These Charming Small Towns in Oregon to Visit

While Portland and Oregon’s other top cities have plenty to offer, the state has many small towns that offer lots of charms and postcard perfect landscapes. Visitors can enjoy backdrops that include everything from rugged coastlines with soaring sea stacks to snow capped mountains. These small towns in Oregon are all worth putting on your must visit list. Let find out These Charming Small Towns in Oregon to Visit below.

These Charming Small Towns in Oregon to Visit

Astoria Small Towns

Founded in 1811, Astoria was the first American settlement west of the Rockies, and Oregon’s oldest town. It’s also one of the prettiest as well as being famous among movie buffs as the setting of the 1985 hit film The Goonies, and fans will find lots of spots to relive some of their favorite scenes, including the Clatsop County Jail which is now the Oregon Film Museum. History buffs can also explore the Captain George Flavel House Museum, the very site where Mikey’s father worked as a curator in The Goonies.
The hilly streets here are filled with historic architecture, set along the Columbia River, which brings plenty of opportunities for water sports. It’s a great place for foodies and there are plenty of places to enjoy a cold craft brew too. That is once of These Charming Small Towns in Oregon to Visit.

Yachats, Oregon

The tiny village of Yachats lies at the foot of Cape Perpetua on the northern Oregon coast, a popular spot for watching whales that migrate through, exploring tidal pools, and hiking the area’s scenic trails. It’s become famous for Thor’s Well, a gaping sinkhole and natural wonder in the sea that never seems to fill despite the continuous water that drains into it.
The well is especially impressive at high tide, or during storms when waves violently wash over the rocks before falling back through the hole. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera as there are practically an endless number of photo ops throughout the area.

Hood River, Oregon

Located in the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Hood River is surrounded by spectacular scenery while providing a wealth of outdoor adventure. Stay here and you’ll have easy access to some of the state’s most stunning waterfalls in the gorge, scenic hiking trails, vineyards and access to outstanding windsurfing on the river in fact, this is considered the country’s windsurfing capital. Right in town, you’ll find plenty of great places to stay along with plenty of enticing local coffee shops and eateries.

Three Sisters near Bend in Central Oregon

Located on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains along the edge of Oregon’s high desert area, Sisters is a small town that gets lots of sunshine and has the Deschutes National Forest at its doorstep. It’s an ideal town for those looking to get active among beautiful mountain scenery, providing easy access to skiing, whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hiking and backpacking, with the eye popping Three Sisters being the centerpiece. In town, you’ll find early 19th century facades and storefronts, now home to boutiques, art galleries and restaurants.

Downtown McMinnville

McMinnville is the perfect base for those looking to explore Oregon wine country, located right in the heart of the Pinot Noir producing Willamette Valley. The historic town is a delight itself, with its tree lined streets hosting unique shops and boutiques, farm to table restaurants, coffee shops, and kitschy antiquaries punctuated with wine tasting rooms. It even hosts a space museum with a waterslide. Voted among the best main streets in America, the downtown core also hosts a wide range of events and community celebrations, from weekly farmer’s markets to the annual UFO Festival.

National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City

Located in eastern Oregon, Baker City was one of the milestones along the Oregon Trail and is home to the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center with exhibits that reveal the hardships those early pioneers faced. The town has a charming historic district that includes the Geiser Grand Hotel and its 1889 Saloon even if you don’t plan to stay it’s worth popping in to view the stained glass skylight, crystal chandeliers, and mahogany woodwork. To learn more about the town’s history, visit the Baker Heritage Museum and go back in time with a ride on the narrow gauge steam train. That is once of These Charming Small Towns in Oregon to Visit.