After landing on St. Patrick’s Day and celebrating in typical Irish style we got straight into the adventures Oregon has to offer. We stopped at breweries, notably Pelican Brewing on the beach, watched Portland Trail Blazers defeat the Detroit Pistons at home in the NBA, crabbed along the stunning coast and experienced an adrenalin-filled dune buggy adventure.
Then we drove ourselves into the mountains where the roads were lined with snow and giant pines. With the misty valleys really setting the scene we were greeted by Crater Lake, a dormant volcano that holds stunning blue water, the most spectacular view and crisp clean air, as you can expect at around 7,000ft above sea level. Crater Lake National Park offers year-round access and activities from cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowball fights in the winter months to camping, boat tours, hiking, and scenic tours around the lake as things warm up. I will never forget this part of our trip and the people I shared it with.
If you’re ever in the area don’t forget to stop at Beckies Cafe on the way out to try their world famous homemade pie including the famous Oregon huckleberry seasonal pie — it is off the charts.
From Melanie Landick, travelutopia
