If you haven’t been to Oregon, you have to go! Dan and I visited Portland, Mt. Hood, Crater Lake and Medford.

• Portland is an up-and-coming city for young people, though we can’t quite figure what the main industry is there in terms of jobs and working.
• Mt. Hood is spectacular–as you can see by Dan’s photo–and the surrounding area of orchards is charming. Some local girls at a Seattle’s Best coffee shop recommended the Alpine Slide at the backside of Mt. Hood. It’s a Fiberglass slide, about 200 feet long, and you slide down it on a little “sled.”
• Crater Lake is mind-blowing. Once a majestic volcano, it imploded and sunk into the ground below, creating a crater. Over the years, the giant crater filled with snow and rain, and it’s now the deepest lake in the U.S. The national park that it’s in has lots of camping and hiking spots, and the views from every angle are breathtaking.
• Medford was a little halfway town (in my opinion) with lots of fast food restaurants and strip malls. We did find the Dutch Brothers coffee stand, which had rockin‘ coffee and quick drive-up service. Medford is about 10 miles north of Ashland, OR, home to Southern Oregon University and Shakespeare festivals.