Kfallsfotoman

I have to agree with the previous comment - heading East from Portland you'll miss some of the most beautiful parts of Oregon - the coast.
If this is your first trip out here (missed where you live now) yu really should try to see Crater Lake National Park - the lake is absolutely stunning! It is in a Volcanic crater and only fed by rain and snow - no streams feed the lake so it is very clear.

The area I live in. Southern Oregon, has a lot of birds to shoot - we are on the North - South migratory path for birds - at the moment the area is filling with Bald Eagles.

If you are hitting Portland in the spring you might hit the Cherry Blossom time - lots of cherry trees along the river front.

If you haven't nailed down your flight you might look at coming into Medford Oregon - it's about an hour from Crater Lake - then can either backtrack to the coast - work your way up to Portland -400 miles - then head to Idaho. Or head to Idaho from Crater Lake - route will take you into Boise - long route. So many choices.

If you're in the Portland area you should hit Multnomah Falls - beautiful - a bit over shot and usually (during peak times) crowded - but worth it.

If you're a WWII buff - in Portland Harbor there is the ONLY resotred operational PT boat in the country - you may be able to get a tour. Just google PT658.

So much to see - so little time - LOL - feel free to post any questions

backroader Loc: Wherever we park our motorhome

Palouse Falls if you get into southeastern Washington and The Palouse farming areas are wonderful also. Salmon, Idaho area is wonderful! Lolo Pass in Idaho is a historically significant area. Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce and also Lewis and Clark. If you get to Lewiston, Idaho, go to Hell's Gate State Park and ask for walking directions to the basalt formations along the Salmon River...not a well known place but an easy hike and wonderful place for some really interesting geology and photography. Basalt formations similar to Devil's Tower in Wyoming without the crowds. All the volcanic stuff down near Bend, Oregon is very interesting and a photography paradise also. You will enjoy this wonderful area of the world.

blackhorse 1-7

Hello. Thanks for your tips. This is a trip I am very much loooking forward to.

greensea

Be sure to visit the Painted Hills National Monument, Mt. Hood, Bend, Crater Lake, the Columbia River gorge and of course, the Pacific coast. These are just a few of the many, many beautiful areas of Oregon. So much to see, so little time, even for us that live here.

Kfallsfotoman

You are absolutely RIGHT! I'm in KFalls with Family in the Portland area - so much to shoot and enjoy all across this state. By your picture I think you might be a whale fan? We hit Depoe Bay as often as we can to go out with Carrie on the zodiacs.

Mark1948

Coming out of Idaho follow the Columbia River through the Gorge to the coast then head south or turn left at Portland & go south through the Willamette Valley making sure to visit Silver Falls Park. ENJOY!

laf Loc: Nordland

You did not say if you were camping or RVing. A lot of Ore St Parks do not open until 1 May. Stanley may be hard to get to from the west [Payette] due to snow. Good luck.

dleebrick Loc: Indian Land, South Carolina

I'll second those two attractions.

PennyinOregon

My husband and I retired in Southern Oregon from Tacoma Washington area. We don't regret it. The Coast is beautiful and sunset pictures will be awesome. Once you have been through Brookings Oregon, continue through the Redwood highway and back up Southern Oregon. Go into Canyonville and Drive up Tiller Highway which will give you a scenic route to Crator Lake.

al lehman Loc: San jose, ca.

A great photo opportunity is to visit the salmon river area and take the half day jet boat ride through Hells canyon. Beautiful scenery with lots of wildlife. Much more information is on line. I did this trip last sept and the fall colors were spectacular.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

I was in SE Alaska this past September. I did some hiking and kayaking. Saw something like 80 whales which was phenomenal because I usually see them from the shore and they are very far away.

jdmarks64

Speaking as a native Oregonian who now lives in Maryland but who always loves to sightsee when he returns home to visit family, I recommend some day trips to consider out of Portland. For one, a drive in the a.m. east out SE Powell Blvd (OR 26) to Mt hood is a good one. You can drive up to Timberline Lodge for lunch and some great views. After that, swing east and north around the base of the mountain to Hood River on the Columbia. Hood River is famous for its apple orchards and wind surfing (it's always windy there). Then head west back to Portland on I80, stopping at Bonneville Dam for the sights there. Continue west until you reach Multnomah Falls which is just off the highway for some iconic photo ops. From Multnomah Falls, take the Old Columbia River highway west, stopping at the various roadside parks with their picturesque waterfalls (my favorite: Waukenia Falls SP). Continuing on, you will eventually reach Vista House at Crown Point SP with its fabulous views up and down the Columbia River (in the distance to the east, you can see Beacon Rock -- see below). From there, it's a short hop back to downtown Portland.
Another interesting trip (I'd say about three hours one way) is a visit to Mt St Helens in Washington, but ONLY if there are no low clouds that day. I took friends up there once on such a cloudy day and we never ever saw the Mountain, even from the Johnson Visitor Center which is right at the base of the volcano.
One other trip to consider is going east up the Washington side of the Columbia River (cross over at Portland) and stopping at Beacon Rock. BR is the second largest monolithic rock in the world, second only to Gibraltar. There's a winding trail that leads all the way to the top. In my 60s, I remember it being a pretty strenuous walk up all those swithchbacks, but the view at the top is well worth it. You can cross back to Oregon a little father west at the Bridge of the Gods.
As someone else has already mentioned, there is mucho beauty along the Oregon coast. You can do a day trip by driving west out of Portland to Astoria and then heading south along the scenic coast highway (be sure to check out Cannon Beach and nearby Ecola SP, my favorite stops) to Tilamook (be sure to visit the cheese factory there). Thence you can head back to Portland via the Wilson River Highway.
As you can tell, i love Oregon. About Idaho, sorry, I know nothing. john marks

mikenolan Loc: Lincoln Nebraska

As long as you're in the area, consider taking time to go up to Mt. St. Helens, well worth the time. I'm hoping to revisit the area when we travel to Portland this summer.

In Portland, there's the Rose Gardens.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Oh just a quick caution on Crater Lake: it can snow there any time of the year-- i've experienced heavy snow in June and July. So I would probably not recommend a Spring trip there-- especially not this Spring.

DRG777 Loc: Metro Detroit

My wife and I had a great trip to Oregon a couple years ago. The places we went were:

The coast from Cannon Beach to Bandon
Oregon Dunes
Crater Lake
Newberry Volcanic Monument
Smiths Rock
Painted Hills (near Mitchell)
Mt. Hood
Columbia River Valley waterfalls

You can see some of my photos at https://500px.com/drg7771/galleries/oregon