One of my favorite states to visit is the State of Oregon. This state is filled with incredible natural beauty. It is not uncommon to hear played on the radio or at a University of Oregon sporting event, the song “Coming Home” from Mat Kearney. This song which debuted in 2015, speaks all about life in Oregon! It is a great listen.
The largest city in Oregon is Portland. Portland is on the northern border of Oregon with the State of Washington and separated by the Columbia River. Flying into Portland’s airport you will often see the large river separating the two states. The river is famous for its White Sturgeon and Salmon fish. A smaller river separates the downtown of Portland from the east side of the city, known as the Willamette River. This smaller river eventually flows into the larger Columbia River. Many people enjoying going boating on the Willamette River as it tends to be calm waters.
One of the best times of year to visit Oregon is the fall season as Oregon with its tremendous amount of rainfall it receives each year tends to have incredible vibrant red and yellow leaves which make up the fall foliage. The main north-south roadway in Oregon is Interstate 5, and driving along with this route in the fall makes for an amazing drive.
Portland is also home to many great restaurants. One of the best Italian chain restaurants on the west coast, The Old Spaghetti Factory was founded in Portland, and its flagship location is situated along the Willamette River just south of downtown Portland. If you are in the mood for local burgers and local ingredients, another local chain only in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest is Burgerville. These are some of the best burgers around. One of the famous cheeses in Oregon is Tillamook cheese which is featured on these burgers.
South of Portland is the state capital of Salem. The state capitol building in Salem is more of an art deco style and was completed in 1938. Therefore, it lacks the traditional dome found in other state capitols and is a more unique piece of architecture in the US among state capitol buildings.
Continuing South from Portland is the city of Eugene. Eugene is home to the University of Oregon, the largest university in the state. Oregon is known for its hyper-competitive athletics program which receives significant funding from one of its most famous alums, Phil Knight the founder of Nike. The facilities at the University of Oregon are top notch, and its football stadium, Autzen Stadium is a historic stadium that was built in 1967, and was featured in the movie “Animal House”.
