Vacation in Oregon
February 1, 2006 8:30 AM Subscribe
My wife and I are going to vacation with another couple this summer and are looking for places in central to eastern Oregon. Where should we stay?
We will be staying a few days just north of Boise, ID, then heading west through Oregon. We want a vacation rental that is secluded, comfortable for us and the two infants that will be with us, has a big kitchen, hot tub, etc. We are completely unfamiliar with the geography of this part of Oregon. I don't expect that we will make it all the way to the coast, as we would like to find a place within 2-3 hours of Boise (actually, Payette, ID).
Given these parameters, where would you suggest? We found one possibility in Prineville, OR, but it indicates that it is in the "high desert" which is scaring off my wife a little bit (we are from Southern California and don't really want the desert). Are there mountain retreats? Places off the beaten path? Should we pop into southern Washington?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
We will be staying a few days just north of Boise, ID, then heading west through Oregon. We want a vacation rental that is secluded, comfortable for us and the two infants that will be with us, has a big kitchen, hot tub, etc. We are completely unfamiliar with the geography of this part of Oregon. I don't expect that we will make it all the way to the coast, as we would like to find a place within 2-3 hours of Boise (actually, Payette, ID).
Given these parameters, where would you suggest? We found one possibility in Prineville, OR, but it indicates that it is in the "high desert" which is scaring off my wife a little bit (we are from Southern California and don't really want the desert). Are there mountain retreats? Places off the beaten path? Should we pop into southern Washington?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Joseph. The Wallowa Mountains are a hidden gem that most life-long Oregonians know little to nothing about. Joseph is a cute small town at the base. It's about a four hour drive.
Your other option is the Bend area (which includes the Sisters recommendation above). It's hip, happening, where-it's-at. etc. That's a seven hour drive. You'll probably find a lot more to do in Bend and the surrounding area (and Google will help you there), but it'll definitely be more crowded and is way past your three hour drive.
posted by togdon at 9:14 AM on February 1, 2006
Your other option is the Bend area (which includes the Sisters recommendation above). It's hip, happening, where-it's-at. etc. That's a seven hour drive. You'll probably find a lot more to do in Bend and the surrounding area (and Google will help you there), but it'll definitely be more crowded and is way past your three hour drive.
posted by togdon at 9:14 AM on February 1, 2006
Bend is gorgeous and in the middle of the mountains (I'm from there) and has plenty of cheap rentals. Also, check out Sunriver about 15 minutes south of Bend, which should have cheap rentals that fit your specs nicely now that it's inbetween winter holidays and spring break.
Don't let the High Desert thing scare you off. There's plenty of water and trees, and it's cold. It's just that most of the precipitation is in the form of snow and it hardly ever rains, hence "desert," though it's obviously not the Gobi (to be fair there are dry areas with bitter brush that can look very desert like).
Sisters is also terrific, but just be aware it's fairly isolated, with not much going on. If you want to go out to a nice restaurant or see a movie etc. your options in there are limited. But it is great, lots of cool antiquing and still relatively uncommecialized while being very tourist friendly. It's also a relatively short drive from Bend/Sunriver so you could stay there and visit.
I would steer clear of Prinville, really isolated and pretty boring. Has some isolated rural charms that are best served by stop-though not a stay-over.
posted by Heminator at 9:20 AM on February 1, 2006
Don't let the High Desert thing scare you off. There's plenty of water and trees, and it's cold. It's just that most of the precipitation is in the form of snow and it hardly ever rains, hence "desert," though it's obviously not the Gobi (to be fair there are dry areas with bitter brush that can look very desert like).
Sisters is also terrific, but just be aware it's fairly isolated, with not much going on. If you want to go out to a nice restaurant or see a movie etc. your options in there are limited. But it is great, lots of cool antiquing and still relatively uncommecialized while being very tourist friendly. It's also a relatively short drive from Bend/Sunriver so you could stay there and visit.
I would steer clear of Prinville, really isolated and pretty boring. Has some isolated rural charms that are best served by stop-though not a stay-over.
posted by Heminator at 9:20 AM on February 1, 2006
The Oregon High Desert isn't sand dunes and joshua trees. It's a desert in that it gets very little rainfall. During the summer, Bend and the surrounding environs are dry, it's true, but you'll be used to that if you're from Southern California. In fact, the climates are very similar, in my opinion. The central Oregon high dessert is filled with pine trees and volcanic buttes and other interesting formations. South of Bend there is a High Desert Museum, which I've found interesting in the past.
None of that really answers your question, though.
Togdon is correct that Joseph is an overlooked vacation destination. Few people outside fishermen and hunters seem to consider it, probably because it's such a long drive from Portland. I spent a winter selling insurance to the people of Joseph, though, and I recall that there's a resort around Wallow Lake. I'd love to spend time there. It's much closer to Idaho than any of the other choices.
There are several destinations in central Oregon proper, most of which center around Bend. Black Butte is just west of Sisters, probably 45 minutes from Bend. But once you're getting that far west, you're just a mountain range from the Willamette Valley, which is most assuredly western Oregon. That's a long drive from Idaho. (Even Bend is a long drive, though it oughtn't take seven hours; four seems more like it.)
My wife and I spend two weekends a year at Sunriver, a resort about half an hour south of Bend. We rent a house with some friends. It's not secluded by any means, though it's as private as you want to make it. (It's a resort community, and people are quiet and keep to themselves.) It's a great spot.
About ten minutes north of Bend is Eagle Crest, another resort community, but one we just don't care for.
I'm sure there are plenty of other options, too, places I've just never heard of. LaGrande and Pendleton probably have established vacation spots, including some that match your parameters. What are the dates of your vacation? If you're coming late summer, there's always the Pendleton Round-Up for entertainment.
However, if I were looking for vacation spots in central/eastern Oregon, I'd actually turn my sights a little south and head to Crater Lake National Park. It's a lovely place, though there aren't a lot of pre-planned things to do. You'll need to explore, but it'll be worth it if you do. My wife and I spent a long weekend in a small room at Diamond Lake Resort, about half an hour from Crater Lake, and we loved it. If I were looking to do a one-time trip to central Oregon, I'd make the extra drive to visit this region.
Oh yeah — one last thing: if it appeals to you, check out the Oregon Park Service web site for a list of yurts and one-room cabins. These are located in many state parks and are an inexpensive option. We've stayed in yurts in several campgrounds (including one just fifteen minutes from our house — a mini-vacation!) and they're a fun alternative, kind of a cross between camping and a hotel. If you choose to go this route, you'll need to make your reservations now, though. These things book up quickly.
Good luck and have fun!
posted by jdroth at 10:11 AM on February 1, 2006
None of that really answers your question, though.
Togdon is correct that Joseph is an overlooked vacation destination. Few people outside fishermen and hunters seem to consider it, probably because it's such a long drive from Portland. I spent a winter selling insurance to the people of Joseph, though, and I recall that there's a resort around Wallow Lake. I'd love to spend time there. It's much closer to Idaho than any of the other choices.
There are several destinations in central Oregon proper, most of which center around Bend. Black Butte is just west of Sisters, probably 45 minutes from Bend. But once you're getting that far west, you're just a mountain range from the Willamette Valley, which is most assuredly western Oregon. That's a long drive from Idaho. (Even Bend is a long drive, though it oughtn't take seven hours; four seems more like it.)
My wife and I spend two weekends a year at Sunriver, a resort about half an hour south of Bend. We rent a house with some friends. It's not secluded by any means, though it's as private as you want to make it. (It's a resort community, and people are quiet and keep to themselves.) It's a great spot.
About ten minutes north of Bend is Eagle Crest, another resort community, but one we just don't care for.
I'm sure there are plenty of other options, too, places I've just never heard of. LaGrande and Pendleton probably have established vacation spots, including some that match your parameters. What are the dates of your vacation? If you're coming late summer, there's always the Pendleton Round-Up for entertainment.
However, if I were looking for vacation spots in central/eastern Oregon, I'd actually turn my sights a little south and head to Crater Lake National Park. It's a lovely place, though there aren't a lot of pre-planned things to do. You'll need to explore, but it'll be worth it if you do. My wife and I spent a long weekend in a small room at Diamond Lake Resort, about half an hour from Crater Lake, and we loved it. If I were looking to do a one-time trip to central Oregon, I'd make the extra drive to visit this region.
Oh yeah — one last thing: if it appeals to you, check out the Oregon Park Service web site for a list of yurts and one-room cabins. These are located in many state parks and are an inexpensive option. We've stayed in yurts in several campgrounds (including one just fifteen minutes from our house — a mini-vacation!) and they're a fun alternative, kind of a cross between camping and a hotel. If you choose to go this route, you'll need to make your reservations now, though. These things book up quickly.
Good luck and have fun!
posted by jdroth at 10:11 AM on February 1, 2006
Sorry — I forgot to address the accommodations part of your question. Yurts/cabins aren't going to have a hot tub or a kitchen, but the various resorts around Bend most certainly will. Every house we've ever stayed in at Sunriver has had a hot tub and a fully-stocked kitchen.
To summarize, based on your requirements I'd bet that Sunriver is best for you, that Crater Lake would also be a great choice, and that a state park would make for an interesting option if you're willing to sacrifice a few luxuries.
posted by jdroth at 10:13 AM on February 1, 2006
To summarize, based on your requirements I'd bet that Sunriver is best for you, that Crater Lake would also be a great choice, and that a state park would make for an interesting option if you're willing to sacrifice a few luxuries.
posted by jdroth at 10:13 AM on February 1, 2006
Don't worry about the high desert thing. Most of the eastern 2/3 of Oregon is high desert. It just means it doesn't rain a lot there, not that there are dunes and iguanas as far as the eye can see. Sisters and Prineville are pretty far from the Idaho border. Togdon's right about the Wallowas; nice country. Remote, but nice. Actually, if you head up in to SE Washington, the Blue Mountains are lovely, too, and there's great stuff to see like Palouse Falls. Crater Lake really is a sight to behold. On a clear day, it just doesn't seem possible that a lake could be that blue. Not much going on in that neighborhood, though. I stay somewhere else and make a daytrip.
If you're really going to be in in central Oregon, you might as well stay in Bend. Sisters is nice, but tiny. Black Butte Ranch is one of the most beatiful places in the country, IMHO, but the nearest civilization is Sisters (see previous sentence; actually, if you're looking for seclusion in a beautiful setting with golf, definitely stay at Black Butte). Prineville... ehhh... Prineville's always been sort of a regional punchline; supposedly, it's undergoing a renaissance as more people move to the area (and the Bend/Redmond old-timers flee the growth in their towns), but I haven't been there in years and old prejudices die hard. The Ochoco National Forest is lovely, though. Sunriver's nice; good golf, lovely trees, a beautiful stretch of river for floating peacefully with some lunch and not a care in the world. Lakeview's nice, but probably too far south and it's so surrounded by parkland that there's nothing much else in the region. They have a 33'3" outdoor swimming pool, incidentally.
posted by willpie at 11:05 AM on February 1, 2006
If you're really going to be in in central Oregon, you might as well stay in Bend. Sisters is nice, but tiny. Black Butte Ranch is one of the most beatiful places in the country, IMHO, but the nearest civilization is Sisters (see previous sentence; actually, if you're looking for seclusion in a beautiful setting with golf, definitely stay at Black Butte). Prineville... ehhh... Prineville's always been sort of a regional punchline; supposedly, it's undergoing a renaissance as more people move to the area (and the Bend/Redmond old-timers flee the growth in their towns), but I haven't been there in years and old prejudices die hard. The Ochoco National Forest is lovely, though. Sunriver's nice; good golf, lovely trees, a beautiful stretch of river for floating peacefully with some lunch and not a care in the world. Lakeview's nice, but probably too far south and it's so surrounded by parkland that there's nothing much else in the region. They have a 33'3" outdoor swimming pool, incidentally.
posted by willpie at 11:05 AM on February 1, 2006
Actually, I think most of the places I listed are more than 2-3 hours from Idaho. The part of Oregon that abuts Idaho is pretty remote; Baker City and Burns have their charms (Baker City has a very neat Oregon Trail Museum), but they're small towns. I think you'd be best served by either wandering up into the Wallowas, or planning for more drive time. Oregon is substantially wider than California, and you'll find that east-west travel is time consuming. You might check out Pendleton; travel on I-84 will be much brisker than on hwy 26 or 20. Hell, you might even try heading all the way up to Walla Walla for some wine.
posted by willpie at 11:11 AM on February 1, 2006
posted by willpie at 11:11 AM on February 1, 2006
I'd totally 2nd Crater Lake if this is the one and only time you're ever going to visit the Oregon that isn't Portland/Ashland/the Oregon Coast, but it's 370 miles away from Payette and a good deal of that is going to be on tiny two lane roads in the middle of the high desert (aka. nowhere). Not that it will take the 10 hours that Google claims, but it's definitely desolate and not all that pretty.
If you're willing to stretch your three hours of driving then you could hit Bend and the surrounding area for a day or two first (it's on the way) and then spend a day or so at Crater Lake.
You haven't mentioned how you're getting back to San Fransisco. If you can do:
posted by togdon at 11:19 AM on February 1, 2006
If you're willing to stretch your three hours of driving then you could hit Bend and the surrounding area for a day or two first (it's on the way) and then spend a day or so at Crater Lake.
You haven't mentioned how you're getting back to San Fransisco. If you can do:
??? -> Boise/Payette -> Bend -> Crater Lake -> Ashland -> San Fransiscothat would make a nice trip.
posted by togdon at 11:19 AM on February 1, 2006
A fantastic place to visit is the Columbia Gorge (very un-desert-like). Amazing scenery and lots to do. On the Washington side, about an hour east of Vancouver/Portland is a little town called Stevenson. In Stevenson is the Columbia Gorge Riverside Lodge. It's right on the river, with a small park near by where windsurfers often start their rides (Are they called rides? I don't know...) on the Columbia River. They have hot tubs, kitchens, games, but no tv and telephones, so it's quite the escape.
I've been a number of times and have also sent friends and family who loved it. Angus (the owner) is very friendly and an overall great guy.
Only downside is that it's near RR tracks. Angus provides ear plug, but it's never bothered me one way or the other.
posted by trixie_bee at 12:23 PM on February 1, 2006
I've been a number of times and have also sent friends and family who loved it. Angus (the owner) is very friendly and an overall great guy.
Only downside is that it's near RR tracks. Angus provides ear plug, but it's never bothered me one way or the other.
posted by trixie_bee at 12:23 PM on February 1, 2006
Although Joseph, Enterprise and the Northern Wallowas would be hard to get to from Boise, they would be well worth it. The Wallowa Lake Lodge is really nice.
I may be prejudiced since I live closer to Sisters and Bend. They are nice places also, more yuppie, but the Wallowas are very special and if you are all the way over there, they are not to be missed.
Then on your way west, do through John Day and see this and then the John Day Fossil Beds and then through Picture Gorge on the way west.
posted by Danf at 3:58 PM on February 1, 2006
I may be prejudiced since I live closer to Sisters and Bend. They are nice places also, more yuppie, but the Wallowas are very special and if you are all the way over there, they are not to be missed.
Then on your way west, do through John Day and see this and then the John Day Fossil Beds and then through Picture Gorge on the way west.
posted by Danf at 3:58 PM on February 1, 2006
If you are anywhere near Umatilla, the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, a tribal run museum, is the best Indian museum I have visited.
posted by LarryC at 4:04 PM on February 1, 2006
posted by LarryC at 4:04 PM on February 1, 2006
If you're in Payette and you don't want to hang out in the desert, head north on US-95 to McCall. It's on Payette Lake, has a nice charm to it, and isn't too far away (just over 100 miles). There are lots of places you can rent in the vicinity that meet your description. Many locals of the Treasure Valley head up to McCall on weekends, winter and summer.
For things in Oregon 2 - 3 hours to the west, you're talking Wallowa County (the Blue Mountains). If you're returning to Payette and you don't mind windy roads, a side trip through Hells Canyon is extremely scenic. OR/ID-71 even crosses Brownlee Dam if you're heading back to the Home of the Dome (or Killebrew Country, depending on who you ask).
posted by phoebus at 7:36 PM on February 5, 2006
For things in Oregon 2 - 3 hours to the west, you're talking Wallowa County (the Blue Mountains). If you're returning to Payette and you don't mind windy roads, a side trip through Hells Canyon is extremely scenic. OR/ID-71 even crosses Brownlee Dam if you're heading back to the Home of the Dome (or Killebrew Country, depending on who you ask).
posted by phoebus at 7:36 PM on February 5, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
Awesome mountains and trails in the area. Gorgeous skyline(The 3 Sisters, Bachelor and Black Butte). Black Butte is just outside of Sisters(15 minute drive to the trailhead). When the treeline breaks though be careful about sunburn and it gets a little steep.
The visitor's center guy was really helpful when my girlfriend and I went there on a whim one weekend.
posted by mnology at 9:05 AM on February 1, 2006