Whats New in Oregon
Why Guides Are The Best Way to Explore Oregon
Travel Oregon’s new Why Guides program encourages visitors to consider a licensed guide to provide safe and responsible travel experiences when visiting Oregon. Local guides know the ins and outs of the state, including planning details like parking, permits and gear, and often have special access to lesser-known locations that aren’t available to the general public. Guides share a deeper story of a place and help visitors gain a more meaningful connection. From wine to watersports, culinary to cycling, backcountry and beyond, Oregon is home to hundreds of licensed guides, tour operators and outfitters ready to welcome visitors back to the state. Learn more here.
Oregon Focuses on BIPOC Films
A series of recent films focusing on BIPOC storytelling in Oregon’s outdoors have been made possible by Travel Oregon, Oregon Film and other partners. The latest film, You Go Girl!, was selected to premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and is now available on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s streaming platform. It is an upbeat short about a New York comedian (Tiffany Mann, Orange Is The New Black) struggling to find her footing in the mountains of Oregon. Additional films include Pedal Through, which explores a Black woman’s healing through bike packing, and the documentary Our Trails Too, on the movement to reclaim Oregon’s outdoor spaces for people of colour and the LGBTQ+ community. Learn more here.
Meet the Indigenous Tribes of Eastern Oregon
Few words sufficiently describe the grandeur of road-tripping through the wide-open spaces of Eastern Oregon. For more than 10,000 years, these lands have been home to the Walla Walla, Cayuse and Umatilla tribes – united as the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). Travellers to the area can support Native American-owned businesses near Pendleton with visits to the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute and Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts. Cast a line at the reservoir at McKay Creek National Wildlife Refuge, a popular fishing and swimming hole for Native families and visitors alike, or take in the Indian Lake Fish Derby (Lake Hiyúumptipin). Indigenous-owned restaurants in the region, include: Kinship Café, Sundown Bar & Grill and Moe Pho Noodles & Cafe. Learn more here.
Portland Partners with Canadian Chef Matty Matheson
Travel Portland has tapped Matty Matheson (and his Powerful Truth Angels podcast co-host Alex2Tone) for a new campaign encouraging people to visit Oregon’s capital city. The new spot, which premiered on their podcast, finds the two waking up next to each other in a Portland hotel and deciding to explore what Matty calls “the greatest city in America,” with a cheeky wink to the camera. They proceed to hike in Forest Park, dine on Thai barbecue at Eem, and soak at the Knot Springs wellness social club. An iconic itinerary! Watch the episode here.
