Discover Central Oregon with our travel guide category. Your ultimate resource for attractions, activities, and events. Let us be your go-to travel center for an unforgettable adventure in this spectacular region.
The Akawa Butte Fire continues to test the strength of the Sisters community as firefighters work tirelessly to keep one of Oregon's most dangerous wildfires from reaching homes and businesses. The lightning-caused fire, which started on July 16, has now burned more...
There are places in Oregon where the scenery is beautiful, and then there are places where you step out of the car and briefly wonder whether the road has somehow carried you off the planet. Dee Wright Observatory is absolutely that second kind of place. Sitting high...
Some places in Oregon make you work for them. Hart Mountain Hot Springs is one of those places. Tucked deep in south central Oregon, far from traffic lights, coffee stands, cell service, and pretty much anything resembling convenience, this high desert soaking spot...
There are places in Oregon that feel like destinations. And then there are places that feel like adventures. The kind where you arrive with a rough plan, only to completely abandon it an hour later because you suddenly find yourself wandering hallways, peeking around...
There are certain moments in Oregon that feel almost unreal. The first warm evening on the coast. The smell of pine after rain in the Cascades. Sunlight breaking through vineyards in wine country. And then there’s lavender season. Every summer, parts of Oregon...
There are some places in Oregon that seem to live permanently in people’s memories. Maybe it’s the smell of pine trees warming in the summer sun. Maybe it’s the freezing mountain water that shocks your system in the best possible way after a hot afternoon. Or maybe...
For years, the hike to Tamolitch Blue Pool has been one of those rare Oregon experiences that still feels raw, natural, and earned. The turquoise water glowing beneath ancient lava rock. The towering forest. The uneven trail winding through moss and volcanic terrain....
If you’ve ever pulled over on the side of an Oregon highway because a shiny rock caught your eye, there’s a good chance you already understand the magic of Central Oregon rockhounding. Out in the high desert around Prineville, the obsession runs deep. Every year,...
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 from friends all over the state, we realized that wasn't going to work....
If you’ve ever driven through north-central Oregon and thought, there’s gotta be something out there, you’re right… there is. And it might just be one of the most underrated places in the entire state. Cottonwood Canyon State Park doesn’t try to grab your attention...
Some restaurants serve burgers. Others dare you to prove something. At Giant Burger, larger than life burgers have been part of their identity for generations. This old school burger joint in Springfield, Oregon has been turning out thick, juicy patties since 1947,...
There’s a moment when you reach the top of the staircase at Lava River Cave and feel the air rising from below. It’s cold, steady, and carries that faint mineral scent that tells you this isn’t just another Oregon hike. It feels like standing at the edge of something...