environment
friendly winter destinations and summer vacations
Oregon
is an ideal winter destination where you can ski on volcanoes in the
Cascade Mountains; a nature lover’s paradise as you watch hundreds of gray
whales spout and storms over the Pacific; a connoisseur destination where you
can sip award-winning Oregon wines and micro beers; an environmentalist’s
delight with Portland’s
green lifestyle, free downtown transport and local distinctive neighborhoods.
The
Landscape
is diverse, with a windswept Pacific coastline, a volcano-studded Cascade
Range, abundant bodies of water in and west of the Cascades; dense evergreen, mixed,
and deciduous forests at lower elevations; and a high desert sprawling across
much of its east all the way to the Great Basin. The tall conifers, mainly Douglas
fir, along Oregon's rainy west coast contrast with the lighter-timbered and
fire-prone pine and juniper forests covering portions to the east. Abundant alders
in the west fix nitrogen for the conifers. Stretching east from central Oregon
are semi-arid shrub lands, prairies, deserts, steppes, and meadows. At 11,249
feet (3,429 m), Mount Hood is the state's highest point, and Crater Lake
National Park is Oregon's only national park.
The
Coast heading
west towards Oregon’s largest wine region through the small cities of Dundee,
McMinnville and Newberg you can enjoy award-winning wines, with Pinot Noir
being the most famous. Small tasting rooms are run by the proprietors and their
families. Oregon’s 363 mile long coastline has a temperate climate and in the
winter months Oregonians travel to the Coast to storm watch. From Cannon Beach, a charming artist colony,
experience a rugged coastline dotted with picturesque lighthouses, coastal
villages like Lincoln City, Newport, a working fishing town with fresh seafood
restaurants. Also wild life, including migrating whales in December and March
and resident gray whales, which live on the Central Oregon Coast year-round,
seals and sea lions.
The
Willamette Valley
the Oregon
Dunes Overlook area allows for awesome views of this natural spectacle. After
visiting Florence Old Town, heading east through the forests to the fertile
Willamette Valley’s rolling hills of vineyards you reach Eugene, home of
Oregon’s largest university and the 5th Street Historic Public Market.
Continuing east over the Cascade Mountain Range, paralleling the scenic
McKenzie River, catch a dip in the natural hot springs pools of Belknap Springs
Resort, or pull over for the winter view of Sahalie Falls, right off Highway
126, before continuing to Central Oregon.
What’s in a Name! The earliest known
use of the name, spelled Ouragon, was in a 1765 petition. The term
referred to the mythical River of the west - the Columbia River. By 1778 the
spelling had shifted to Oregon. The name comes from the French word ouragan,
meaning windstorm or hurricane, which was applied to the River of the West
based on Native American tales of powerful Chinook winds of the lower Columbia
River. Go up the Columbia and hear and feel the waters falling out of the
clouds of Mount Hood to understand entirely the full meaning of the name.
Central Oregon is a playground for winter
enthusiasts. Mt. Bachelor, one of the premier ski resorts in North America,
features downhill skiing and snow-boarding with 360 degree access to varied
slopes, cross country, snowshoeing, and tubing with a season that regularly
runs from November to May. An award-winning local eco-tourism company offers
interpretive snowshoe trips, including moonlight snowshoeing, and snow camping.
Bend and its hopping downtown, offers you
fantastic eateries, boutique shopping, people-watching and skiing on Mt.
Bachelor a few miles away. Only two hours away, South Diamond Lake Resort
operates year-round, in a magical setting of volcanic mountains all around.
Near-by Crater Lake National Park is a must-see. The deepest lake in the U.S.
is powder blue and the water never really freezes over.
Cultural
Heritage & Museums, Water Resources & the Environment, Local Food Wine
& Breweries, Community Public Transport Initiatives
The High Desert Museum just South of Bend is a large
indoor and outdoor interpretive center with interactive exhibits, showcasing
the natural and cultural history of the area, including a fine Native American
collection. Continuing north through the land of the Confederated Tribes of
Warm Springs, The tribally owned Museum
at Warm Springs is a calming and culturally inspiring experience. Oregon’s Mount Hood
is a year-round skiing destination. Timberline Lodge is located at the 6,000
ft/1829 m level. The lodge was built in the 1930s as a Work Projects
Administration project and showcases the artistic skills of many artisan
craftsmen of the era. It features a huge fire place, a fine dining room with an
award-winning wine cellar, lodging, hot tub and heated pool.
Mt Hood Cultural Center & Museum
the regional history of Mt.
Hood: natural history, early exploration, settlement history, winter sports,
mountain climbing and Mt. Hood National Forest via the arts, educational
enrichment and oral histories
Hood
River Mt.
Hood offers two additional ski areas: Mt. Hood Ski bowl and Meadows, both
excellent night ski areas. Expert skiers will find wonderful terrains, great
vertical drops, awesome ski conditions and snow with majestic views. Hood River
is a stylish town located on the scenic Columbia River. Stroll the charming
streets where, you might see cars with snowboard and surfboards driving down
the road. Hood River is also home to Full City Brewery, a micro-brewery.
Portland located between the Cascade Mountains and the Pacific
Ocean, Portland is at the northern end of the Willamette Valley and river which
flows through the city and links with the Columbia River. The
citizens and their local government are notable for: land-use planning, local
transport, environment conscious policies, high walkability, a large number
bicyclists and ten thousand acres of public parks.
Neighborhoods the Office of
Neighborhood Involvement serves as a conduit between city government and
Portland's 95 neighborhoods, each represented by a volunteer association
serving as liaison between residents and the city government. Portland and its
surrounding metropolitan area also have the only directly elected metro planning organization the United States with
responsibility for land use, transport planning and solid waste management.
Travel destinations and itineraries based on
client interests by leveraging an in-depth knowledge of your destination,
superior client service in the planning stages and throughout the trip or event
and logistics expertise to reduce accommodations and transport costs as well as
transfer times.
