Acadia
National Park:
Located on the rugged coast of Maine, Acadia National Park
encompasses over 47,000 acres of granite domed mountains,
woodlands, lakes and ponds and ocean shoreline. Such diverse
habitats create striking scenery and make the park a haven
for wildlife and plants. The park offers scientific, educational,
and recreational activities unparalleled along the east
coast. To enjoy a spectacular sunrise over Frenchman’s
Bay, hike to the top of Cadillac Mountain, or explore some
of the quieter, more secluded mountain paths.
Cannon
Beach: Nine Miles of wide, walkable beach invite
visitors to Cannon Beach. The scenic beauty seashore makes
your stroll down the sand particularly memorable. Cannon
Beach has some of the best crafts, shopping and galleries
on the coast. Relaxed simplicity and a magnificent natural
setting attract visitors all year to Cannon Beach. It’s
a delightful place for a day trip, or to stay for a while.
The sound of the shorebirds at sunset is an experience you
won’t want to miss.
Oregon
Museum of Science and Industry (Portland):
With an OMNIMAX theater, a planetarium, a submarine, and
loads of hands-on exhibits, this Portland museum is fun
for kids and adults.
The
Oregon Zoo: Founded in 1887, the award winning
Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi. The
zoo’s 64 acres are home to animals from all corners
of the world, including Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins
and Artic polar bears. The zoo encourages visitors to understand
and experience the natural world. The zoo is a center for
wildlife preservation and field research. A summer concert
series, seasonal events, and the zoo railway help this popular
Oregon attraction draw more than one million visitors each
year.
Oregon
Coast Aquarium (Newport): This modern aquarium
is the biggest attraction on the coast. Tufted puffins and
sea otters are always entertaining, while tide pools, jellyfish
tanks, sharks, and a giant octopus also contribute to the
appeal of this very realistically designed public aquarium.
Sea
Lion Caves (north of Florence): This massive cave,
the largest sea cave in the country, is home to hundreds of
Steller's sea lions that lounge on the rocks beneath busy
U.S. 101.
West
Coast Game Park (Bandon): The opportunity to pet
wild baby animals, including leopards and bears, doesn't come
often, so it's hard to pass up this roadside attraction on
the southern Oregon coast.
Wildlife
Safari (Winston): Giraffes peer in your window and
rhinoceroses thunder past your car doors as you drive the
family through this expansive wildlife park. The savannalike
setting is reminiscent of the African plains.
The Oregon Coast: Rocky headlands, offshore
islands and haystack rocks, natural arches, caves full of
sea lions, giant sand dunes, and dozens of state parks make
this one of the most spectacular coastlines in the country.
The only drawback is that the water is too cold for swimming.
Columbia
Gorge National Scenic Area: Carved by Ice Age flood
waters up to 1,200 feet deep, the Columbia Gorge is a unique
feature of the Northwest landscape. Waterfalls by the dozen
cascade from the basalt cliffs of the gorge, and highways
on both the Washington and the Oregon sides of the Columbia
River provide countless memorable views.
Mount
Hood: As Oregon's tallest mountain and the closest
Cascade peak to Portland, Mount Hood is a recreational mecca
par excellence. Hiking trails, lakes and rivers, and year-round
skiing make this the most appealing natural attraction in
the state.
Crater
Lake National Park: At 1,932 feet deep, Crater Lake
is the deepest lake in the United States, and its sapphire-blue
waters are a bewitchingly beautiful sight when seen from the
rim of the volcanic crater that forms the lake.
Central
Oregon Lava Lands: Throughout central Oregon and
the central Cascades region, from the lava fields of McKenzie
Pass to the obsidian flows of Newberry National Volcanic Monument,
you'll find dramatic examples of the volcanic activity that
gave rise to the Cascade Range. See chapters 8 and 10.
Hells
Canyon: Deeper than the Grand Canyon, this massive
gorge along the Oregon-Idaho border is remote and inaccessible,
and that is just what makes it fascinating. You can gaze down
into it from on high, float its waters, or hike its trails.
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