Top Things to do in Oregon
Top Hotels in Oregon
- 1. The Hotel Zags Portland
- 2. The Benson Portland, Curio Collection by Hilton
- 3. Inn at Cannon Beach
- 4. Hallmark Resort
- 5. Royal Sonesta Portland Downtown
- 6. Radisson Hotel Portland Airport
- 7. The Porter Portland, Curio Collection By Hilton
- 8. Bandon Inn
- 9. The Whaler
- 10. Best Western Plus Hood River Inn
The 10 Best Geologic Formations in Oregon, United States
Discover the best top things to do in Oregon, United States including Haystack Rock, Columbia River Gorge, Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint, Oneonta Gorge, Crack in the Ground, Upper and Lower Table Rock, Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Devil's Churn, Cape Foulweather, Thor's Well.
Restaurants in Oregon
1. Haystack Rock
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,201 reviews
Haystack Rock is a unique 235 feet monolith that attracts wildlife and tourists alike and is part of the Oregon Coast’s geological history, formed millions of year ago by lava flows that created many of the dramatic capes and headlands along the coast. Haystack Rock is protected under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a seabird nesting colony and it is part of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge and is a State protected Marine Garden. The Rock is home to nesting seabirds in the summer and marine invertebrates all year. Tidepool seekers are beckoned by its wonders every day. The Haystack Rock Awareness Program (HRAP) is a stewardship and environmental educational program whose mission is to protect, through education, the intertidal and bird ecology of the Marine Garden and Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge at Haystack Rock. HRAP offers an extensive interpretive program on the beach during the spring and summer months around low tide.
Reviewed By CreateCourageAdvent - Salem, United States
Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach is a huge Oregon Coast attraction. At 235 feet tall, this basalt beauty is one of the best-known symbols of the Oregon Coast in general and an image you see on every Oregon Coast Travel Blog out there (including this one!) At low tide you can explore vast tidepools and walk all the way to the rock itself. Tufted Puffins, Bald Eagles, Brown Pelicans, Common Murres, and many other birds are abundantly present on and around Haystack Rock depending on the season making this location a Pacific Northwest birdwatchers dream come true.
2. Columbia River Gorge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,199 reviews
The Columbia River Gorge, a 75-mile canyon through the Cascades, is a broad, picturesque river with water-controlling dams.
Reviewed By traveladdict3500 - Hasselt, Belgium
We saw the Columbia River Gorge from Bonneville Dam to Troutdale. We loved all of our stops : The Bonneville Dam, the Fish Hatchery, Multnomah Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Latourell Falls and Vista House. The other falls were unreachable in June 2018 because the road and the complete area around those falls was closed due to a forest fire in 2017.
3. Face Rock State Scenic Viewpoint
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 774 reviews
This scenic coastal spot features a large rock with face-like features.
Reviewed By babydoctoral - Parkland, United States
Face Rock State Park has a myriad of beautiful sea stacks that make for exceptional photography in the right lighting conditions. Face Rock itself is not all that interesting on its own, but the large number of beautiful sea stacks are simply terrific. Definitely worth a stop if you are near Bandon Beach,
4. Oneonta Gorge
5. Crack in the Ground
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 24 reviews
Reviewed By Alacrout - Los Angeles, United States
NOTE: This is not the easiest place to get to. You have to go 8+ miles down VERY rough dirt roads to get here. The road was so rough, I stopped about halfway and got out just to make sure my tires were still intact. Luckily, we drive an SUV that’s in good shape and could handle the rough road... But if you have any doubts about YOUR vehicle, I suggest either skipping this stop or seeing if you can get here in someone else’s vehicle somehow. Also beware of GPS apps... We used Waze, which tried to be clever and use a couple “shortcuts” to reduce our mileage down the dirt roads. Unfortunately, these “shortcuts” went down even rougher roads. One of them was flooded, so we had to turn around and backtrack. The other, we were able to use, but it involved driving over bushes and bottoming out in spots—definitely not viable for a smaller car at all. ANYWAY, once you get to the parking lot for the trailhead... I was pleasantly surprised to find a bathroom there. Just a basic shack similar to a porto-potty, but better than nothing. The trail to the Crack in the Ground is fairly short and very easy. Once you get to the crack, it’s a one-of-kind experience. The trail down into the Crack is not quite as easy as the trail to get there. There are some steep drop-offs to climb down. Small children can manage with a lot of adult assistance. It feels a lot like going down into the Earth itself... Which I guess you kind of are... Aside from the sights, one interesting aspect of the experience is the temperature drops A LOT. It was 100+ degrees at the parking lot, but it dropped down at least into the 60s (if not farther) once we were down in the Crack. Overall, IF you’ve got a vehicle capable of getting there, I have to recommend stopping here if you’re in the area... I don’t know if we’ll ever be in the area again, as we were passing through on a long road trip, but we may make sure to pass through here again just to have another go at this place.
6. Upper and Lower Table Rock
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 236 reviews
Two flat-topped hills with an abundance of growing wildflowers.
Reviewed By Hybridwarrior - Gilbert, United States
If you're looking for some great quick hikes in Southern Oregon that even your young kids can do, both of these are great options. The trail is easily marked and good for even novice hikers. The view from the top is amazing and you feel like you are on top of the world!
7. Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 819 reviews
One of the nation's newest national monuments, this 55,500 acre area seeks to preserve unique accessible volcanic features.
Reviewed By hbodesign - Portland, United States
Take the whole day and don’t miss a thing! We went to the lava fields first (caves were closed due to COVID) - an easy paved path throughout with plenty of view points and info placards along the way for a self-guided tour. Getting to the top requires some uphill walking, but not too steep. Next up was the Obsidian Flow - DO NOT MISS THIS! Unbelievable, and the perfect follow up to the rough textured pumice from the lava fields. The Obsidian Flow trail is more rugged than the lava fields, so wear sturdy shoes (no flip flops!). You can view from the bottom of the hill, but if you are able, you can get a gorgeous view from half way up via a railed staircase. There are benches to sit down and take it all in. And if you’ve got some stability and healthy knees/ankles, you can climb even higher via a worn rough path through the rocks. The view is SPECTACULAR up there, and its a bit like walking on another planet, with black glass rocks all around. Literally, awesome! Lastly, we ended our day by driving to the peak of Paulina. WOW - a winding drive on a sometimes narrowing road, but so worth it! I thought the view at Timberline Lodge was good, this is BEYOND. 360 degree views from 8000 ft. Additionally, incredible foliage, random obsidian, and petrified wood abound. No hiking required but there are a few paths from the parking lot if you’re adventurous and want to get a little closer to the edge!
8. Devil's Churn
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 540 reviews
Tidal Pools along Oregon Coast Highway
Reviewed By DanW440 - Portland, United States
This is an amazing water sight, a phenomenal creation of nature that helps define what the ild Oregon Coast is all about. Mesmerizing to watch, an easy hike down and worth the time to stop.
9. Cape Foulweather
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 162 reviews
Reviewed By MrsCfamily - Newport, United States
Cute lighthouse and store inside with unique gifts. The views are outstanding. Right off of hwy.101 between Lincoln City and Newport but closer to Newport. Stop to whale watch certain times of year, shop, or stretch. They have a porta potty outside.
10. Thor's Well
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 200 reviews
Reviewed By WaitForIttttt - Hazlet, United States
My husband and I visited Thor's Well on our trip exploring the west coast, and it ended up being one of our favorite stops. Thor's Well is such a unique and interesting natural feature! On the path down, there are all sorts of signs warning about the dangers of the waves so, obviously, exercise caution if you proceed down. Once we got to the bottom, we had to traverse the rough rocks and the tidal pools to get to the well itself. We were both wearing waterproof hiking boots, which held out just fine against the water of the pools. The water was pretty rough as it crashed into the rocks and filled the tidal pools, so there was good reason for all of the warning signs. There were a few other visitors down there as well, including a couple with two dogs, which made us nervous for the dogs but they seemed to do ok. We were able to stand on rocks that were adjacent to the rocks of the well itself and got a crazy cool view of the water rushing into and out of the well. If you decide to go down, you're going to get wet. The water jumps pretty high out of the well. This ended up being one of the most unique and fascinating places we visited on the coast, so I definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area!
