Field notes from a Portland local
Your local guide to Oregon travel
Every photo is mine, every trail walked, every recommendation one I’d actually give a friend.
Right now · September
What’s worth the drive this month
Oregon DunesMeet your local guide
I fell for Oregon all over again, and started writing it down.
I was raised in Portland and figured I’d seen it all. Then my husband and I started really traveling this state together, two kids in tow and a camera always in hand, and I fell for the whole place all over again.
177 guides later, every photo on this site is still one I took myself, on the ground, usually at an hour when no one else is around. I’d rather show you Oregon than tell you about it.
Antonina
Start exploring
Oregon, by region
Where most people start
The most-read guides
Best of Portland
Best Things to Do in Portland, Oregon (Local Guide)
Oregon Coast
15 Charming Oregon Coast Towns (You Can’t Help But Love)
Oregon
The Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Oregon (Local’s Guide)
Best of Oregon
The Best Hikes in Oregon, From Easy Walks to Epic Summits
Best of Portland
10 Charming Neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon (+Map)
Best of Oregon
15 Best Places to Live in Oregon (Helpful Local’s Guide)
Best of Oregon
The Most Beautiful Places in Oregon (A Local’s Favorites)
Bend
Hike to the EPIC Tamolitch BLUE POOL in Oregon (Local’s Guide)
And a few more readers keep coming back to
- The Best Portland Date Ideas (From a Local Couple)
- Unforgettable Things to Do in Bend, Oregon (Local’s Guide)
- A (Stunning) Guide to Oregon’s Painted Hills
- Visiting the Witch’s Castle (A Portland Rite of Passage)
- 16+ Awesome Things to Do in Astoria, Oregon
- How to Spend One EPIC Day in Portland, Oregon
- The Best Hikes Near Portland (A Local’s Trail Guide)
- The Best Time to Visit Oregon (Comprehensive Monthly Breakdown)
Spotlight · Bend
The weekend in Bend I give everyone who asks
Coffee downtown, a float from Riverbend Park to Drake Park, a brewery crawl, then Pilot Butte or Smith Rock before brunch. Two days, planned the way we actually do it.
Read the guideFresh from the field
Latest field notes
Eat + Drink
Willamette Valley in Winter (Fireplaces, Empty Tasting Rooms, Truffle Season)
The short version The Willamette Valley Wineries Association runs Cellar Season from January 1 through March 31, with cellar tours, barrel tastings…
Antonina ·
Oregon
Oregon Coast in Winter
The short version Winter on the Oregon coast is wet, not icy, with Newport averaging highs around 50 in January. It brings…
Antonina ·
Nature & Hiking
Mount Hood in Winter (Timberline, Skibowl, Sno-Parks, and Chains)
The short version Mount Hood is about 50 miles from Portland, with four ski areas that don't share weather. Carry chains or…
Antonina ·
The field notes letter
The good stuff, first
Where I’ve been, what’s worth the drive right now, and the occasional secret beach. No spam, just Oregon.