The Oregon Coast’s Most Colorful Spring Celebration Is Back In Florence This May
Every spring on the Oregon Coast, the town of Florence bursts into color as thousands of blooming rhododendrons transform the area into a coastal garden paradise. Streets fill with parade floats, carnival lights flicker along the waterfront, classic cars roll into town, and families gather for one of the most beloved traditions in the Pacific Northwest. The 119th annual Florence Rhododendron Festival returns May 14 through May 17, 2026, bringing four days of flowers, food, music, carnival...
TRAVEL
Oregon is a beautiful destination for travelers who enjoy exploring the great outdoors. With its diverse landscape of mountains, forests, waterfalls, and coastline, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
This Peaceful Oregon Coast Park Might Be the Best-Kept Secret Between Yachats and Florence
There are places on the Oregon Coast that draw crowds with their fame. And then there are places that quietly steal your heart the moment you arrive. Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park is the...
The Heartbreaking Story Of Keiko, The Real Orca Behind Free Willy And His Time In Oregon
For millions of people who grew up in the 1990s, Free Willy was more than just a movie. It was emotional, unforgettable, and for many kids, it was the very first time they questioned whether wild...
Where To Find Perfect Sand Dollars On The Oregon Coast Before Everyone Else Does
There’s something oddly magical about walking an Oregon beach at low tide, scanning the sand for that perfect, pale disc tucked just beneath the surface. Sand dollar hunting isn’t just a coastal...
FOOD & DRINK
Explore Oregon’s food and drink scene – from locally sourced ingredients to craft brews and award-winning wines. Plan your culinary adventure now!
This Historic Oregon Tavern Dating Back To 1922 Is Still A Local Favorite Today
If you blink, you might miss it. Tucked away along a quiet country road outside Hillsboro, surrounded by open farmland and a slower pace of life, sits a red building that has been feeding Oregonians...
This Charming Log Cabin Café in Oregon Is the Pizza Stop You Didn’t Know You Needed
There’s a stretch of Highway 26 on the way to Mount Hood where the air feels a little fresher, the trees grow a little taller, and if you time it just right, you’ll stumble onto one of the coziest...
The 42 Best Oregon Mom & Pop Restaurants to Eat At in 2026
We're going a bit out on a limb here at That Oregon Life. This story began as a sort of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" compilation, but after a giant list of my own and a slew of recommendations...
The Oregon Coast’s Most Colorful Spring Celebration Is Back In Florence This May
Every spring on the Oregon Coast, the town of Florence bursts into color as thousands of blooming rhododendrons transform the area into a coastal garden paradise. Streets fill with parade floats, carnival lights flicker along the waterfront, classic cars roll into...
Prescribed Burn Near Bend Escapes Containment, Turns Into Growing Wildfire
A planned fuel reduction burn southeast of Bend took a dangerous turn Thursday after flames crossed containment lines and sparked spot fires outside the intended burn area, prompting officials to reclassify the incident as a wildfire. What began as a prescribed burn...
This Peaceful Oregon Coast Park Might Be the Best-Kept Secret Between Yachats and Florence
There are places on the Oregon Coast that draw crowds with their fame. And then there are places that quietly steal your heart the moment you arrive. Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park is the latter. Tucked between the rugged cliffs just south of Yachats and the...
The Heartbreaking Story Of Keiko, The Real Orca Behind Free Willy And His Time In Oregon
For millions of people who grew up in the 1990s, Free Willy was more than just a movie. It was emotional, unforgettable, and for many kids, it was the very first time they questioned whether wild animals truly belonged in captivity. At the center of that movement was...
Eugene Man Vanishes, Vehicle Found Near Remote Oregon Reservoir
A growing search effort is underway in Lane County after a 22-year-old Eugene man disappeared late last month, leaving family, friends, and search crews desperately looking for answers in the rugged wilderness east of Lowell. According to the Lane County Sheriff’s...
This Stunning Oregon Waterfall Hike Belongs On Every Outdoor Lover’s Bucket List
There are some places in Oregon that instantly remind you why people fall so deeply in love with this state. Chush Falls is one of them. Hidden deep within the Deschutes National Forest near Sisters, this spectacular waterfall hike delivers everything that makes...
Lincoln City’s Iconic D River Beach Access Will Temporarily Close For Major Makeover
Few places capture the spirit of the Oregon coast quite like the D River in Lincoln City. On windy spring afternoons, colorful kites dance overhead. Families wander the sand searching for hidden glass floats. Visitors spill out from Highway 101 toward the beach,...
Nabisco And Newport Announce Limited Edition Dungeness Crab Stuffed Oreos
NEWPORT, Ore. — In what experts are already calling “the most Oregon thing to ever happen,” Nabisco has officially partnered with the coastal town of Newport to release a new flavor nobody asked for but everyone is now weirdly curious about: Limited Edition Dungeness...
Where To Find Perfect Sand Dollars On The Oregon Coast Before Everyone Else Does
There’s something oddly magical about walking an Oregon beach at low tide, scanning the sand for that perfect, pale disc tucked just beneath the surface. Sand dollar hunting isn’t just a coastal pastime here. It’s practically a rite of passage. If you’ve ever come...
Woman Airlifted from Oregon’s Blue Pool After Serious Injury on Popular Trail
What begins as a scenic hike along one of Oregon’s most iconic trails can change in an instant. That was the case Sunday afternoon in Linn County, when a 53-year-old woman from Terrebonne suffered a serious knee injury while exploring the popular Blue Pool trail along...