With thick snow-covered forests and frosted mountains, the winter season is one of the most beautiful times in Oregon. From fun and lively to relaxing and zen-like, here are the best things to do in winter in Oregon…
1. Go Cosmic Tubing at Mt Hood Snow Tubing
Located at Skibowl East, The Snow Tube & Adventure Park offers an unforgettable Cosmic Tubing experience. Cosmic Tubing offers the best party on the mountain, with over 600,000 LED lights, including laser light shows, black lights, rocking music, and many more.
Cosmic Tubing is available from Friday to Sunday and during holidays; you need to make reservations and purchase tickets in advance because of the high demand. Each session is about one and a half-hour long, with 15 minutes breaks in-between sessions.
Three sessions are held each day; the first starts at 5:00 PM, and the third begins at 8:30 PM. Cosmic Tubing is one of the best things to do in Oregon in winter.
Address: 31315 E Multorpor Rd, Government Camp, OR 97028, United States
Phone: +1 (503) 272-3206
2. Go Cross Country Skiing in Bend
Located in Central Oregon, Bend offers an unforgettable cross-country skiing experience. Also known as Nordic Skiing, cross country skiing in Bend can be undertaken at a number of locations, from Meissner Nordic to Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center; you can choose the place of your choice.
If you do not have skiing gear, you can rent affordable equipment from ski shops in the area; these shops include Sunnyside Sports, Webcyclery Webskis, and many more.
3. Snuggle Up in a mountain log cabin
If you do not fancy going out in the cold much, you can rent a mountain cabin in Oregon and snuggle up inside it.
With so many beautiful options, like Mt Hood Vacation Rentals and the Mountain Dale Cabin village, you can book yourself a beautiful lodge and spend a cozy time by the fire.
The cabins located within the forests provide a cabin in the woods feel, which makes it worth your money and lets you connect with nature.
4. Wine Tasting in Winter
Wine Tasting is another fun activity you can undertake in Oregon during the winter.
You can find various tasting rooms depending on the region you are in. Willamette Valley, being the most famous, has over 367 tasting rooms for you to visit.
You can also find delicious wine and tasting rooms in Southern Oregon. You can choose between the type of seating you want, with both outdoor and indoor rooms available.
From Pinot Noir to Rose to Red Blend, you can get the variety of your choice.
5. Go Ice Skating in Sherwood Ice Arena
Located in Southwest Sherwood, the Sherwood Ice Arena offers an ice skating experience that you can enjoy with your whole family.
With the public skate sessions, you can have a good time with your whole family. There are numerous different sessions like Freestyle, Stick time, Adult Skills, and Adult Pick-Up Hockey that you can enjoy.
Although the arena welcomes walk-in customers, It is better to reserve a spot in advance because of the high demand. Ice skating in the Sherwood Arena is among the best things to do in Oregon in the Winter.
Address: 20407 SW Borchers Dr, Sherwood, OR 97140, United States
Phone: +1 (503) 625-5757
6. Visit a Ski Resort in Mt Bachelor
Located in Central Oregon, 22 miles west of Bend, the Mount Bachelor Ski Resort offers several fun activities to perform in Oregon in the winter.
The ski activities at Mt. Bachelor are for everyone. If you are a beginner you can reserve a place in the Lessons With Mt. Bachelor’s Ski & Ride School session, which allows you to learn a new skill.
You can also take Nordic Lessons if you are into cross-country skiing. Furthermore, you can sign up for a Season Pass Pick-Up if you plan on staying for a long time.
Moreover, the resort organizes fun events like the Apres Ski Bash Concert Series featuring local artists, which you can attend. The Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort is open from 9 am to 4 pm throughout the week.
Address: 13000 SW Century Dr, Bend, OR 97702, United States
Phone: +1 (541) 382-1709
7. Go Snowmobiling at Ten Mile Snow Park
Located on the Paulina-East Lake Road in the Deschutes National Forest, the Ten Mile Snow Park is famous for its motorized winter recreation activities, which include snowmobiling.
The park offers a beautiful and breathtaking view for snowmobiling that you will not find in other places. If you are not into motorized activities, you can also enjoy hiking, nature viewing, winter sports, and hunting.
With great lodges and huts to stay in, snowmobiling in the Ten Mile Snow Park is another one of the best activities you can do in Oregon in the winter.
Address: Paulina-East Lake Rd, La Pine, OR 97739, United States
Phone: +1 (541) 383-4000
8. Hike to a hot spring
Oregon has numerous hot springs that you can hike to in the winter.
The Bagby hot spring on Mount Hood is the perfect hot spring if you want both comfort and nature. It offers three distinct bathhouses and various soaking options; from six-foot round community tubs to private stalls, you can pick whatever fits you the most.
The Paulina and Umpqua hot springs also offer an amazing experience; moreover, the trails that lead to these springs offer breathtaking views you might never have witnessed before.
9. Relax in Anjou Spa, Bend
Based in Northwest Bend, the Anjou Spa is one of the best places to relax in Oregon in the winter. You can choose what you want from a list of services offered by the spa.
The spa is known for its seasonal specials, which are specific to each season. If you visit in the winter, you can enjoy the Winter Berry boost Facial, Cranberry Frost Massage, or the Guassage Facial.
From massages to cupping to targeted treatments, the Anjou Spa offers everything you need. Open from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm, the spa offers unique treatments you won’t find in other places.
Address: 1835 NW Pence Ln #120, Bend, OR 97703, United States
Phone: +1 (541) 241-8454
10. See Festival of Lights in Portland
The Portland Winter Lights Festival brings art and technology to audiences and is something to look out for in the winter in Portland. It is an annual event of the Willamette Light Brigade, a non-profit arts organization.
This year’s theme for the festival is “Within the Ecosystem”. The event is free for the guests to attend and is a must-visit for anyone who loves art. Scheduled to take place between February 4th to 12th this year, the Portland Light Festival will be returning for the seventh year.
You can purchase the festival merchandise and make donations to support the cause of the organizers.
11. Whale Watching
Whale Watching on the Oregon coast is another fun activity you can undertake in the winter. Almost 25,000 gray whales swim by the coast of Oregon each year on their way to Alaska.
The best time to see these whales is during the winter when they make their way to the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico. You can watch the whales blowing, breaching, and diving.
Whale’s Tails Charters and the OPRD Whale Watching Center, along with others, offer an unforgettable whale watching experience.
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Gary is an award winning full time professional photographer and videographer with too much wanderlust for his own good. Fuelled by strong coffee, you’ll often find him wandering well off hiking trails in search of interesting photographic subjects or scenery to video. Self taught and with the use of pioneering digital techniques, he quickly built up a strong client base and has worked with many prestigious organisations, including GQ, BBC, London Fashion Week, Grazia, Sky, Metro, Vogue Italia. He specialising in evocative images of people, places and cinematic videography and his goal is to make the viewer look twice and engage. As well as a penchant for good design, the ketogenic diet and Hungarian Vizslas, he also has a huge affection for Chicago, Bucharest, Scandinavia, Croatia and absolutely everywhere in Italy. Find him on Instagram @garynansome, Twitter @garynansome and his website https://garynunn.co.uk/