ASTORIA, Ore. — When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark reached the Columbia River estuary in November 1805, Clark rhapsodized in his journal: "Ocian in view! O! the joy."
The explorers hadn't actually reached the ocean yet; they'd just come across the wide-open mouth of the Columbia. Still, it was and is quite a joy-provoking sight — one of many that have lured millions of us to Oregon time and time again.
 HELEN ANDERS/Cox Newspapers A cliff near the Cape Meares lighthouse overlooks the rocky Oregon coastline. The lighthouse rises 200 feet from the ocean. For a larger, high resolution image, click HERE |
This year, Oregon is celebrating 150 years of statehood. A celebratory wagon train that started its journey Aug. 8 in Huntington in eastern Oregon will arrive in The Dalles, east of Portland, on Sept. 19.
The biggest sesquicentennial celebration, though, will be at the Oregon State Fair in Salem, which opens Friday with a concert, a production of the musical "Oregon! Oregon!" and a massive singing of "Happy Birthday" to the Beaver State. Eleven days of fair fun follow.
You might or might not make it to the fair, but you definitely should make it to Oregon. Its deep-green mountains and rocky coast are stunning, and its cities offer a casual, laid-back version of culture, good food and entertainment. I have to agree with Clark: Oh, the joy.
My husband and I started our recent Oregon trip by joining friends in Astoria, where Lewis and Clark made camp at Fort Clatsop in the winter of 1805-'06. On a mountain high atop the city is the 125-foot Astoria Column (2199 Coxcomb Drive, parking $1), built 83 years ago and adorned with murals depicting Oregon's history. It was misty that day, but my friend and I climbed up all 164 steps to the top and could still see for miles.
Astoria also is home to the Columbia River Maritime Museum (1792 Marine Drive, 503-325-2323, $10 adult admission), which focuses on the many shipwrecks caused by the shifting sandbar at the mouth of the Columbia.
We moved on south to Cannon Beach to admire Haystack Rock, which rises 237 feet at the edge of the ocean. The rock is its own ecosystem: Birds live on it, starfish cling to it and anemones live in its tide pools. We worked up a good hunger walking to the rock and sated it with Dungeness crabs at Ecola Seafoods (208 N. Spruce St.).
The next day, we hit the road again, stopping at Tillamook County Creamery (4175 U.S. 101 N.) in Tillamook to grab some cheese curds, which we ate while we drove the 25-mile Three Capes Loop to the ocean and back. We stopped at Cape Meares Lighthouse, a chunky little lighthouse with a sweeping view 200 feet above the ocean. A short walk uphill is the Octopus Tree, a multitrunked Sitka spruce that really does look like an octopus.
We drove on south, stopping at Wildflower Grill (4250 N.E. U.S. 101) in Lincoln City for its incomparable Marionberry (a type of blackberry) cobbler, then spent the night in Newport, home to Oregon Coast Aquarium (2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Road, www.aquarium.org, $14.95 adult admission), best known for its mischievous otters.
As tempted as we were to continue on down the coast, it was time for us to turn inland and head for Portland, one of our favorite U.S. cities. It's a great place to eat seafood, hear music, visit museums and just bask in a cultural climate not unlike Austin's — but with cooler weather (usually; Portland did get socked with a few 100-degree days this summer).
Since Oregon was celebrating its 150th, we decided to stay in a historic inn, the Governor Hotel (614 S.W. 11th Ave., 503-224-3400, www.governorhotel.com, rooms start at $159). The hotel is celebrating its 100th birthday, and its large rooms are newly remodeled in muted greens and browns. Wireless Internet service is free, and the hotel is conveniently located over a really good McCormick & Schmick's restaurant, Jake's Grill, a cousin to Jake's Famous Crawfish a few blocks away at 401 S.W. 12th Ave. We ate at both, which have super happy hour prices on oysters on the half shell.
Portland is packed with things to do. We visited the Portland Museum of Art (1237 S.W. 10th Ave, www.portlandartmuseum.org, $12 adult admission), and especially enjoyed an exhibition of art from the faculty of Pacific Northwest College of Art, which is celebrating its own 100th birthday.
Nearby, we refreshed ourselves on Oregon's history at the Oregon Historical Society Museum (1200 SW. Park Ave., www.ohs.org, $11 adult admission). The exhibit "Oregon, My Oregon!" tells the whole story with artifacts, story boards and films. There's even a section on modern Oregon that takes on controversial topics such as the state's legalization of assisted suicide. The Historical Society also has fascinating exhibits on claymation (Sept. 13) and 3-D graphics (through Sept. 6.)
Portland's rains grow beautiful gardens, so we drove out to see the International Rose Test Garden (400 S.W. Kingston Ave., free) and the nearby peaceful Portland Japanese Gardens (611 S.W. Kingston Ave., $8 adult admission), then drove up to the Pittock Mansion (3229 N.W. Pittock Drive, $7 adult admission). Built in 1914 by newspaper publisher Henry Pittock, it was ahead of its time with its curving architecture, lighting, plumbing (the multihead shower is a marvel, even today) and central vacuum system.
Pittock built his home 1,000 feet above the city, so the view is ... well, here we go again: Oh, the joy.
If you visit Oregon between now and the end of the year, you can get a price break at a couple of high-end hotels. Hotel Fifty, 50 S.W. Morrison St. in Portland (877-505-7220) offers rates starting at $150, and they'll throw in a $50 dining credit for the hotel's H5O Bistro and Bar. The Resort at the Mountain, perched on the western slope of Mount Hood at 68010 E. Fairway Ave., Welches (866-407-2262), also has rates starting at $150 through the end of the year. Both can be booked with the Happy Birthday Oregon package at www.coastalhotels.com.
For more information on Oregon, visit www.traveloregon.com or call a travel agent.
Helen Anders writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: handers(at)statesman.com.
