11 Oregon Towns to Visit This Weekend If You’re Tired of Netflix & Takeout

Adventure, Art, and Scenic Views Await

Burned out on city life?

These Oregon escapes are your 48-hour reset button. They’re close enough for a weekend bolt, far enough to feel like you’ve actually gone somewhere.

Here are 11 towns that’ll remind you why you live in the Pacific Northwest.

Sisters

25 miles northwest of Bend sits a mountain town for those craving nature and fresh air.

The Metolius River Trail is a 4.4-mile stunner that winds through ponderosa pines along spring-fed waters.

In winters, hit the slopes at Hoodoo Mountain (30-minute drive).

The downtown looks straight out of an old Western but with art galleries mixed in. Need a place to crash? Book one of the cabins or lodges with Three Sisters views.

Time your visit for the July Outdoor Quilt Show to see the town at its liveliest.

Cannon Beach

80 miles west of Portland, this coastal town is one of the most photographed spots in Oregon.

Haystack Rock sticks right outtta the ocean. The beach stretches for 4 miles, and those tide pools around Haystack are like a mini aquarium.

Don’t skip Ecola State Park, the 2.5-mile Clatsop Loop takes you through old-growth spruce forest that’ll make you feel tiny.

Come in June to watch pros build insane sandcastles during the annual contest. Stay anywhere from beachfront rentals to historic inn.

It’s only 1.5 hours from Portland, and yes, there’s a shuttle if you don’t want to drive.

Joseph

Want to feel like you’re in the Swiss Alps without leaving Oregon? This place near Wallowa Lake is where you should be this weekend.

From May through October, hop on the Wallowa Lake Tramway to hit the 8,150-foot summit of Mount Howard with no climbing required.

If you’re into serious hiking, the Lakes Basin Loop in Eagle Cap Wilderness is a challenging 12-mile trek past glacier-carved lakes. Stay at the cabins or campgrounds near Wallowa Lake State Park.

Fair warning: it’s a 6-hour haul from Portland, but you can fly into Lewiston, Idaho (90 minutes away) to save some drive time.

Jacksonville

Just 15 minutes from Medford, this Gold Rush town looks like time stopped in the 1800s.

The Jacksonville Woodlands Trail System gives you 15 miles of hiking paths through oak savannas. Summer evenings mean concerts at the Britt Pavilion, and the Applegate Valley wineries are perfect for afternoon tastings.

Sleep in a piece of history at one of the bed-and-breakfasts in restored Victorian homes.

Hood River

Positioned 60 miles east of Portland, this spot is where windsurfers, mountain views, and wine country collide.

Don’t miss the 35-mile Fruit Loop drive between April and December that connects farms and takes you through local fruit stands.

Winter means powder time on Mount Hood, just 40 minutes away.

Most lodges here come with killer river views, and you’re only an hour from PDX airport. Perfect for a quick weekend escape.

Yachats

Drive 2.5 hours from Eugene and you’re home to some dramatic views.

This town features the 804 Trail along the cliffside that’ll make you whip out a cam, and the tide pools at Yachats State Recreation Area are accessible year-round.

Watching the storm from Cape Perpetua overlook in winter is like seeing nature’s IMAX show. Skip the chain hotels and rent a place with an oceanfront kitchen instead.

Depoe Bay

Known as the “Whale Watching Capital of Oregon” this spot 12 miles north of Newport is whale-watching central.

Book a tour any time of year, but December-January and March-April are peak seasons when these giants are showing off.

Walk the 0.6-mile seawall for harbor views, and don’t miss Devils Punchbowl State Park, just 10 minutes north.

Most condos here come with ocean-facing balconies, perfect for spotting spouts from your living room.

Just 2 hours from Salem makes it doable for a weekend trip.

Florence

3 hours from Portland or 90 minutes from Eugene, Florence is a weekend territory.

The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area offers 40 miles of sandy terrain for ATV rides or sandboarding, or keep it chill with paddleboarding on Cleawox Lake at Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial Park.

The 1894 Heceta Head Lighthouse offers a 1-mile trail with front-row seats to seabird colonies. Old Town’s historic boardwalk is perfect for grabbing fresh seafood or renting kayaks for Siuslaw River adventures.

Want more? The Hobbit Trail (yes, that’s really its name) is a magical 0.5-mile forest walk to a hidden beach.

Cottage Grove

Located 20 miles south of Eugene, Cottage Grove is an old-school charm in a box.

This town is famous for its six historic covered bridges and the Row River Trail – 16 paved miles past Dorena Lake on a decommissioned railway featured in “Stand By Me.”

Rent bikes or kayaks to explore the lake, or come in July for Bohemia Mining Days when the whole town goes the 1800s with gold-panning demos and historical reenactments.

Downtown rocks a vintage theater and museums packed with logging and railroad history. Camp by Cottage Grove Lake or grab a budget-friendly motel room.

Ashland

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival runs February through October with 100+ performances across three theaters, but that’s just the start.

Lithia Park spans 93 acres of pure Oregon beauty, with trails, duck ponds, and natural springs. Hike the 3.2-mile Pilot Rock Trail for Mount Shasta views, or hit Mt. Ashland for skiing from December to April.

It’s just 30 minutes away.

Sunriver

Approximately 15 miles south of Bend, this planned community is your perfect family base in Central Oregon’s pine forests.

It’s 3.5 hours from Portland on Highway 97, but you’ll want to stay a while.

Bike 40+ miles of paved paths connecting you to the Deschutes River, check out live otters at the Sunriver Nature Center or stargaze at the Observatory.

Winter means cross-country skiing on groomed trails or downhill at Mt. Bachelor (30 minutes away). Kayak the Little Deschutes River or fish the Cascade Lakes.

Book a vacation home with a full kitchen for your crew, and use the shuttle from Redmond Airport to keep it simple.