Willamette Valley

Abundant rainfall and melting snow in the spring makes for outstanding waterfall hikes (and photo opportunities galore). Check out the Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park, a roughly 12-kilometer moderate hiking trail that meanders past 10 falls, including several that you can actually walk behind. 

Built entirely by local volunteers, the Albany Carousel is, in a word, marvelous. Each animal, ranging from a giraffe to a dragon, is meticulously carved and painted by hand. The circa-1909 mechanical carousel structure was completely restored, from the bolts to the mirrors. You can still watch wood carvers at work and there’s a small museum featuring carousel animals dating back to 1885. It’s truly an Albany treasure.

Road trip an astonishing 346-kilometer route that weaves through old growth forests and alongside pristine mountain lakes, rushing rivers and natural hot springs. You can simply drive and enjoy the views, or stop along the way to fly fish, mountain bike, hike or paddle. Road cyclists should carve out time to pedal the 144 kilometers of the road that overlap with the Cascading Rivers Scenic Bikeway.

No doubt about it – the USA is a car-centric culture. Check out the World of Speed Museum, housing a huge array of rare cars, car memorabilia, race cars, interactive displays and rotating exhibits. From muscle cars to NASCAR, speed shops to cruising music, World of Speed explores the world’s love affair with cars.

It’s the highest peak in the Oregon Coast Range and an essential hike in any visitor’s agenda. Marys Peak rises 1,250 meters and, on a clear day, you’ll be wowed with views of the Willamette Valley, the Cascade Range and the Pacific Ocean. Spring is the ideal season to visit – the wildflower displays are spectacular.

If the only thing you know about aviation history is when your flight arrived in Oregon, not to worry – the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is utterly fascinating, even for the uninitiated. Check out military aircraft, helicopters and spacecraft. The museum’s crown jewel is the Spruce Goose, a massive, World War II-era plane built entirely of wood by Howard Hughes.

Matt Groening, the creator of “The Simpsons,” is a Portland, Oregon, native and modeled the imaginary Springfield after the Willamette Valley town of the same name. You can do an unofficial, self-guided tour to see the Springfield Horseman Statue and Jebediah Springfield, take a selfie with the family statue at the Springfield Museum, see the Simpsons Mural and stop for a beer at either Max’s Tavern (the original) or Moe’s Tavern (which opened after the show debuted). Fun fact: Groening named all of the Simpsons characters after his own parents and siblings.

If you need to fill some photo frames, grab your camera and do a bicycle or driving tour of Willamette Valley’s historic covered bridges. These were built extensively in the 19th century to protect wooden bridge floors from the rain. Along the way, stop at orchards, farms and small towns that can’t help but be charming with names like Sweet Home. Pick up a map at the Albany Visitors Center.

REI rated the Willamette one of the top seven thru-paddles in the lower 48 states. A kayak tour of “the Willy” is a great introduction to paddling for people of all ages. Several professional outfitters provide rentals and organized tours, including half- and full-day excursions, sunset paddling, craft beer and kayaking tours, and stand-up paddle boarding lessons.

The first bikeway in the USA was the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, and what a ride it is. The bucolic, 212-kilometer trail boasts amazing scenery, wineries, hops farms and inviting small towns. This is a fantastic ride all year round, but bring warm gear for the rainy winters.