Britta & Nick
Things To Do
Oregon City Brewing Company
So GOOD! This is one of our favorite breweries to visit, just a skip down the hill from our house. They offer an excellent (& super organized) variety of local brews to enjoy. The staff is very knowledgeable and happy to pour samples and help you find your favorite brew. Try a sour! They're Britta's fav and OCB always has an awesome selection :) Hungry? Olympia Provisions shares the space - they whip up some delicious brats, burgers, and hotdogs!
Corner 14 FoodCarts Spirits & Brew
Founded and operated by a father and daughter with a deep love for the community of Oregon City. Combining craft cocktails and beer, food carts, campfires, axe throwing, and live music. Corner 14 proudly serves up a uniquely Oregonian experience.
Willamette Falls
At the confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers, Willamette Falls is a sight to behold. It’s the second most powerful waterfall in North America and considered one of state’s most important historic sites, as a longtime cultural, fishing and gathering place for Native American tribes. There are a few nice overlooks off of Hwy 99E in Oregon City where you can enjoy a good view of the falls. If you want to see the falls up close you can take a tour or rent your own kayak/SUP boards through eNRG Kayaking.
Oregon City Municipal Elevator
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a 130-foot elevator which connects two neighborhoods in Oregon City in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the only outdoor municipal elevator in the US and one of only four in the world. The upper portion contains an observation deck which accounts for its flying saucer appearance. There have been two elevators at this location with the current elevator was built in 1954-55.
End of the Oregon Trail
Oregon City is an easy drive from Portland, and the Interpretive Center, with its covered-wagon-style buildings, is worth the journey. The Center is especially great for kids since it has costumed interpreters and plenty of things to see and touch. Theaters present videos of the journey west, and exhibits provide details of pioneers, Black families in the West, and the coming of the railroad. A craft workshop offers visitors hands-on activities, and the summer months bring a host of special events.
Portland Japanese Garden
When His Excellency Nobuo Matsunaga, the former Ambassador of Japan to the United States, visited Portland Japanese Garden, he proclaimed it to be “the most beautiful and authentic Japanese garden in the world outside of Japan.” The Garden sits nestled in the hills of Portland, Oregon’s iconic Washington Park, overlooking the city and providing a tranquil, urban oasis for locals and travelers alike. Designed in 1963, it encompasses 12 acres with eight separate garden styles, and includes an authentic Japanese Tea House, meandering streams, intimate walkways, and a spectacular view of Mt. Hood.
Lan Su Chinese Garden
A result of a collaboration between the cities of Portland and Suzhou, our sister city in China's Jiangsu province that's famous for its beautiful Ming Dynasty gardens, Lan Su was built by Chinese artisans from Suzhou and is one the most authentic Chinese gardens outside of China. Much more than just a beautiful botanical garden, Lan Su is a creative wonder — a powerfully inspiring experience based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition that melds art, architecture, design and nature in perfect harmony. Once inside the garden's walls, you'll feel as if you've traveled through time to another era in a faraway world.
Powell's City of Books
Powell's City of Books is the largest used and new bookstore in the world, occupying an entire city block and housing approximately one million books. This landmark, multi-level utopia of new & used books also houses a cafe & selection of unique gifts/souvenirs.
McMenamins
McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in Oregon and Washington. Many of their locations are in rehabilitated historical properties; at least nine are on the National Register of Historic Places. According to the Brewers Association, McMenamins is one of the top 50 largest craft breweries in the United States
International Rose Test Garden
The International Rose Test Garden is a rose garden in Washington Park in Portland, Oregon. There are over 10,000 rose bushes of approximately 650 varieties. One of Britta's favorite gardens to wander through. June happens to be it's peak season too! So get your smellers ready....oh and it's FREE!
Pittock Mansion
Built in 1914, Pittock Mansion tells the story of Portland’s transformation from pioneer town to modern, industrialized city through the history and legacy of one its most influential families, the Pittocks. Saved from demolition by dedicated citizens in 1964, the Mansion and surrounding estate was purchased by the City of Portland and opened to the public as a historic house museum.
The Grotto
Internationally-renowned Catholic Shrine and Sanctuary set among 62 acres of forest and botanical gardens. Enjoy a peaceful stroll through the paved pathways. Find inspiration admiring statues, viewpoints, cultural shrines, ponds, chapels and gardens. Other features include a labyrinth, set among towering trees, a rose garden, and the Via Matris wood carvings.
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
At the western end of the Gorge, the view from Crown Point is a front-row seat to the mighty Columbia as its unfurls and cuts through the Cascade mountains. From there dozens of awe-inspiring waterfalls spill from basalt cliffs, lining the Historic Columbia River Highway, like the famous Multnomah, Bridal Veil and Latourell falls. The landscape seems to grow bigger, grander and brighter as it rolls east. Some areas of the Columbia River Gorge were impacted by the Eagle Creek fire of 2017. Before you head out, check with USFS for the most up-to-date information on trail closures.
Astoria
With Victorian-era homes etched into hills overlooking the Columbia River, this picturesque settlement (the oldest west of the Rockies) is a port city with Scandinavian flavor. Surrounded by forests, boasting three rivers and situated a stone’s throw away from the Pacific, Astoria is a fishing village-meets-Victoriana, chockablock with forts, museums and great local brews.
Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach is a small coastal city in northwest Oregon. It’s known for its long, sandy shore. Standing tall in the ocean, Haystack Rock is a seasonal haven for tufted puffins. On a headland to the north, trails in Ecola State Park offer sweeping views of the ocean, coves and a lighthouse. South is Arcadia Beach, with tide pools and a picnic area. Nearby Hug Point has sea caves. Boutiques and galleries dot downtown.