Half the fun of visiting Portland is driving there. You will pass by some pretty small towns that are worth a quick visit on your Oregon trails. Let's take a look at some of the most popular day trips visitors love to take, all within a few hours drive from Portland.

5 Best Day Trips from Portland, Oregon

1.

HOOD RIVER, OREGON

Hood River Oregon
Google Maps
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Lots of travelers from Washington state love to stop at Hood River on their way to Portland. There's even a small rocky beach in Hood River that is the perfect place to dip your toes in the water to cool off in the summertime.

DISTANCE FROM PORTLAND: 1 HOUR

2.

SEASIDE, OREGON

Seaside Oregon
Alek Newton on Unsplash
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You will likely enjoy the day trip to the coastal Oregon town of Seaside, where you can ride a carousel, get some taffy, eat some ice cream, feed the seals, go shopping, or try to find some paddle boats.

DISTANCE FROM PORTLAND: 1.5 HOURS

3.

MOUNT RAINIER, WASHINGTON

Mount Rainier
Wei Zeng on Unsplash
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A visit to Mount Rainier makes for a great trip for families and large groups. There are sidewalk trails for visitors to walk up the trail to the summit, where you can check out that big gaping hole where a chunk of the volcano once blew its top.

DISTANCE FROM PORTLAND: 3 HOURS

 

4.

YAKIMA, WASHINGTON

Townsquare Media/Sarah J - Downtown Summer Nights crowd
Townsquare Media/Sarah J - Downtown Summer Nights crowd
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Take the day off on a Thursday so that you can make the day trip to Yakima and go to Downtown Summer Nights. It's a small town music festival featuring some great bands from around the region. While you're having fun in Yakima, you can visit one of the museums, wineries, excellent restaurants, or hit up the golf course.

DISTANCE FROM PORTLAND: 3 HOURS

 

The next time you're headed to Portland, try one of these fun and short day trips.

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