Mount St Helens On a clear day, a drive to Mt. St. Helens makes a great day trip from Portland. The snow-covered Mt. St. Helens looks like a giant ice-cream cone in the distant sky. The famous volcano erupted on May 18th, 1980 and remnants of the devastation can still be seen today. Multnomah Falls Located 30 miles east of Portland on Larch Mountain, Multnomah Falls is one of the most spectacular sights in the scenic Columbia River Gorge. A hiking trail leads across Benson Bridge, which is located between the upper and lower falls. In winter, the frozen waterfall is breathtakingly beautiful. Built in 1925, Multnomah Falls Lodge is a day lodge only, which offers a full service restaurant serving northwest cuisine as well as a lounge and bar, snack bar, and a gift shop. http://www.multnomahfallslodge.com/ Oregon Coast Beaches The North Oregon coast beaches are within two hours driving time from Portland. The spectacular coastline has much to offer its visitors with breathtaking views of unspoiled beaches, sand dunes and rocky cliffs, along with miles of hiking trails. Although the north coast waters are too cold for most people to swim, wet-suit surfing is popular on some beaches. http://visittheoregoncoast.com/
Photo by Hao Nguyen.
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