Oregon
Oregon was started by a motley collection of old England missionaries and British and French fur trappers, becoming a territory in 1848, and a state 11 years later.
The first wagon train rolled onto the Oregon Trail in 1841 and emigrants eventually wore the road into a great highway, in some places a hundred feet wide and ten feet deep. Before then, however, many travelers had come to Oregon by a variety of routes: early explorers and traders from the west by sea; French Canadians and British emigrants overland from the north; companies of traders out of Spanish California from the south; and, following the fur trade, a small number of American trappers and missionaries from the east.
Nicknamed the “Beaver State”, its capital is Salem, and the largest city – Portland.
Portland, “Keep Portland Weird”, as it says on bumper stickers is a young hip city that has kind of everything you’ll want if you have come this far west. Two main areas which are really worth checking for bars, entertainment and nightlife are Old Town & Chinatown and Downtown. Downtown: Head for the Pioneer Courthouse Square – it hosts most festivals, concerts and rallies that take place. Old Town / China town / 23rd Avenue areas (think trendy) – The most lively part of town after dark, and home to some of Portland’s best music clubs.
For the beer drinkers amongst you, Portland’s micro brews and Portland’s micro pubs are some of the best on offer. The Oregon Beer fests are testimont
to their success and growing popularity, and certainly a refreshing change from you standard bottle of “bud”.
Local listings on the nightlife and entertainment scene in Portland are best checked in the “Mercury” or “Willamette Week” publications.
Bend, OR is just a great place, with the downtown being walk able and friendly – it’s worth a visit. There are close on 50 cafes, bars, restaurants, lounges and brew pubs all within easy walking
distance all sandwiched in a 3 block radius – that’s Louisiana Street to Greenwood Avenue.
Salem , nicknamed the “Cherry City”, because of the past importance of the local cherry growing industry is both the state capitol and permanent home to the State fair which takes place last week of August. It’s a picture postcard capitol and a convenient base for exploring Silver falls state park.
It is also home to three excellent brew pubs, the Cascade, the Ram and the Thompson Brewery (see our Salem listings for more details).
Casinos In Oregon.
Spirit Mountain Casino & Lodge, Highway 18, Grand Ronde, OR
Wildhorse Casino Resort ,72789 Highway 331, Pendleton, OR
Three Rivers Casino 5647 Highway 126, Florence, OR 541-997-7529
Kah-Nee-Ta High Desert Resort & Casino, 6823 Highway 8. Warm Springs, OR 541-553-6122
Kla-Mo-Ya Casino, 34333 Highway 97 N, Chiloquin, OR 541-783-7529
Old Camp Casino 2205 West Monroe St., Burns, OR 541-573-1500
The Mill Casino • Hotel , Hwy 101 on Coos Bay, North Bend, OR 800.953.4800
Chinook Winds, 1777 NW 44th Street, Lincoln City, OR 97367-5094
Some of the best festivals in Oregon.
- Portland International Beer Fest (or PIB)
Portland, Oregon, USA
July
PIB IS A BEER LOVER’S PARADISE: 120 world-class beers from 15 different countries. Portland International Beerfest specializes in hard-to-find rare & exotic styles of beer from breweries near & far. It has been called the most sophisticated beer festival in the country. PIB is situated in a beautiful downtown park setting amidst big trees and green grass, much like you might find in the famed beer gardens of Germany & Belgium. Great music & food are on hand all weekend, along with free games such as darts, chess, checkers, and backgammon. PIB is pet-friendly. Come find out why their motto is: “Taste the greatest beers you’ve never heard of. - Portland Pirate Festival
Portland, Oregon, USA
September
Get ready for the adventure of the summer! Portland Pirate Festival is two days of history, music and adventure for the whole family under the St. John’s Bridge in historic Cathedral Park. Explore tall ships, witness cannon battles and sword fighting demonstrations, learn about pirates & maritime history in the Pirate’s Plunder Bazaar and browse the wares of pirate merchants for unique gifts. - Oregon Brewers Festival
Portland, Oregon, USA
Celebrating its 21st year in 2008, the Oregon Brewers Festival is regarded as one of the finest craft beer festivals in the world. Seventy-three breweries offer handcrafted brews to more than 60,000 beer lovers during the four-day event. One reason for the popularity of the OBF is that it is a non-judging event, designed to instead allow the public to sample and savor brews from some of the nation’s finest breweries and draw their own conclusions. Beer is the focus of the event, and both classic and innovative beer styles are represented. There are hoppy pale ales, malty Belgian ales, creamy Scottish Ales, nutty brown ales, potent bocks, rich porters, refreshing pilsners, and charismatic ambers, just to name a few. - Oregon International Air Show
Hillsboro, Oregon, USA
August
Location: Hillsboro Airport. - Mount Angel Oktoberfest
Mount Angel, Oregon, USA
September
There is no more appropriate setting for an American version of the “Old World” Oktoberfest than in Mount Angel, Oregon. The small community was settled by German pioneers in the 1800s and readily reminds one of the rich Bavarian countryside. Oregon’s oldest and best-loved Oktoberfest began in 1966 as a traditional harvest festival to celebrate the bounty of the earth and the goodness of creation. It is Oregon’s largest folk festival.