As an empty nester, you can reconnect with your child by taking a trip with them. This summer I took a girls’ trip to Oregon with my Mom and daughter. Our first trip since the dreaded COVID hit. It was wonderful to get out and see someplace new. Not only someplace new, but also a place that had many options for outdoor activity and beautiful scenery everywhere you looked. There are so many beautiful places in Oregon to visit. We only saw a handful on this visit, but enough to know that Oregon is full of all things nature lovers crave; mild weather, a green landscape that goes on forever, forest trails and mountains to hike, and a coastline to explore when you are ready for a change in scenery.

During this trip, I wanted to concentrate my time seeing nature that was green and serene. I wanted to escape to a forest where I could feel the calmness of nature surround me. Oregon did not disappoint! I was amazed at the beautiful places in Oregon and how green everything was. The trees were so tall, and they were everywhere. Everyone’s yard had beautiful landscaping and flowers galore. It’s like everyone who lived there had this magical green thumb! However, after having visited, I understand that it probably wasn’t magical green thumbs. It’s just that the climate was so conducive to growing plants. The weather was mild; cool in the mornings and evenings and warm in the afternoon. Typically never hot or cold. Occasional rain showers popped up on most days, but they didn’t last long and never lasted long enough to ruin any plans.

You should definitely put Oregon on your bucket list of places to visit. Here are a few of the must-see places if you are a nature lover, like me.

Silver Falls State Park – Beautiful Places in Oregon to Visit

Our first stop was at Silver Falls State Park. What a beautiful place! This place definitely exceeded my expectations of a serene and green escape. It even had the bonus of the calming sound of waterfalls. This state park has 10 waterfalls located in a temperate rainforest with easily accessible hiking trails. How many waterfalls you see will depend on the trail you take, the time you have, and the level of difficulty you want. However, no matter what trail you take, you will love the beauty of this place. I was in awe of the tropical feel of the landscape along the trails. Ferns and mosses were growing everywhere…something I had never seen on my other hikes in the mountains.

Before you go, you should definitely do your research as several trailheads lead to different waterfalls with varying levels of difficulty, hike lengths, and altitude changes. Make sure you choose one that is right for you and your group. No matter what route you take, the beauty of the park will not disappoint!

International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park – The Beauty of Natures Color

Next on our agenda was the International Rose Test Garden in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon. To be honest, when first planning our trip I wasn’t sure the International Rose Test Garden was someplace that would be worth our time. And being the skeptic I am, I could not believe that adjacent to downtown Portland, Oregon would be a beautiful park and garden. But, sure enough, there it was in the middle of a forested area! An amazing and beautiful large rose garden with roses of all colors, shapes, and sizes. We visited at the beginning of June which was a perfect time to view all the blooming roses. Typically, roses are in bloom from May through October at the test garden. With over 10,000 individual rose bushes in over 600 different rose varieties, you’ll be sure to find too many stunning roses it will be hard to choose a favorite!

Sauvie Island – Unexpected Beauty with a Special Treat

Our next stop was Sauvie Island. Sauvie Island sits between the convergence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. This island was an unexpected treat, in more ways than one. Not only was Sauvie Island a different kind of beautiful landscape with miles of farmland, but also many of the farms were U-Pick Farms. And what do you do at a U-Pick Farm? You pick your own fresh produce, of course. It was strawberry season during our visit to Oregon, and I love fresh strawberries!

Picking strawberries reminds me of my childhood, a time when I would spend my summer mornings picking and eating the fresh strawberries from our patch at my childhood home. Ahh, the memories! So of course, we made a stop at one of the U-Pick farms and loaded up on vine-ripened strawberries. Yummy! Now, if you have never eaten strawberries straight from the vine, you really have never tasted the sweetness of life! Am I being a bit dramatic? Maybe…but ripe strawberries eaten straight from the vine are so sweet. They have this intense strawberry flavor and juiciness that no store-bought strawberry will ever have. This is one stop that you are glad you made!

Multnomah Falls – Stunning and Beautiful Places in Oregon

The last nature-loving stop of our trip was to Multnomah Falls. Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s tallest waterfall, falling almost 630 feet. The falls and surroundings were spectacular! There are multiple viewing locations, one from the bottom of the falls, a second from mid-way up, and a hike to the top for a completely different vantage point. My favorite view was the middle vantage point, as I could really appreciate the overall height as well as the beauty of the falls, the green landscaping surrounding the falls, and the stream below. In my opinion, there is no better way to start and end a trip to reconnect with the beauty of nature than to be surrounded by the serenity of the green landscape and the relaxing sound of running water. It really is one of life’s blessings!

Oregon is full of amazing outdoor activities and stunning scenery. If you are a lover of nature, all things green and growing, bodies of water, or mountainous adventures, I would highly recommend you visit Oregon to check on these places and the many more Oregon has to offer. Happy trails and great adventures await!