Top Camping Tips - Oregon Camping Gems - Oregon Tips Weather Temperatures are significantly warmer in Southern Oregon, and you'll find warmer and drier conditions east of the Cascade mountains. Average winter temperatures in Salem are in the high thirties; summer temperatures average in the low eighties. Coastal Conditions When you are planning your packing list, be sure to include at least a wind breaker and a couple of sweat shirts. Ocean breezes, even during the summer, keep the temperatures on the coast in the 60s and 70s during the day and even cooler at night. Also, it's not a bad idea to throw in an umbrella or rain hat since you'll probably experience at least one of Oregon's famous misty rain showers.

Top 10 Camping Places to Eat in Oregon Camping Gems - Places to Eat in Oregon Bend Cibelli's New York Pizza Depoe Bay Tidal Raves Eugene Cafe Zenon Cafe Soriah Mount Hood Cascade Dining Room Portland Chart House Laurelwood Public House and Brewery Mother's Bistro Typhoon Sisters Sisters Bakery   Top 10 Camping Hidden Gems in Oregon Camping Gems - Oregon Waldo Lake With its pure-blue waters, Waldo Lake is a popular spot for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and sailing.  There are three public boat ramps and many sandy beaches for secluded swimming or wading from the shore. Mountain bikers can follow the 21-mile loop around Waldo Lake, stopping at isolated beaches and coves.  For hikers there are over 150 miles of trail to explore. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Kimberly A visit to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is like taking a journey into ancient Oregon. Whether you tour the museum at Sheep Rock, hike a trail at the Painted Hills, or picnic at Clarno, Oregon's exciting past will be revealed. Sisters The outdoors take center stage in the mountain town of Sisters, and for good reason.  With plenty of surrounding wilderness that's filled with gleaming lakes, ponderosa pine forests, and the snowy Three Sisters Mountains, this is a phenomenal place to play in the great outdoors.  In addition to its rivers and hiking trails, Sisters offers antique shops, art galleries, attractions, and excellent restaurants.  Newport Set at the junction of Highway 101 (the coast highway) and Highway 20 to Corvallis, the seaside town of Newport just calls out to be explored. You'll find miles of hiking trails at Yaquina Head and Mike Miller Park, sandy beaches filled with tide pools, and the fun of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, home of Keiko the orca whale. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site As the administrative center and principal supply depot of the British Hudson’s Bay Company’s vast "Columbia Department," Fort Vancouver served as the hub of an extensive fur trading network utilizing two dozen posts, six ships, and about 600 employees during peak seasons, with an extensive geographic range of 700,000 square miles stretching from Russian Alaska to Mexican California. Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport You can walk through the underwater Passages of the Deep exhibit, watching sea creatures swim all around and above you, then head for the new Claws exhibit to see the crab, lobsters, shrimp, and other isopods. Watch the sea otters playing, eating, and washing their faces, or head to the seabird aviary for the colorful puffins, auklets, pigeon guillemots, murres, and oystercatchers.  You'll even see a suspended skeleton of a 20-foot-long Beak Whale! Wildlife Safari, Winston Exotic animals like giraffes, zebras, elephants, and monkeys roam free over the 600 acres of open space.  Visitors can tour the park in their own vehicle or aboard the park train.  You can also watch special activities like the elephant trek, the lion feeding, the cheetah walk, and the giraffe feeding.  The park is open every day except Christmas, with reduced hours during the winter months.  Douglas County Museum of History and Natural History The land of the Umpqua River Valley and Cascade Mountains is rich with history and culture.  Head to this award-winning facility to learn about the area's Native American traditions, pioneers, the history of the Oregon Trail, and the early days of the railroad.  You can tour the natural history exhibit to learn about native birds, plants, and animals, then see the collection of 19th-century quilts and children's clothing from the 1940s. Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Bend A visit here will give you a chance to see unbelievable view of the Cascades, a slide show of the area's history, and to wander interpretive trails around the crater, over the lava flow, and through the pine forest. If you are a sucker for water falls and don't mind a little walking, drive 4 miles past the Visitor Center to the picnic area and follow the trail downstream to Benham Falls. Osprey Observation Point Area Located at the at Crane Prairie Reservoir, this artificial lake is a fabulous place to go fishing or to watch for ospreys, some of nature's finest fishers. Started in 1969, this is one of the best places in the country to see osprey nesting areas, with the most frequent sightings taking place during the summer months.   Top 10 Camping Places to Go in Oregon Camping Gems - Places to Go in Oregon Crater Lake National Park Known for its intense blue color and spectacular views, Crater Lake is one of Oregon's most popular destinations. Visitors can take the Rim Drive that circles the lake, stopping for views of the crater down below. Boat tours are also available, and the back country contains a number of scenic trails.  The lake includes spots for swimming, fishing for Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon, and wildlife viewing for Roosevelt Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear, and more. The High Desert Museum Discover the world of wildlife and the Old West at this stunning museum, set south of Bend, Oregon.  With indoor and outdoor exhibits that feature wild animals, amazing artwork, and living history displays, this is a great place to explore Central Oregon's history and future. The museum has daily wildlife shows that feature porcupines, golden eagles, owls, bats, lizards, and snakes. McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway This 82-mile route through the Willamette and Deschutes National Forest lets you set your own pace.  You can take a two-hour drive along this scenic roadway, enjoying vistas of the snowcapped High Cascade peaks and dramatic lava fields.  Or spend a more leisurely five hours exploring the Byway with stops at robins-egg blue lakes, rushing waterfalls like Sahalie and Koosah Falls, and deep forests. Oregon Caves National Monument, Cave Junction See the famed "marble walls" of the marble cave, visit a National Historic Landmark (the Oregon Caves Chateau), and hike trails through ancient forests. Kids can work toward a Junior Ranger Badge. Black Butte Ranch Located on the McKenzie Pass-Santiam Pass Scenic Byway, this idyllic ranch offers outstanding outdoor golfing, fly fishing, and horseback riding.  You can take a trail ride, visit one of the horse camps, or bike along the 18 miles of paved trails (bike rentals are available).  Play on one of the 23 tennis courts, go swimming in the indoor or outdoor pool, or do some canoeing and kayaking on Phalarope Lake. Eugene This vibrant city on the Willamette River is filled with green parks, a lively college campus, and a colorful arts community. Located between the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon Coast Range, Eugene has a rural atmosphere that's belied by its hip town center. You'll enjoy incredible restaurants, enchanting boutique shops, brew pubs, wineries, and hikes along the riverside greenway system. Don't miss the rhododendron gardens. Oregon Lighthouses The dramatic Oregon coast is dotted with charming, historic lighthouses -- buildings that serve as a reminder of past days when shipping was treacherous business.  Head to one of these romantic structures for a guided tour and to see the interpretive displays and first-hand historical accounts from the lighthouse keepers. Explore the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, the Cape Meares lighthouse with its sea lions and nesting seabirds; and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse with its trails and tide pools. Coos Bay Oregon's rugged coastal beauty will entice you to spend some time outdoors. Depending on the time of the year, you may want to charter a boat to fish or watch the gray whales migrate, hike along the city park's trails, birdwatch, rent an ATV and ride the dunes, or just spend a lazy afternoon flying a kite. If you're really feeling adventurous, try wind surfing. Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway You'll cross paths taken by historic greats like Kit Carson on this stunning byway.  Travel through the mountains, lakes and forests of central Oregon. Don't miss the lava flows and the area's more than 150 lakes. Deschutes River The Upper Deschutes and Little Deschutes create spectacular natural drama with splashing waterfalls and narrow headwaters.  The river is famous among trout fishers as a fly-fishing hotspot, particularly near the Deschutes National Forest.  With both brown trout and rainbow trout, this is a great place to spend a morning or afternoon casting and watching the river flow.   Top 10 Camping Activities in Oregon Camping Gems - Things to Do in Oregon Watch for black bears and take the Rim Drive at Crater Lake National Park. Go horseback riding and fly fishing at Black Butte Ranch. See raptors and explore the Old West at The High Desert Museum. Explore the caves at the Oregon Caves National Monument. Tour the romantic Oregon Lighthouses. Walk the ocean beaches at Coos Bay. Fish for brown trout and rainbow trout on the Deschutes River. Kayak and canoe across Waldo Lake. Hike through the ponderosa pine forests near Sisters. See the lava fields and buttes at the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near Bend.