There is so much more to explore in Oregon besides the big three destinations of Crater Lake, Mt. Hood, or Multnomah Falls. For nine years, we have criss-crossed Oregon, seeking the unique on off-the-beaten-path trips and ventured down countless backroads in this extraordinary state we have been very fortunate to call home. Along the way we made some amazing discoveries and now we have compiled a list of our top 14 unique places to stay in Oregon. We include all types of price points for all types of travelers, from splurge stays to stays-for-free. Oh, and we’ve tossed in a few unconventional and inexpensive road trip ideas as well…
Happy Oregon Exploring!
#1 Out n’ About Treesort: Cave Junction, OR
($150 – $330/Night) If you’ve ever fantasized about what it would be like to visit or spend a night in that Ewok village from Star Wars Return of the Jedi, then the Treesort is your best chance to make that fantasy a reality. At one of the most other-worldly accommodations on our list, at the Treesort located in Cave Junction, Oregon it’s impossible not to feel transported to another reality once arrive. The Treesort easily earned a spot on our unique accommodations list. Take your pick from the Plesantree Room, the Serendipitree, or the 47 foot high(!) Majestree; guests have the opportunity to enter their rooms through a series of stairs, swinging suspension bridges, and ladders. These cozy tree rooms in the treetops, most shelter from 2 to 6 people, include beds, linens, kitchenettes, and (incredibly!) bathrooms in some. When you do decide to emerge from your tree top lair you have the choice to enjoy some on-site activitrees (their words, not ours) including an extensive zipline course, horseback rides, river rafting, and hiking. Also an included mouth-watering full breakfast (muffins, omelets, quiche, homemade pastries) coaxes you out and down from the treetops every morning …mmmm.
Explore More… Great Day Trips From Treesort:
- Oregon Caves National Monument (50 min)
- Oregon Vortex (1 hour, 15 min)
- Redwoods National Park (2 hours)
#2 Tillamook Head Hiker Cabins: North Coast, OR
(Free!) Love the idea of an overnight backpacking trip, but prefer to lighten the load by ditching the tent? These rustic cabins, set next to a World War II bunker, are a great alternative to tent camping. The cabins are available on a first come, first serve basis so be sure to snag one early in the day. To reach the cabins start the hike at Ecola State Park at the Indian Beach Trailhead, or the Tillamook Head Trailhead. Getting there is truely half the fun, as you immerse yourself in the lush, emerald coastal Oregon rainforest as you hike in to the shelters. The three Adirondack-style shelters include two wood slatted bunk beds each, a screen as a “door,” a communal fire pit with benches, and a picnic table. A sleeping bag and pad are not essential, but are highly recommended to make your night more restful. Do plan to have some way to protect/secure your food from the friendly but opportunistic forest critters.
If you hike downhill past the camping area .2 miles, you will find the concrete bunker that housed a radar installation in World War II. And just beyond it, you’ll find an awesome cliff-edged viewpoint, which plummets hundreds of feet to a rugged rocky beach below. Wow!
#3 Crystal Crane Hot Springs: Burns, OR
($25-$220/night) Crystal Crane, a true oasis in the high Oregon desert southeast of Burns, easily gained a spot on our list. Crystal Crane checked all the boxes for a high-quality soak in our book: budget-friendly and excellent accommodations, an isolated and natural setting and springs, a unique hot springs soaking experience, well-maintained facilities with friendly staff, and it’s super clean. It offers tent/RV camping, cabins, a bunkhouse, an inn, and even a teepee with a private hot tub. The hot springs pool itself is unique for its swimability. Smartly the operators of the facility have lined the main pool with crushed lava rock which is extremely pleasant to walk on and lie in. The lava rock also helped give it a natural feel. Private tubs are also available to rent for $10/pp per hour. The cabins are simple and quaint and there is also an equipped kitchen cabin available for all guests to use. Whatever you do, don’t miss a sunset or sunrise, particularly enjoyed from the pool and if you’re lucky, you might also catch a thunderstorm rolling through the surrounding desert, the call of a coyote, or the sight of a wild horse. This place is heavenly.
Explore More… SE Oregon Road Trip
#4 McMenamin’s Edgefield: Troutdale, OR
($100-$220) We have to admit, the McMenamin’s brothers are simply brilliant for “keeping the past in the present” through restoration of historic landmarks. If we could design our own whimsical beer-y wonderland, we would fail at achieving all that McMenamin’s Edgefield has to offer its guests in Troutdale, Oregon. Edgefield, once a county poor farm in 1911, was engineered to be an adult playland for exploration and fun of all your senses. You can take a dip in their blissful outdoor saltwater soaking pool, see a movie, enjoy a concert or live music, stroll in the peaceful and organic gardens, visit an onsite glass-blower, play a round of golf, and… all along the way indulge yourself in multiple drinking and eating options. Imbibe at The Little Red Shed, which is as diminutive as it sounds with a roaring cozy fireplace and teacup-sized booths and our personal favorite, or head to Jerry’s Ice House, a more edgy atmosphere devoted to Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. Every room at Edgefield is decorated in turn-of-the-century decor and uniquely zany artwork that helps to tell the story of the people who have played a part in Edgefield’s history. It’s easy to get lost (or escape) for hours, or days at Edgefield.
#5 Saddle Creek Campground: Imnaha, OR
(FREE!) Saddle Creek Campground is about 9 miles from Inmaha down a very steep, and very windy road. It got its name because long ago, “a horse bucked, and a cowboy lost his hat. The hat was later found and hung from a tree, where it remained for a year unclaimed. And sometime in the 1800’s, ‘Hat Point’ got its name.”
Pitch a tent at the top of North America’s deepest canyon and you’ll feel like you’re at the edge of the world! There is no better word than, spectacular to describe setting up your tent at Saddle Creek Campground, which has 7 (free) walk-in tent-only sites.
Isolated…check. Natural wonder…check. Jaw-dropping scenery…check. Absolutely free…check. Serious wow factor…..double check. If that all weren’t enough, it’s a mere five miles from Hat Point Lookout, a vertigo-inspiring 360 degree view from a 82 foot tall lookout tower offering a view of three states surrounded by the dramatic scenery of Hells Canyon. We visited Saddke Creek campground in August expecting to not find any available sites… to our surprise it was completely empty!
Explore More… If you go, make sure to stop at the town of Imnaha, said to be one of the loneliest towns in America. At the Imnaha general store, find a chest freezer with the current season’s competition for rattlesnake catches and counts posted, a frontier post office, and a tavern. No gas though, so be sure to top off the tank in Joseph before heading this way.
Check out our NE Oregon Road Trip for more detailed itinerary ideas!
#6 Clear Lake Cabin Lookout: Mt Hood, OR
($50/night) Want the ultimate glamping experience? If you don’t know already, staying in a Forest Service fire lookout is totally possible in the Pacific Northwest. Clear Lake Fire Lookout was love at first sight. The lookout tower is a relatively easy 3.2 mile hike, ski, or snowshoe trek in. It teeters 40′ above the ground with a jaw-dropping view of the south side of Mt. Hood and surrounding views of the Cascades including Mt. Jefferson on clear days. It is only open to the public from November 1 through May 31 and it is extremely popular so booking six months prior is an absolute must. The lookout comes equipped with a full bed and mattress, and a propane stove for cooking. You’ll also keep plenty warm with the wood stove, you’ll find the firewood readily available at the base of the tower in a wood shed. Prepare to disconnect from you devices out here, it’s just you and nature.
Explore More… The full experience
#7 Summer Lake Hot Springs: Paisley, OR
($20-$225/night) Are you looking to escape the crowds in Oregon’s cities? Head down under to the Oregon Outback (just two hours from Bend) for a date with some solitude, serenity, and ahhhhh. Set in a vast, starkly beautiful landscape this rustic hot springs “resort” is also an ancient historical site, with petroglyphs nearby. The waters are a perfect 106-118 degrees pumped up to the surface from a natural artesian mineral hot springs that is teeming with silica. Soak it up at both indoor and outdoor baths. Eco-friendly geothermal guest house and cabin options are available for your accommodations. Or, if you prefer, a campground for tents and RVs is also onsite. Summer Lake is simply amazing for stargazing and wildlife watching. If all that weren’t enough other options to pass the day include fishing, photography, hiking, yoga, sunstone collecting, and of course, getting in touch with some inner zen.
#8 Bald Butte Fire Lookout: Paisley, OR
($40/night) Another fire lookout that makes our list, Bald Butte, lives up to its name perched stoically atop a barren and treeless volcanic butte in Southern Oregon’s Fremont National Forest. The historic shelter, built in 1931, sits at 7536 feet and overlooks three western states from its perch. Inside you will find a queen bed, a small dining table, bench, propane heater, cook stove, and lights. You will need to bring your own water, sleeping bags, towels, cooking gear, and drink. There is also a pit toilet separated from the lookout by about a hundred feet and at the edge of the butte… with probably the most spectacular view one might ever get while visiting a loo. The total cost to build the lookout was just $668 in 1931, and reportedly took just a few days. Another notable historical fact is that in 1945 a Japanese incendiary balloon was found near the summit with five unexploded bombs intact. Today, the lookout is only used for emergencies, which means it’s frequently available for rent. You can drive to the lookout, but we highly recommend NOT doing this in a two door coupe, like we did! Come with a 4×4 or walk the 3 miles in!
Explore More… Bald Butte also makes a great stopover coming from (or going to) nearby Summer Lake Hot Springs.
#9 Wilson Ranches Retreat B&B: Fossil, OR
($119-$159/night) At Wilson Ranches Retreat Bed & Breakfast, visitors have the opportunity to get in touch with their inner cowperson, the hat and boots are provided in case you forget yours at home. Getting here is half the fun as you road-trip through Oregon’s “Journey through Time” scenic byway en route. The retreat, which is a great place to park on your way to or from the Painted Hills and John Day Fossil Beds features pioneer hospitality and an authentic ranch vacation on a 9000-acre working cattle and hay ranch. The B&B is a historic 1910 Sears Roebuck ranch house with six ranch-style rooms plopped in the middle of a scenic field perfect for sunsets and stargazing. Of course you can also count on a true farm-style breakfast and go and walk it off in the rolling hills and cow pasture. Or take a scenic horseback ride if you prefer that someone else hoof it. There’s plenty of nearby activities and attractions to keep you busy if you’re not content to kick back at the B&B like cycling, fishing, golfing, hiking and more.
Explore More… As we mentioned, getting to Wilson Ranches was half the fun. A road trip from Portland to Baker City (I-84) and traveling on the “Journey through Time” Scenic Byway will take you past lots of worthwhile stopovers like historic the mining towns of Sumpter, Whitney, and the outstanding technicolor beauty of the Painted Hills. If you have the time side trips to nearby are Shaniko and Antelope offer a fun glimpse into off-the-beaten-path historic small town Oregon .
#10 Ocean Front Surf Shack: Otter Rock, OR
($125-$190/night) The only AirBnB to make our list, is a shack. Oh, but don’t let the simpleness of the name fool you… as this shack is the utmost in attaining a “tiny living” glamping experience. Perched spectacularly on top of a secluded bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean making it ideal as a romantic getaway for two… but, wait, there’s more, this shack also has a hot tub! Inside the shack it’s super cozy with a futon and heater to cuddle up in as you drift asleep hearing only the lullaby sound of the pounding waves below. A gas grill is provided as well as dishes, so plan to serve up a meal and have a picnic on the bluff or in the Adirondack chairs. There is also a shared firepit, hammock, compost toilet, coffee pot, toaster, hot shower, and sink. Don’t forget a yoga mat! This is the ultimate place for yoga or meditation. It is also adjacent to Devil’s Punch Bowl.
#11 Historic Balch Hotel: Dufur, OR
($117-$193) Not too many people say, “I want to spend a weekend in Dufur”, and we might not have either except for an incredible Groupon that got us there. This lovely historic hotel, and quaint little town was definitely worth it. We even would have paid full price. We were thrilled to find we had views of Mt. Hood from our room window and surrounded by the most delightful antique furnishings. Blissfully there are no TVs, elevators, or phones at the Balch Hotel. (Don’t worry, there’s still Wi-fi.) Also, you get a gourmet breakfast and are welcomed with warm chocolate chip cookies and coffee when you arrive. You come to Dufur to slow down and take it easy. The town is good for strolling and the nearby area has wineries, breweries. Don’t miss the Dufur Living History Museum on your walk through town, and one of our favorite mercantiles, Kramer’s Market, serving this middle-of-nowhere town since 1905 for five generations. Handwritten charge account books are still used to record grocery orders of community members to ensure proper stock. Talk about a tailored business. So cute!
Explore More… Wasco County Road Trip
#12 Army Bunkers at Alvord Hot Springs: Alvord, OR
($50/night) Tucked within the Steen Mountains of Southern Oregon, Alvord Hot Springs sits on the state’s driest spot and right in the middle of the starkly beautiful Alvord Desert. This hot springs is probably most recognizable for the corrugated steel sheets (no roof), which you pass on the side of the gravel road you drove 40 miles on to get here. Middle-of-nowhere. If you searching for peace and quiet, solitude, a hot spring, and to be totally surrounded by wilderness this is your spot. Alvord Hot Springs has two delightful side-by-side pools of piping hot mineral water. They are open air, allowing for some of the most intense stargazing or sunset opportunities you could imagine. We loved the ingenious seats set inside the tubs, which after much debate and investigation we realized were re-purposed washing machine drums. Initially we had only intended to have a soak at Alvord hot springs, but when we arrived we stumbled onto an opportunity we couldn’t resist. The hot springs owners had recently invested in a number of old surplus army bunkers, and very cleverly repurposed them into accommodations. Well, they did an amazing job! These funky bunkers were toasty and cozy, and included a heater, two beds, and a picture window that overlooked the salt flats of the desert. Bring your own bedding however. You can also camp onsite… but we recommend the bunkers.
Explore More… SE Oregon Road Trip
#13 The Chateau at Oregon Caves: Cave Junction, OR
($117-$212) Arriving to the Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument is like taking a step back in time. When you arrive, you are surrounded by 1930s music, there is no internet, no phones, and no TVs, making it a perfect place to recoup and relax. In a feat of engineering ,the historic Chateau is built across a steep ravine among the Siskiyou Mountains, a creek even goes through the middle of the property. We also loved the Chateau’s 1930’s style cafe where a brown sugar cinnamon milkshake was a great reward after hiking to the nearby “tallest Doug Fir” in North America. The best part, however? Burrowing into one of the many fireplace couches with a nightcap.
#14 Old St. Francis School: Bend, OR
($135-$190) After each completing the McMenamin’s passport program and becoming official “Cosmic Tripsters,” we were granted 6 opportunities to stay in McMenamin’s locations for free. Our favorite, which we returned to multiple times, is the St. Francis School in Bend. This converted schoolhouse features rustic wood-paneled rooms, vintage furniture and decor, four bars, including the quirky, hidden Broom Closet bar, a movie theater, and the best perk… the Turkish-style bath soaking pool. We recommend head to the soaking pool first thing in the morning, you’ll likely get the place to yourself with the morning sunshine beaming down (or sometimes snow/rain!) from the open air ceiling.
Bend, of course, also offers lots of distractions to keep you busy. Don’t miss the many breweries (including our favorite, Crux Fermentation Project), and outdoor adventures at Smith Rock State Park and Pilot Butte. From Pilot Butte take an easy hike to the top for an amazing 11-mountain view! On your way back to Portland or to Smith Rock State Park there is a very unique roadside attraction worth a stop over, Petersen Rock Garden & Museum, which was created in the 1950’s by a Danish artist who wanted to build a tribute to his new country. It cost 10 cents to get in back then, and was considered to be an attraction which paralleled Mt Hood at the time. Wouldn’t go that far… but it is still worth checking out.
Explore More… Central Oregon road trip
