Oregon · best-of list
16 Top Things to Do in Oregon
All 16 things to do our route editors picked in Oregon, across 6 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect sights and experiences, with Yachats contributing the most (5).
Our curated picks
16 things to do in Oregon, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Yachats 5 picks
Devil's Churn
Yachats · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Narrow basalt inlet where waves surge and explode at high tide.
Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 4.0
Heceta Head Lighthouse
Yachats · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
1894 lighthouse on a headland, reached by a half-mile trail from the Devils Elbow beach lot.
Photo: Ian Sane from Oregon, USA · CC BY 2.0
Sea Lion Caves
Yachats · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Huge sea cave reached by elevator where Steller sea lions gather.
Tip: Most sea lions are in the cave in fall and winter.
Photo: Carol Kellogg · Google
Thor's Well
Yachats · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Collapsed sea cave that seems to drain the ocean during high tides.
Tip: Watch from the rocks above at high tide; never go near it in big swells.
Photo: crazy people · Google
Yachats 804 Trail
Yachats · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Easy oceanfront path over basalt shoreline and tide pools north of town.
Photo: Tom Ettel · Google
Astoria 4 picks
Astoria Column
Astoria · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
125-foot hilltop tower with a spiral mural and 164 steps to views of the Columbia River bar.
Tip: Buy a balsa glider in the gift shop to throw from the top.
Photo: Farshad Bavarsad · Google
Astoria Riverwalk
Astoria · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Waterfront trail along old cannery piers with sea lions and passing cargo ships.
Tip: Ride the vintage Riverfront Trolley in summer.
Photo: Channon C · Google
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Astoria · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Museum on the 'Graveyard of the Pacific' river bar, with a lightship you can board.
Photo: Columbia River Maritime Museum · Google
Flavel House Museum
Astoria · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
1885 Queen Anne mansion of a river bar pilot, furnished in period style.
Photo: Stubs · Google
Downtown Portland 3 picks
Eastbank Esplanade
Downtown Portland · On our Portland New Year's Eve route
Riverside path on the east bank with the best straight-on view of the downtown skyline over the water.
Tip: Cross the Hawthorne or Steel Bridge on foot for the classic skyline view.
Photo: Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0
NYE drone show at Pioneer Courthouse Square
Downtown Portland · On our Portland New Year's Eve route
The city's free NYE party fills 'Portland's Living Room' with a DJ, a 9 pm family drone show and a midnight countdown show.
Tip: Food and drinks are sold inside; arrive early for space near the steps.
Photo: Visitor7 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Downtown Portland · On our Portland New Year's Eve route
The riverside park along the Willamette, with the downtown skyline on one side and lit bridges on the other.
Tip: Walk it at night between dinner and the Square.
Photo: Taken by User:Cacophony. · CC BY-SA 2.5
Portland 2 picks
Lan Su Chinese Garden
Portland · On our Pacific Northwest route
Walled Ming-style garden with a teahouse in Old Town Chinatown.
Photo: Cacophony · CC BY-SA 3.0
Vista House at Crown Point
Portland · On our Pacific Northwest route
1918 stone observatory high above the Columbia River with the Gorge's signature view.
Photo: Runoff River Adventures · Google
Cannon Beach 1 pick
Neahkahnie Mountain Trail
Cannon Beach · On our Oregon Coast Hideaways route
Switchback climb to a summit with views down the coast to Nehalem Bay.
Tip: About 3 miles round trip from the south trailhead.
Photo: Anna VanSmoorenburg · Google
Northwest Portland 1 pick
Pittock Mansion
Northwest Portland · On our Portland New Year's Eve route
1914 French Renaissance mansion high in the West Hills; its lawn looks over downtown to Mount Hood.
Tip: The house is closed Jan 1, but the grounds and viewpoint stay open.
Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Oregon?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 16 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Oregon has the most things to do on this list?
Yachats has the most (5 of 16), followed by Astoria (4) and Downtown Portland (3).
Are any of these free?
10 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Eastbank Esplanade, Neahkahnie Mountain Trail, Pittock Mansion, Thor's Well, Astoria Riverwalk, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Oregon
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Yachats 5 on this list
- Astoria 4 on this list
- Downtown Portland 3 on this list
- Portland 2 on this list
- Cannon Beach 1 on this list
- Northwest Portland 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.