Ever since I drove the famous Highway 1 from San Francisco towards Los Angeles a few years ago, the magical West Coast of the United States of America has held a very special place in my heart. But a big dream of mine is still a trip to the more northern states, especially Oregon. Dense deep green forests, majestic mountains like Mt. Hood, wild and breathtakingly beautiful nature and the rugged Pacific coast on the one hand, the lively and colourful city life and many cultural features in the largest city Portland on the other - here in Oregon in the western USA there is so much to see and experience.
Did you know that Oregon is very committed to environmental protection and sustainability? You can explore the city of Portland and its many features, as well as the impressive nature around it, in the most beautiful and intensive way, but still keep your ecological footprint as small as possible. Here are three great ideas for sustainable and unforgettable tours and places in Oregon that I've been flirting with for the past few years, and hopefully won't be on my bucket list for too much longer!
Cannon Beach, the Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site & Face Rock State Park
One of Oregon' s greatest highlights is certainly its rugged and wild coastline, where the roaring waves of the Pacific Ocean constantly roll in. The natural beaches near the small town of Cannon Beach are particularly picturesque, not least because of the striking rock monolith Haystack Rock, which towers majestically 72 metres above the waves. Whether in the middle of the roaring ocean at high tide or with a lovely reflection in the wet sand at low tide - Haystack Rock always makes for a great photo motif.
Here at Cannon Beach, you can also watch the whales off the coast or walk across the famous singing sand at Arcadia Beach State Recreation Site. As a restaurant tip for Cannon Beach, I would like to recommend the Driftwood Restaurant, because here you will be served juicy steak and delicious seafood in a particularly beautiful and cosy atmosphere, as dear friends have told me.
Face Rock State Park south of Portland is at least as enchanting as the beaches further north. The big advantage? The coastal sections down here are not yet so well known to tourists, and you can stroll along the almost mystical rock formations at your leisure. Many of the monoliths resting here have appropriate names, such as Face Rock, in which you can clearly make out a face (the face of a princess) looking towards the sky. Also very interesting are the numerous legends and stories to which the stones owe their names.
On the subject of sustainability: Some places along the coast are among the now numerous "car-free destinations", i.e. the places in Oregon that you can reach absolutely perfectly well without a rental car or your own car. The really good train and bus connections to and from Portland make this possible.
Photos: TravelOregon.com (photographer: Joni Kabana) Mount Hood & the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
From the wildly beautiful Oregon coast, I now whisk you away to the picturesque but no less pristine enchanting interior. The majestic volcano Mount Hood is the highest mountain in the state at an impressive 3,425 metres. Unforgettable memories can be made both in the lofty heights along its slopes and at its feet. Down there, for example, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area beckons with great landscapes along the river. Adventurous rafting, leisurely hiking from waterfall to waterfall, fishing and of course many other river activities sweeten your days here. By the way, the largest waterfalls in the area, with a height of around 190 metres, are the Multnomah Falls, where some scenes from the vampire film Twilight were actually filmed.
And what exactly is sustainable about this destination? The area around Mount Hood and the Columbia River is criss-crossed with a dense network of charging stations, so you can rent an electric vehicle instead of a normal car with a good and safe feeling, and thus burden the sensitive nature and environment as little as possible during your road trip.
Of course, there is still the option to explore Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge on a guided tour. If you feel safer and more at ease, then maybe you should check out America's Hub World Tours, which offers highly recommended tours in this beautiful area.
Spend the night in the middle of unspoilt nature
In Oregon, there are now numerous great lodges that have made it their goal to bring their guests closer to the decelerating silence and soothing solitude of nature. At WildSpring Guest Habitat, for example, you sleep in one (of only five) exclusive rustic-luxurious cabins in the middle of the forest. Wake up naturally to the chirping of birds at dawn, breathe in the cool, clean air of the coast during the day, and end the day relaxing in the hot tub with a breathtakingly beautiful view of the rushing sea in the distance. In the nearby village, it's also worth taking a relaxing stroll to the small individual art galleries or the lighthouse.
On the subject of sustainability: The management of the lodge attaches great importance (among other things) to the use of exclusively natural cleaning agents and operates in a completely climate-neutral manner. Of course, you will also find such sustainable accommodation in many other places in Oregon. It's definitely worth doing some research on this topic before you book your hotel!
Getting to Portland, Oregon in the United States of America
Your destination airport in Oregon is Portland International Airport (PDX). Delta Air Lines, for example, flies directly from Amsterdam to Portland in 10 hours and 25 minutes. You can book this flight on the official KLM website. To make your journey as sustainable as possible (unfortunately there are still no real alternatives to flying), you can travel to the airport by train instead of by car and choose to offset your flight with a donation. Once in Portland, a well-equipped public transport network is waiting to take you from the airport to the city centre in just 15 minutes.
Well, have you ever thought about a trip to Oregon & Portland? Or have you been there yourself and explored the wild coastline and unspoiled nature? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the form of a comment here on my travel blog!
More inspiration on Oregon & Portland:
*This article was written as part of a paid collaboration with Travel Oregon & Zapper PR. However, I was completely free in the implementation of the journalistic content and my opinion is, as always, my own. Some of the images were provided to me by TravelOregon.com, which is also where the image rights lie.
