I wonder: what percentage of Portlanders have ever been to Deadwood, or even know where it is? How many Eugenians have strayed far from I-5?

If you look at a map of Oregon, you will see a whole bunch of colored lines connecting and intersecting along the Western coast and around I-5. The rest of the map is pretty empty. With the exception of Bend, Crater Lake (both in central Oregon), and maybe Klamath Falls (southern Oregon), tourists don't stray far off the coast, or off the interstate that runs south-north from Medford, through Eugene and Salem up to Portland on the state line. What they see is only a fraction of Oregon.

The Rural Oregon Travel Guide gives travelers (and residents) alternatives to the travel destinations they are familiar with. No one should visit Oregon without checking out Portland and driving along the coast, but there is also a lot to see in the Eastern and Central parts of the state. I drove out East to write the first article for this guide and visited Baker County. I was surprised at how different the area felt, how beautiful it was, and how much history is hidden there.

Oregon's big cities are wonderful, but sometimes we want to go places where a blowdryer (and maybe even a hairbrush) is not required. Where we can wear the same outfit for three days and not feel uncomfortable. Where ties and high-heeled shoes are totally unacceptable. If you're interested in places like this, take your pick from the Rural Guide's destination alternatives. Use the links either below or to the left to start exploring Rural Oregon.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.