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Visit Oregon City |
By Guest Authors: Allie & Danella
From small mountain towns to suburban cities, Mt. Hood Territory has so much to offer both visitors and locals. Spending a day in downtown Oregon City means having access to terrific dining and shopping, alongside beautiful views and the opportunity to visit some of the area's best museums. And the best part? Almost everything is within walking distance in this historic city of the Pacific Northwest.
Coffee and breakfast spots are plentiful in Oregon City, but The Hive Social is a must for food and drinks. They feature a farm-to-table menu with options that can fit any appetite. In the morning make sure to visit their corner coffee shop, and in the evenings they offer an amazing dinner selection. Plus, see if you can find yourself The Hardware Store, their below ground speakeasy for a one-of-a-kind experience.
The Hive Social offers an incredible selection of menu items.
On Saturdays, Oregon City offers an exceptionally vibrant and diverse farmers market. With piles of local produce, baked goods galore and artisanal crafts lining row after row you can easily spend several hours perusing the vendors' goods, all while enjoying a lemonade and listening to live music!
Oregon City is home to several high-quality, family friendly museums. The End of the Oregon Trail Visitor and Interpretive Information Center has information and exhibits that highlight the grueling trek made by many to land in the first Euro-American city west of the Rocky Mountains. They also feature a film in their theater called "Oregon's First People" which was created in partnership with the Grand Ronde Tribe to shed light on the indigenous peoples that lived here for centuries prior. Another option is the smaller, but spectacular Museum of the Oregon Territory, which features special displays from years gone by, including an old mock pharmacy and courtroom set up, and not to mention an incredible view of Willamette Falls.
Oregon City offers incredible views of Willamette Falls.
Don’t spend all your time indoors when visiting Oregon City. Walk along the McLoughlin Promenade, which will give you a stunning view of Willamette Falls, where the water cascades 40 feet over basalt. The best way to access the promenade is via North America’s only vertical street, also known as the self-service Oregon City Municipal Elevator! Park in the downtown area and head over to the spaceship-looking building to grab your ride up the 130-foot tower! Take a moment to be grateful for the elevator so you don’t have to climb the 722 steps that were required to access the upper level promenade in earlier years. At the top of the elevator there is a small visitor center and a panoramic view of downtown, the Willamette River and the Historic Arch Bridge.
Oregon City has so much more to offer locals and visitors. Small towns and suburbs to larger cities are alive with culture and community. The streets are full of cafes, art galleries and local shops. Some of the great spots include White Rabbit Books & Gifts, imperfecta. art gallery and You Can Leave Your Hat On. Don’t forget to check out the historical stops all within walking distance to downtown, including The McLoughlin House, The Ermatinger House and The Stevens-Crawford Heritage House (which as a bonus your ticket to the Museum of the Oregon Territory gets you into the Steven-Crawford House as well!) And don’t forget to refuel. There is an excellent selection of food trucks at Corner 14 and across the street at Oregon City Brewing, which are oh-so-satisfying after a day of exploring.
It is easy to spend an entire day in Oregon City, but even easier to plan several days adventuring in this suburb of Portland. Take a day away from the big city or spend an entire vacation soaking up the charm that both this town and its people offer. These are just a few of the opportunities this city offers, there are so many more to experience. Everytime we visit we find something new and wonderful to see and do!
We are Allie & Danella (she/her/hers). We are sometimes crocheters, oftentimes wanderers, all the time queers living in the forested foothills of Mt. Hood. Our favorite things about living in Mt. Hood Territory are the access to outdoor recreation and the warm welcome we have received from the local community. We run Wander Free and Queer full-time from our tiny home-on-wheels in Welches. We started our business to cultivate community through organizing events, handcrafting goods, and creating content that encourages living out, loud and proud!
Photo By River and Root Photography - Taken at Little Zigzag Falls
