Road Trippin' USA: Sweet Home, Oregon

One of the most populous cities in the Pacific Northwest is Portland, Oregon. Yet, the city of 650,000 or so has a small-town feel in each neighborhood, like the Rose Quarter, Beaumont, Old Town Chinatown, and even one called Hollywood that bears little resemblance to its Los Angeles namesake. Portland is a great starting place, especially if you’re flying in, but there’s so much more to see.

Those of you who remember the mid-70s computer game called The Oregon Trail and have residual anxiety about dying of dysentery, have no fear. There is immeasurable natural beauty in Oregon, and plenty of places to safely explore both on- and off-road.

Here are some tips on navigating Portland and beyond.

Head for the waterfalls

Ninety percent of passenger air travel into Oregon flies into Portland International Airport (PDX), situated just south of the Columbia River and six miles from the city. Nine different rental car agencies work with the airport at a variety of price points, so it’s easy to grab a ride. Or you might check out Turo, which rents out cars from individuals like a VRBO for transportation. With a quick search, I found everything from a 2023 Kia Soul to a 2019 Aston Martin Vantage to a 2023 Rivian R1S.

As of last year, you can even pump your own gas in Oregon. That’s a whole other story.

From PDX, head west along the Columbia River on highway 84 and then scoot over to the Historic Columbia River Highway to see a series of stunning waterfalls just off the road. My family and I stopped first at Multnomah Falls, a well-known 600-foot-tall cascade of water. Parking was tight, and no wonder: the U.S. Forest Service says Multnomah Falls is the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest.

It was worth the wait for a space. Hiking all the way to the top of the falls and back is a twisting 2.4 miles, and it’s an excellent calf workout with steep inclines. There are several sections with no guard rail, so keep that in mind.

Even if you don’t get out of the car, the scenery along the historic highway is gorgeous. The mighty Columbia River is on one side and waterfalls dot the other side intermittently.

Cross the river to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest