There's no better place to enjoy nature than at Portland's Forest Park, known as the nation's largest wooded city park. The park occupies over 5,000 acres and sits overlooking the beautiful Willamette River, providing a peaceful environment for hikers, bikers, and outdoor lovers in general.
Embark on a journey through the Portland Japanese Garden, hailed as “the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan.” As you roam through, you'll find that there are five main gardens: Flat Garden, Strolling Pond Garden, The Tea Garden, Natural Garden, and Sand and Stone Garden. Tranquility and lovely scenery are guaranteed here.
Grab your skis and get ready to conquer a mountain with a little help from the Timberline Lodge. The lodge is located on the south side of Mount Hood and provides the nation's longest skiing season. Along with skiing, Timberline's recreation area hosts snowboarding, hiking, and climbing. Fun fact: aerial shots of the lodge were used as part of the opening scenes of Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining.