Koosah Falls

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These Scenic rides/drives can be taking in your car or on your bike. Either way there is an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member inn where you can rest your tired bones at either end.  Plan either your two or 4-wheeled vacation in Oregon on one of Oregon’s Scenic Drives in the Central Cascades.

Oregon is the only state in the nation with a Scenic Bikeways program.  These routes were created, inspected, ridden and officially approved by Ride Oregon Ride and those cyclists who have made Oregon a bike friendly state at the head of the pack.

Fall foliage is amazing on these routes though Oregon Central Cascades and you’ll want to hit them before the first snows fall.  I’ve included links for both the McKenzie River Scenic Bikeway and the McKenzie Pass/Santiam Pass Scenic Byway.  Both allow you to start your journey in Sisters, Oregon, at the Long Hollow Ranch before heading over the McKenzie Pass to inns along the McKenzie River. Finish the 82 mile ride by taking the McKenzie Pass/Santiam Pass Scenic Byway back to Sisters.  Lava fields, snowcapped peaks and rushing rivers mark this 82-mile loop around two of Central Oregon’s Cascade Mountain passes.

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.

Oregon Leaf Peepers are sure to enjoy the vibrant fall colors

Oregon Leaf Peepers have come to expect a stunning fall color show and this year’s changing of the seasons will not disappoint as a variety of deciduous trees begin to change against a bold evergreen background.

Typically one can expect the Willamette Valley peak color change to happen during the third week in October.  The higher you go in the Cascade Mountains the earlier the color change. Road passes often peak 10 days to two weeks earlier than the lower elevations.

The earliest fall color display happens in the Wallowa Mountains and northeast region of Oregon, peaking the first part of October.

I found this blog, Oregon Fall Foliage Report, and from Labor Day through November, their goal will be to let you know where to find the best and brightest colors throughout the state. Visit or call the Fall Foliage Hotline at 800.547.5445.

Begin planning your Fall Foliage Tour, first by choosing a region, then by calling an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inn and asking when the peak near them might occur.  We may not hit it right on but since we live and play in our regions we have a pretty good idea what’s happening around us.

The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild provides quality accommodations throughout Oregon.  From the coast to the Willamette Valley.  From the Cascades to the high altitudes of Eastern Oregon you’ll enjoy the crisp cool days of fall and come home to the warmth of a unique Oregon Bed and Breakfast.

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.

wonderful hikes on the oregon coast

So many wonderful hikes on the Oregon Coast.  Here are but a few.  All 363 Miles of the Oregon Coast are free and open to the Public.  From agate covered beaches to lush rainforests to numerous hiking opportunities.  Whale Watching and Beach-combing.  Golfing or just be still and listening to the crashing waves.  How you explore it is entirely up to you.  Complete your visit with a stay at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Member inn.  We invite you to visit the Oregon Coast, one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon

Cape Lookout is one of the best spots for watching the whales during their spring and fall migration

Cape Meares Hike takes your though a state park and a wildlife refuge and connects to the Cape Meares Lighthouse Trail.

Cascade Head Conservancy trail ~ spectacular views and is home to an endangered butterfly and at least 2 rare plants

Bayocean Spit Look Hike ~ a sand spit hike with great birdwatching

Nestucca Spit Loop Hike ~ a lovely bayshore hike leading into wonderful wooded strip of stunted, lichen-draped trees

Sand Lake – Cape Kiwanda Hike ~ a beach hike with excellent views of Cape Lookout and Haystack Rock

The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild inns welcome you to the rugged and scenic Oregon Coast.  You can certainly inn hop from Astoria to Port Orford traveling the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and stay at member inns along the way.  Select your inns, pack your hiking boots, grab your binoculars and be prepared to be dazzled by the abundance of wildlife and spectacular scenery on the Oregon Coast.

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.

Silver Falls State Park

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Silver Falls State Park just outside of Silverton, Oregon and is the second largest state park in Oregon and only 20 miles southeast of Salem, our state capital with 9,000+ acres that includes more than 24 miles of walking trails, 14 miles of horse trails, and a 4-mile bike path. The 8.7-mile Trail of Ten Falls runs along the banks of Silver Creek and has 4 walk behind falls.

North Falls is the third tallest waterfall within Silver Falls State Park. North Silver Creek is channeled through a narrow crack in the basaltic bedrock, from which it thunders 136 feet to the bottom of the canyon.

The Trail of Ten Falls is a 8.7-mile loop that passes behind four of Silver Falls State Park’s waterfalls, but the massive recess behind North Falls is especially unique.  The undercut cliff extends back from the falls for at least 100 feet, and the ceiling runs anywhere from 20 to perhaps as much as 75 feet above the trail as it passes behind the falls.

You can Chase Waterfalls with us by subscribing to this blog, follow us on Pinterest, and on our Facebook Page.  According to Wiki there are at least 238 waterfalls in Oregon!  I’m guessing even more than that.  Wouldn’t it be grand to witness the beauty of every one of them?  We’ve set out to find them all.  And when we do we’ll share our finds with you, our guests, so you too can set out to Chase Waterfalls.

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.

Three Capes Scenic Drive

Three Capes Scenic Drive and Three Oregon Bed and Breakfasts

Three Capes Scenic DriveThree Capes Scenic Drive is a spectacular one with dramatic cliffs, old growth forests, crashing waves, hidden beaches, and historic lighthouses.

This gorgeous byway connects three amazing capes: Cape Kiwanda, Cape Lookout, and Cape Meares, and loops around on a lovely inland stretch of highway 101.   Along the way, you’ll pass incredible sea stacks, sand dunes, pristine beaches and charming seaside towns, two of which are home to Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member inns.

At Thyme and Tide Bed and Breakfast in Oceanside fall asleep to the sound of the surf and wake up to a delicious hot breakfast.  Oceanside is a cozy little hideaway located just off the Three Capes Scenic Route.  Built upon a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Oceanside offers the ambiance of a quaint European Village.

Also in Oceanside: turtlejanes bed and breakfast offers two beautifully appointed bedrooms with spectacular views, king-size beds, private bathrooms with heated floors, and blackout shades on the windows.

Located just offshore is the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, the first National Wildlife Refuge established west of the Mississippi.  Three Arch Rocks is home to the largest breeding colony of tufted puffins and the only site on Oregon’s North Coast for pupping steller sea lions.  A tunnel through Maxwell Point affords access to Tunnel Beach, Agate Beach and other secluded beaches.

Sandlake Country Inn, an historic Farmhouse on the Three Capes Scenic Route provides luxury and privacy with 3 large rooms and a separate romantic cottage situated on a babbling brook with the Pacific ocean a short mile away.  The quaint town of Pacific City is just 10 minutes south where you will find  Haystack Rock, restaurants and the famous Pelican Brew Pub.

The drive only takes a couple of hours in total, but you’ll want to plan on taking some extra time to explore along the way, perhaps create a multi-day adventure, allowing our innkeepers to be your hosts.

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.

Oregon Coast Birding

North Oregon Coast Birding

“The northern coast of Oregon stretches from the mouth of the historic Columbia River south to fog-shrouded Cascade Head, an area of broad tidal estuaries and rugged headlands that flank stretches of sandy beaches.”  This from the North Coast map of the Oregon Coast Birding Trail   From Astoria, to Seaside, the town of Tillamook, to Lincoln City.  Close to 375 species of birds have been recorded on the Northern Oregon Coast and quite a few Oregon Bed and Breakfasts are awaiting your arrival.

Start your Oregon coast adventure at an Astoria Bed and Breakfast overlooking the mighty Columbia River.  Astoria’s historic Downtown is minutes from the floodplains and open wetlands of the lower Columbia River ecosystem.

The Necanicum Estuary is one of the best sites on the north coast to watch shorebirds during migration.  The Pacific Coast Scenic Byway winds through flooded pasture, river frontage and estuaries surrounding Tillamook Bay Estuaries, bays, plentiful river systems, coastal rainforests and an extensive watershed ecosystem offers unmatched bird watching opportunities.

Heading down the coast toward Lincoln City is the Cascade Head Nature Preserve where spectacular sitka spruce forests end with views of the Salmon River Estuary.  Roosevelt elk graze the open grasslands that are habitat for the endangered Oregon Silverspot Butterfly.

We’ve mentioned only a couple inns of the Oregon Bed and Breakfasts inns on the Oregon Coast. You can certainly inn hop from Astoria to Port Orford and stay at member inns along the way.  Take your pick, grab your binoculars and be prepared to be dazzled by the abundance of wildlife and spectacular scenery on the Oregon Coast.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, it’s environment, culture, and heritage with you. Get to know our State like a local; stay with one of our nearly 100 hosts in any one of our many regions. Experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats.  Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, taking in Oregon Geotourism, for a World Class City experience, or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.