American Driving Vacations

The concept was incredibly visionary; the result is spectacular. Lewis and Clark ended their cross country exploration in Astoria on the dramatic Oregon coast. Today, the landscape is largely unchanged, allowing you to walk in their footsteps on unspoiled beach. Centuries ago, the forward-thinking founders of the Oregon Territory deemed there would be no private ownership on the coast. Today the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway sweeps along the full length of Oregon's stunning coastline complete with dazzling beaches and hushed temperate rain forests in the north and sandy beaches, dunes, and rugged cliffs in the south. Sometimes the only sound you hear is the soothing ebb and flow of the ocean and the calls of sea gulls overhead. In other places, waterfalls tumble down, whales spout and sea lions bark.

This is but one of the places in Oregon that has been carefully preserved. The Columbia River Gorge, an 80-mile-long geologic wonder that forms the border between Oregon and Washington, is another. Cliffs rise to 4,000 feet. You can see breathtaking waterfalls right by the road and lose yourself in the spectacular scenery and the best views of the Gorge further inland. As you explore the culture and heritage of the region, you can have elegant lunches at National Historic Landmark resorts and savor wines while taking in the views. Off the coastal road, no other place in America matches the dramatic beauty of Crater Lake – deep, pure, astoundingly blue and surrounded by sheer cliffs nearly 2,000 feet high. And of course, there’s Portland, deemed the most walkable city in the United States. Take your time and savor the Oregon preserved for dreamers. Let your mind wander and your countenance completely relax as you venture through the timeless landscapes. It’s what Oregon’s own dreamers would want you to do.

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