The Columbia River separates Oregon from Washington, creating a border that runs from the Pacific Ocean to the east for nearly 300 miles. The river offers a handful of inexpensive opportunities along northern Oregon and southern Washington, including shore fishing and swimming at more than a dozen small beach areas. The Columbia River Gorge is a national scenic area that sits on the Oregon side of the river just east of the small town of Troutdale and includes Multnomah Falls and several scenic lookouts, all of which are free to explore.
Among the outdoor recreational opportunities available in Northern Oregon and southern Washington are thousands of miles of hiking trails. The Mt. Hood National Forest, in northern Oregon about 50 miles east of Portland, features more than 1,000 miles of hiking trails, and almost directly to the north, in Washington, the Gifford Pinchot National Forest offers more than 1,200 miles of designated hiking trails. The northern Oregon and southern Washington coastal ranges also feature hiking trails along bluffs overlooking the ocean, through forested areas and on sandy beaches.
State, county and city parks can provide inexpensive entertainment, with dozens of outdoor recreational opportunities and little to no entrance fees for most. Northern Oregon, in particular, is a great place to enjoy a park, with the Portland Metropolitan Area known for its abundance of parks. Portland itself has nearly 200 parks, ranging from large, forested areas with trails and wildlife viewing opportunities to small grassy plots with picnic tables and playgrounds.
Other than transportation costs, you won't have to spend much money to take in the sights of northern Oregon and southern Washington. Possibilities for a sightseeing tour of the region include the bustling city of Portland, which is known as the Rose City and features a picturesque skyline with the Willamette River running through the middle of town. The Columbia River offers dozens of sightseeing opportunities, as do the coastal areas on both sides of the border, including the historic town of Astoria on the northwestern-most tip of Oregon and the Long Beach Peninsula of southwestern Washington.
