Adventure Plan Portland

Portland Adventures within the City and Just Beyond

Multnomah Falls near Portland

With the Willamette River running through it and Mt. Hood rising crisply on the horizon, Portland is well-known for its exceptional food, coffee, culture, and beer scene. But it’s also an ideal basecamp for branching out into nature and a bevy of outdoor adventures within city limits and just beyond. Find some fabulous guided adventures. For more inspiration, check out the “Oregon, Only Slightly Exaggerated” film for a glimpse of some of Portland’s beloved people and places, and to discover its secrets and marquee must-dos.

Portland Patio Style

Portland Farmers Market

Portland Beer and dog

Portland Biketown

Food carts, farmers markets, tasty local eateries, and award-winning restaurants (James Beard was born here, just sayin’) … Portland is famous for eclecticism in both food and drink. It’s got platefuls of al fresco dining including deliciously creative food trucks everywhere. Beer enthusiasts, take note: Portland has the world’s highest concentration of craft breweries. What’s your choice: sour, hazy, IPA … why don’t you just try them all by renting a bike from BIKETOWN or booking a BeerQuest Walking tour.

Biking Portland

Forest of Dreams

Forest Park Wildwood Trail

At 5,200 acres, Forest Park is among the largest urban oases in the country—vast enough to fit six Central Parks. It’s where locals regularly go for the ultimate nature escape. The marquee path here is the 30-mile Wildwood Trail, accessed at various entry points. There’s a new and picturesque pedestrian bridge to enjoy on a 3-mile (round-trip) hike from the Hoyt Arboretum to Pittock Mansion. To discover more gems and secret spots within the park, go on a free guided Discovery Hike with the Forest Park Conservancy.

Explore Portland's Forest Park

On the Rails

Banks Vernonia State Trail

Banks Vernonia State Trail

Just west of Portland, Oregon’s first rail-to-trail system is a car-free, 21-mile scenic marvel for walkers, bikers, strollers, and wheelchair users. The Banks-Vernonia State Trail (BVT) is a tree-lined and riparian former railway system that was reconceptualized as a nature trail powered by the human spirit. It’s accessible via six entry points and runs south to north from Banks to Vernonia. The route includes thirteen old bridges—including the impressive 733-foot-long Buxton Trestle.

Cycle the Banks-Vernonia State Trail

Go with the Flow

Willamette Falls

Just 13 miles south of Portland, the state’s first capital, Oregon City—backed by the snowy and enigmatic Mt. Hood—marks the end of the Oregon Trail. The beer pubs aren’t the only highlights to get things flowing here. You’ll also find the wondrous Willamette Falls, the second largest waterfall in the country by volume and an important historic and cultural site for Indigenous peoples. The Museum of the Oregon Territory overlooks the falls.

Scappoose Bay

Standup Paddle Scappoose Bay

Kayak Scappoose Bay

North of Portland at the edge of the town of St. Helens, the wetlands of Scappoose Bay are absolutely ideal for beginner-friendly paddling. You don’t have to worry about crowds—there’s 85,000 acres encompassing small islands and side channels. Tours launch from Scappoose Bay Paddling Center, and it’s pure relaxation as you glide past grassy marshes on this sublime stretch of the Lower Columbia River Water Trail. Book a guided trip with Next Adventure’s Scappoose Bay Paddling Center.

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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