The Pacific Northwest seems endless in terms of new and unique places to explore. If you live in the Portland metro area, you are essentially two hours or less away from the coast, the mountains, the gorge, and more! This proximity to so many unique places allows you to travel with ease, making the list of possible day trips from Portland extensive!
This narrowed-down guide will provide you with our top 5 day trips from Portland to take in 2022 with full itineraries. With each, a few accommodation recommendations have been included if you wish to turn the trip into a multi-day getaway.
Some important things to note: Some areas like state parks may require extra fees but for the most part, a Northwest Forest Pass will allow you to park anywhere. This can be purchased here. Also, almost everything on this list is dog friendly – just please pick up after your pet and leave no trace!
Jump to: The Top 5 Day Trips From Portland to Take in 2022:
Day Trip 1: Oregon Coast
Now I know what you are thinking – this is going to be a generalized “go to Cannon Beach” trip.
Wrong!
This road trip actually hits a few coastal towns that are not that well known making it inherently less crowded. We actually do this trip quite often and have found it to be a great one, even during the rainy, winter months! So let’s kick this off – our first itinerary for the top 5 day trips from Portland to take in 2022.
Drive time to the coast: An hour to an hour and a half
- Start off with a drive down OR-6 heading West towards Tillamook. This is actually part of the Trees to Seas Scenic Byway. This drive is beautiful as it follows alongside the Wilson River. There are many pulloffs along here that offer great fishing spots!
- Stop at Tillamook Creamery for food and sweets on your way into town. You can begin by walking through the gift shop where they have everything from apparel to specialty cheeses to kitchen items. Once you are done browsing and spending 75 dollars on cheese (yes..we did indeed do this) you can then meander over to the resturaunt section for some fresh cheese curds and ice cream.
- Next, head to Cape Lookout State Park for a nice walk on the beach. Parking here does require a small extra fee but when you buy a pass, it is actually good for the day at any other state park. There are a few hiking trails along here if you wish to explore more than just the beach.
- Then you will travel on the Three Capes Scenic Loop to Cape Meares State Park for some amazing ocean views from one of their many viewing platforms. Here, you can also find Cape Meares Lighthouse, the shortest lighthouse on the Oregon Coast!
- After all of these stops, you will head down to Pacific City for some lunch on the beach at Pelican Brewing Company. I highly recommend their fish and chips paired with an ice cold beer. After you eat, you can hike up the Pacific City dune! It is a VERY steep sand dune but the views from the top are spectacular.
- There is time for one last stop before heading back home on OR-6 and that is Netarts! Netarts, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated coastal towns. There are so many secret beach spots tucked away that hardly ever have people on them. It is also home to one of our favorite coastal restaraunts – The Schooner. We love stopping here for dinner to get our seafood fix before heading back to Portland.
An Oregon coast road trip never disappoints. The above itinerary includes a full day’s worth of activities but as you can see, only encompasses a small part of the coast. That is what we love about the Oregon coast – there are so many options as to what you can do which is a great excuse to keep coming back for more! Now as promised, if you wanted to turn this into a full weekend stay or multi-day trip, here are a few coastal stays that we have loved.
- Surf Inn – This cute airbnb is super affordable and simplistic yet has everything you need for a short stay.
- Inn at Cape Kiwanda – If you don’t mind a higher pricetag, this hotel is in a convenient locaton right on the beach near Pelican Brewing Company in Pacific City. This stay also has an upscale resturaunt with a spectacular view of the ocean making this a perfect stay for an anniversary or celebration.
Day Trip 2: Mount Hood
If you ski, snowboard, snowshoe, hike, backpack – chances are you have been to Mount Hood many times. This destination is great for outdoor lovers but also great for day trips during both winter and summer as there are a lot of hidden gems along the route.
Drive time to Mount Hood: An hour to an hour and a half
- Hop on the 26 heading towards Sandy and get ready to stop at a cute coffee shop once you near Rhodedendron. Mount Hood Coffee Roasters is the perfect place to fuel up before a day on the mountain.
- Now here there are a few options based on time of year and activity you enjoy doing. If you are a hiker during the summer months we recommend Tamanawas Falls for a beginner hike (also a great winter hike which you can check out here), Umbrella Falls as an intermediate hike, and Mcneil Point as a difficult hike. If it is winter, Trillum Lake is a great snowy adventure and can be done with snowshoes or durable hiking boots. All of these trails for the most part have a good amount of parking and are easy trails to follow.
- If you want a relaxing, low effort day, we highly recommend renting a kayak or SUP and heading out on Trillium Lake during the summer months. If you do not have a watercraft, this area has kayak rentals right at the lake and they are easy to rent for a few hours or the day. Parking here also costs 10 dollars if you do not have a NorthWest Forest Pass. Pack a picnic and some beverages and enjoy the sun!
- All this adventure will obviously lead to needing a delicious meal! Mount Hood Brewing Company is an easy stop near the mountain with your classic pub food and handcrafted beer. Another option if you want a wide selection of food is the Sandlandia Food Carts. With at least 10 food trucks, all different types of cuisines, there will be something here for everyone. We personally love the crepe food truck to satisfy a savory and sweet tooth!
Mount Hood is a personal favorite because it offers distinct winter and summer adventures – even hiking the same trail in different seasons yields a different experience each time. This is why it is a great day trip from Portland during any season. Even if you aren’t a big outdoorsy person – you can see the foodie scene and sightseeing here are a stand out in Oregon.
- If you want to stay the night, there are many airbnb’s in the Government Camp area however, why not go for the full mountain experience and stay at Timberline Lodge! This is the perfect spot in the winter if you want to hit the slopes and in the summer if you want a base for hiking. The Timberline Trail takes off from this point which is the 40 mile trail that encircles Mount Hood.
Day Trip 3: Gifford Pinchot National Forest
Most people don’t realize how close Portland is to Mount Adams and Mount Saint Helens – both encapsulated by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. 1.3 million acres of forested land really warrants MULTIPLE trips but this is our itinerary squeezing in all of our favorite spots doable in a day trip.
Drive time to Gifford Pinchot: Around 2 to 2 and a half hours
- Drive on the I-84 heading East towards Cascade Locks. This little town is a great spot to stop for coffee at the Thirsty Coffee Bar before you cross into Washington. If you head out on your adventure later in the day and arrive here around lunch time, we highly recommend Thunder Island Brewing Company. Their bugers, beer, and sweet potato waffle fries are to die for.
- You’ll need 2 dollars to cross into Washington using the Cascade Locks bridge. Once across – you will be heading to your first waterfall stop during your “waterfall crawl” if you will. You will start at Panther Creek Falls – a quick 0.3 mile walk. Then shortly after, you will hop back into your car and head to Lower Falls Creek Trail. This trail is a little over 3 miles with not much elevation change – both of these waterfalls should be fairly do-able back to back depending on what hiking shape you are in.
- Hang in there, you are going to want to see this next trio of falls! After you leave Lower Falls Creek, you will head north passing a beautiful lookout of Mount Saint Helens – definetely stop here for a great view and have a packed lunch ready to fuel up for one last hike.
- Now this last trio of falls are located along the same trail – Lewis River Falls Trail. Depending on what time of year you visit, you may need a parking permit additional to your Northwest Forest Pass. You can find that information here. This trail is long, about 7 miles, but there are a few ways you can tackle it! You can certainely hangout at one of the three falls and forego the others – there are parking lots that accompany each. You can also drive to each one and park at the corresponding lot if you do not want to hike the full 7 miles out and back. We do recommend doing this in the “off season” where you do not need a parking permit, that way you can park at each of the falls without an issue. Each waterfall is so unique and breathtaking in it’s own way so we highly recommend seeing all of them at some point.
- Once you have gotten your waterfall fix for the day, you will head back to SR 14, a highway running along the gorge but on the Washington side. We like driving on this on the way back into town because it runs alongside the water more so than the I-84 does on the Oregon side. By taking this route, you will also go through one of my favorite little towns, Camas. This is where you can stop to have dinner at The Hammond Kitchen. Their pizzas are amazing and their craft cocktails accompany the food very well.
Now that you are exhausted from all that exploring – you may want a spot to stay. We recommend staying at Getaway House – Mount Adams! These little tiny homes are adorable and have everything you could possibly need for a remote, off-the-grid getaway.
I truly believe this area of Washington is a must-see. You can truly pack so much in one day without even scratching the surface but the itinerary above is a great place to start. And with that, we wrap up number three on the top 5 day trips to take from Portland in 2022!
Day Trip 4: Carlton
When people think of the winery scene in Oregon – the names that typically come to mind are Newburg and Mcminnville. Carlton however is a hidden gem that is often overlooked. It gives off the small-town vibes while still packing a punch when it comes to wineries and restaurants. This article so far has been focused mostly on outdoor-related day trips from Portland but this itinerary is geared more towards the foodie in you. An itinerary perfect for a girls’ getaway or family weekend!
Drive time to Carlton: 45 minutes
- Carlton Bakery is an absolute must for breakfast. Do not even take this day trip unless you stop here! From sticky buns, to cinnamon rolls, to bacon sourdough rolls – this place has a treat that will satisfy all cravings.
- Time for some wine tasting! There are quite a few wineries in the downtown Carlton area you can walk to. The two we love are Ken Wright Cellars and Flanuer Wines. Ken Wright has a very homey feel in their tasting room and the tasting experience is very intimate – you can tell the employees really love the wine. Flanuer is a spot where you want to go on a sunny, summer day. Their tasting room is in a converted grain elevator making for an epic backdrop if you choose to sip your wine on their expansive patio.
- A winery that is set apart from the rest in terms of the experience is Dominio IV. We recommend scheduling a private tasting – we scheduled with Stephen and loved him! He led us around the grounds showing us how they make their wines and also shared with us that wine is not the only thing they do. They have an expansive property with a cherry orchard and so you can partake in a tasting flight then head out to fill a basket with fresh cherries. Once the tour of the grounds was finished, Stephen took us up into the loft of an old barn that was converted into one of their tasting areas for a charcuterie board and tasting flight. It was a truly unique tasting experience as you can see by the photos below and I cannot recommend this winery enough!
- For dinner, there are a few options we love – from upscale fine dining to cheap hole-in-the-wall spots. For great French cuisine, head to Cuvee in downtown Carlton. This upscale resaturaunt has a tasting menu at a great price considering how high quality their food is. If you are feeling a more relaxed atmosphere with American food, stop by Alf’s Burgers. This drive-in style diner has crave worthy burgers, fries, and ice cream treats.
If you want to stay locally, this Airbnb is fairly new and so cute. It is located on a working farm making it very unique. You actually drive up a dirt road through animal pastures to get to the house! The hosts are very accommodating and leave some goodies fresh off the farm for your arrival.
Carlton is a great spot to hit during your next girls’ day, romantic getaway, or anything in between! This itinerary will help you hit all the gems in this quaint town to make the most of your day trip from Portland.
Day Trip 5: Hood River
If there is a day trip from Portland that we do the most, it has to be Hood River. On the way, there are endless hiking spots on both the Washington and Oregon side of the gorge, and the craft beer and food scene in Hood River is unparalleled.
- Kickstart your day by choosing a waterfall to hike to along the Waterfall Corridor. A few of my favorites are Wahkeena Falls, Latourell Falls, and Wahclella Falls. All are pretty easy hikes and more information about them can be found here. At the end of May 2022, there will be a permit system put in place in order to help with congestion along this corridor. If you are planning to visit, please visit this website to see if a permit is necessary for a visit.
- Once you have finished your hike, head into Hood River for some lunch and brewskies at one of the local breweries. We come back to Pfriem and Ferment time and time again but others we enjoy are Full Sail and Double Mountain.
- Once you get your fix of beer and food, head down to the waterfront to watch the windsurfers and kiteboarders. Hood River is known as the wind surfing capital of the world! The way the cliffs funnel the wind through the gorge makes for an epic spot for these sports. Take a blanket, sit out on the lawn, and take it all in – it is truly a sight to see!
- If you are in a shopping mood, the downtown area a few streets up from the waterfront is great. With many outdoor stores, bookshops, and small boutiques – you could wander the streets all day discovering something new around every turn.
- Before heading back to Portland, you will want to stop at Solstice for some pizza to fuel your drive home. Danny and I have actually driven to Hood River just for this pizza before that is how much we love it. Get the Cherry Girl – trust me.
Hood River has a special energy to it while still being a very laid-back town. Every time we come, we find something new we love about it. This is a great area for an overnight trip as well and for recommendations we have two places that we love!
Hood River Hotel is Hood River’s oldest vintage hotel. It is located right in the heart of downtown making it easy to walk everywhere during your stay. Another option that is one exit away from town but staged on a cliff overlooking a waterfall is the Columbia Cliff Villas. This hotel has many room options, some with fireplaces and balconies, making for a cozy stay. There are also great walking paths woven through the property giving you great views of the waterfall and the gorge.
Wow, if you are still with me you now know the top 5 best day trips from Portland for 2022! These day trips are just scratching the surface as Oregon and Washington have so much to offer but these should get you started. When you are ready for more – come back and check out a few of our other posts and road trips here!
Thank you so much for your interest in this blog post. As always, we love to hear from our readers so comment below which Oregon day trips you are planning to do in 2022!