The Willamette Valley is a region in Western Oregon known for its fertile soil, stunning scenery, and world-renowned wine production. The valley’s cool climate and rich soils make it an ideal place to grow grapes, particularly Pinot Noir, which is considered one of the finest wines in the world. The region is also home to a thriving farm-to-table food scene, with local chefs incorporating fresh ingredients from the valley’s farms and orchards into their dishes. Visitors to the Willamette Valley can enjoy wine tastings, farm tours, and outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. The area’s picturesque small towns, including McMinnville and Newberg, offer charming accommodations, quaint shops, and a welcoming community.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are returning to Oregon this August, bringing their unmistakable blue-and-gold fighter jets, tightly packed formations and thunderous aerial maneuvers to the Oregon International Air Show in McMinnville. This year’s show is shaping up to be...
There are many perfectly good reasons to visit an Oregon farm. Fresh fruit is one. Wandering through an old orchard is another. Browsing antiques, garden art, cowboy boots, and curious little treasures can easily occupy an afternoon. But let’s be honest. At Tollen...
It started with a million dollar hamburger. Now they sell some of the best steak in Portland. Portlanders have never struggled to find great places to eat. New restaurants open every year, longtime neighborhood favorites continue to thrive, and food lovers will...
While Portland has changed dramatically over the years, Goose Hollow Inn still feels wonderfully familiar. Before Portland became known for trendy food carts, craft breweries, and ever changing restaurant concepts, there were neighborhood taverns where regulars...
The scent of damp earth lingers beneath towering evergreens as winding paths disappear into gardens, wetlands, and groves of trees. Birds chatter overhead. A light breeze moves through the branches. Around nearly every bend, something new waits to be discovered. For...
There are certain places in Oregon that make you slow down without even realizing it. You walk in expecting a meal, but somewhere between the first sip of coffee and the arrival of your food, you find yourself staring out the window, completely captivated by something...
Growing up around Eugene, I honestly couldn't tell you how many times I've hiked Spencer Butte. School days, random weekends with friends, family hikes, evenings when I just needed to get outside and clear my head, somehow I always ended up back on that trail. If you...
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...
Tucked away in the charming small town of Brownsville, Oregon is a place that feels equal parts museum, treasure hunt, art gallery, and roadside wonder. At first glance, you might think Living Rock Studios is simply a rock shop. Step inside though, and you’ll quickly...
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....
There are restaurants you try once… and then there are the ones you grow up with. The ones where the coffee is always hot, the booths feel like they’ve heard a thousand stories, and the pie case quietly calls your name before you even sit down. In Tigard, Oregon, that...
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,...