Mark Graves/The Oregonian
Done with the gorgeous fall foliage but not yet in the throes of winter, a time when calendars are full of family gatherings and events, the holiday season can be a strange time to travel.
If you have the luxury to get away, however, this can be a great time to celebrate your seasonal traditions at new destinations, or to explore the many gorgeous landscapes around Oregon.
Lovers of snow know many of these holiday destinations well. Once snow begins to coat the Cascade Mountains, ski areas open up for a day, night or weekend on the slopes. The weather also makes places like hot springs and lodges more attractive, as warm refuges in the chilly nights.
Traveling around Oregon during the holiday season is not without its challenges. Sudden storms can make roads impassable. Huge crowds can fill holiday events. And local amenities usually available in the summer may be closed for the season, so do your research before you leave home.
The payoff is getting to enjoy your holidays in a different setting – bringing them with you to a new town or a beautiful natural landscape. In Oregon, the holiday season is sometimes better on the road.
Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian
TIMBERLINE LODGE
When fall and winter snow arrive on the Cascades, you'd be hard pressed to find a better spot to see it than on the slopes of Mount Hood. And while you can ski at several different resorts on the mountain, Timberline is the only one that boasts a historic lodge and six different places to eat and drink.
Timberline Lodge is at 27500 E. Timberline Road, Government Camp. Make reservations at tripadvisor.com or timberlinelodge.com, or by calling 1-800-547-1406.
Randy L. Rasmussen/The Oregonian
HECETA HEAD LIGHTHOUSE
Every December, the Heceta Head Lighthouse on the central Oregon coast hosts its Victorian Christmas Open House. Stretched over two weekends in December, the event allows visitors a look inside the historic lighthouse keeper's house, all decorated for the season.
Victorian Christmas Open House will run from 4 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 7, 8, 14 and 15. Heceta Head Lighthouse is at 97439 U.S. Route 101, Florence. Parking is $5, admission is free.
Terry Richard/The Oregonian
CRATER LAKE
The scenic roads around Crater Lake shut down Nov. 1, but those in search of good views, who aren't afraid of a little snow, can find a great holiday adventure at the stunning natural wonder. The entrance road to park headquarters and Rim Village usually remains open year-round, and a discounted $15 entrance fee allows you to explore on your own (stay away from the ledges) or go on a free ranger-led snowshoe tour. The Crater Lake Lodge and all park campgrounds shut down for the season, but there are some winter lodging options in surrounding towns.
Dates for the ranger-led snowshoe tours have not yet been announced, though they usually start by mid-December. For more information visit nps.gov/crla or call 541-594-3000.
Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
CRANE HOT SPRINGS
An oasis in the high desert of southeast Oregon, Crane Hot Springs (formerly known as Crystal Crane Hot Springs) is a perfect holiday getaway for those seeking remote, quiet beauty and warmth. The resort is built on a natural hot spring, where visitors can soak year-round in the large public pool or in private tubs. Accommodations include hotel rooms, cabins, tipis and campsites.
Crane Hot Springs is at 59318 Oregon Route 78, Burns. Make reservations at tripadvisor.com or cranehotsprings.com, or by calling 541-493-2312.
Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
SHORE ACRES
There are few other Oregon state parks that do the holidays quite like Shore Acres. Found on the southern coast near Coos Bay, the state park is home to a stunning holiday light display that's one of the very best around. It's also a perfect place to visit on stormy days, as the big rocks just offshore are known to produce spectacular spray from crashing waves.
Holiday Lights at Shore Acres will run 4 to 9:30 p.m. nightly, Nov. 28 through Dec. 31. Shore Acres State Park is on Cape Arago Highway, four miles west of Charleston. Parking is $5 per vehicle. Contact the park at 541-888-3732.
Stephanie Yao Long/The Oregonian
HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAYS
If you're looking for a holiday light display, your best bet is to visit Portland. There are several big, glittering displays set up around the area each year, including ZooLights, Peacock Lane and popular events at The Grotto and Portland International Raceway.
Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian
DEPOE BAY
Head to the central Oregon coast and spend some time in Depoe Bay, a perfect destination for fall and winter. If it's stormy, it's an amazing place to watch dramatic, crashing waves. If the weather is clear, you can go whale watching (especially during Winter Whale Watch Week from Dec. 27 to 31). Depoe Bay also has some of the best lodging on the central coast, from the upscale Whale Cove Inn and beautiful Channel House to the many oceanside rentals around town.
Terry Richard/The Oregonian
BEND
Those seeking outdoor excursions for the holidays should look no further than Bend. The central Oregon hub is known for its proximity to many outdoor destinations – the Deschutes River, Mount Bachelor, Tumalo Falls and Black Butte, to name a few – but downtown Bend is also a dining hot spot, particularly well-regarded for the local craft beer scene.
Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
CHRISTMAS VALLEY
To be perfectly honest, Christmas Valley is primarily a holiday destination because of its name. The small, sparsely populated town sits in the middle of central Oregon's high desert, where visitors will find a gas station, two motels and a few places to eat. But drive out into the surrounding area and you'll find plenty of hidden natural wonders: Fort Rock, Crack-in-the-Ground, and a massive patch of desert sand dunes.
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HOLIDAY TRAINS
There are few better ways to traverse a winter snowscape than in the comfort of a holiday train. There are several around Oregon, including the Holiday Express in Portland, Train to Christmas Town on the Mount Hood Railroad, Candy Cane Express at the coast and Christmas Trains on the Sumpter Valley Railroad in eastern Oregon.
Hood River County Chamber of Commerce
HOOD RIVER
In recent years, Hood River has transformed into one of Oregon's best places for food, drink and adventure. The town is nestled into the Columbia River Gorge near the base of Mount Hood, allowing visitors easy access to either destination. In town, you'll find one of the best beer scenes in Oregon – not to mention stellar wine and cider scenes. The holiday season offers a good opportunity for an overnight trip to the heart of the Columbia Gorge.
Jamie Hale/The Oregonian
WILLAMETTE VALLEY WINE COUNTRY
Take your visiting family and friends on a quick road trip out to Willamette Valley wine country, where you can tour tasting rooms, browse small towns and get out on some quick and easy hikes. The annual Wine Country Thanksgiving event is a perfect excuse, when wineries will open their cellars for special events.
Wine Country Thanksgiving will take place Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. Find schedules and participating wineries online at willamettevalleywines.com.
Janet Eastman/The Oregonian
ASHLAND
Experience Ashland without the crowds by visiting between October and February, the months when the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is off-season. That allows you to peruse the town's good restaurants and bars, as well as its many pockets of nature. Lithia Park is perfectly beautiful, but stray a little farther to discover Siskiyou Mountain Park, Oredson-Todd Woods and the "Alice in Wonderland"-themed trails of the East Side Forest Lands.
Terry Richard/The Oregonian
NEW YEAR’S EVE ON MOUNT HOOD
What better way to ring in the new year than on the slopes of Oregon's tallest mountain? All three major ski resorts on Mount Hood host New Year's Eve parties, each with night skiing, entertainment, food and fireworks. Whether you party at Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood Skibowl or Timberline Lodge, you'll be able to start 2020 on a high note.
For details on each of the New Year's Eve events on Mount Hood, visit skihood.com, skibowl.com and timberlinelodge.com.
Terry Richard/The Oregonian
FIRST DAY HIKES
First Day Hikes have fast become a tradition at Oregon State Parks, offering a healthy and nature-filled start to the new year. The parks department has not yet released which parks will offer ranger-led hikes on New Year's Day, but you can show up at just about any state park in Oregon and be guaranteed a beautiful fresh start.
--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB
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