Oregon has an abundance of natural hot springs, some easily accessible, others completely remote, reports Oregonian/OregonLive's travel writer Jamie Hale, who compiled a list of day-use springs.
Relax in a pool bubbling with geothermal energy, but play it safe by staying hydrated, cooling down and avoiding alcohol and drugs.
In this week's getaway gallery, we look at places to soak in nature here and beyond state boundaries. The vacation stays may be a long scenic drive away from a hidden hot springs, but that's part of the adventure.
Peaceful camping near Umpqua Hot Springs
Hipcamp has sites for a tent, RV and truck camper across the road from the North Umpqua River and 12 miles from Umpqua Hot Springs.
At the camp, there is a shady swimming hole, shared bath house and EV chargers with 30 and 50 amp plug-ins for electric cars.
• Each site accommodates four guests
• Around $25 a night on average, depending on travel dates. Water, power and sewer hookups are an additional fee.
Peaceful camping near Umpqua Hot Springs
This dog-friendly riverfront retreat sits on more than an acre of land with panoramic views of the Molalla River.
There is a wood-burning fireplace and outdoors, a private hot tub and nearby horse riding, hiking trails and river fishing, tubing and swimming.
Silverton Falls and its restaurants are 20 miles away. Take a drive to your pick of Bagby Hot Springs in the Mount Hood National Forest, Austin Hot Springs near Estacada and Breitenbush Hot Springs in Detroit, Oregon.
• Around $99-$508 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Honey Bee Ranch in Tumalo
The cozy cabin has two single-size bunkbeds, a portable toilet, outdoor sink and cold-water shower. Bring bedding.
Fresh organic chicken eggs are available for meals or cut through fields to downtown Tumalo and the Bite Tumalo for outdoor dining, drinking, music and fire pits.
The cabin is a half mile to the Deschutes River for fly fishing, five miles to Bend and the Paulina Lake Hot Springs.
There are also nine tent spaces. Bikes are available for rent for $35 a day.
• Around $75 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Honey Bee Ranch of Tumalo
Cedar cabin on the McKenzie River
The cedar-shingle cabin sits on a seven-acre, forested property fronting a whitewater stretch of the Wild and Scenic McKenzie River, a year-round recreation area.
Terwilliger (Cougar) Hot Springs is about seven miles south of the McKenzie Highway (Hwy. 126) near the town of Blue River.
• Around $177 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Cedar cabin on the McKenzie River
Log cabin on Summer Lake
Under dark skies, you can see the Milky Way from this two-story log cabin, which is near a wildlife refuge, pictographs and the Fremont National Recreation Trail.
Summer Lake Hot Springs has outdoor pools and an indoor bathhouse.
• Around $220 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Log cabin on Summer Lake
The Bali House near Silverton
This cabin sits on a 67-acre organic farm and equestrian facility.
The unconventional home has a window-laden seating area and sleeping loft. A private natural cedar hot tub is part of the expansive grounds and gardens.
Dine outside at a picnic table near a barbecue and take trails to a swimming hole and waterfalls.
Historic Silverton has restaurants, shopping and and the 80-acre Oregon Garden and nearby is Silver Falls State Park.
The property is an hour away from Breitenbush Hot Springs.
• Full private bathroom and well-stocked kitchenette are in a historic barn about 100 yards away
• Around $145 a night on average, depending on travel dates
The Bali House near Silverton
Snug cabin outside of Estacada
The small cottage in a wooded setting has a daybed and a loft with two twin mattresses. "Choose privacy or use communal spaces," say the owners.
Harvest from the seasonal garden.
Natural sites to explore a scenic-drive away include Bagby Hot Springs, Milo McIver State Park and Ainsworth State Park.
• Around $60 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Snug cabin outside of Estacada
Luxury house in Heber City, Utah
This family-friendly vacation rental with a private hot tub has views of Jordanelle Reservoir's waterskiing, boating, kayaking and shorelines.
The property is also close to Deer Valley and 20 miles from the Homestead Caldera, aka "The Crater," a natural geothermal spring inside a 55-foot tall, beehive-shaped limestone rock in Midway, Utah.
Dining options in Park City, which is eight miles from the home, include Wasatch Brew Pub in Park City, Fat Kid Pizza and Java Cow coffeehouse.
• Around $127-$731 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Luxury house in Heber City, Utah
Mountaintop chalet in Lake Arrowhead, California
The upscale house has a grand piano near windows overlooking Lake Arrowhead and outside, two large decks with a grill.
Lake Arrowhead Village, four miles away, has shops and restaurants, and just outside the village is the iconic Tudor House restaurant.
Hike at Dogwood Canyon, see Aztec Falls or drive a mile south to Mackay Park and Papoose Lake.
Deep Creek Hot Springs is on the Pacific Crest Trail in Apple Valley.
• Around $200-$802 a night on average, depending on travel dates
Mountaintop chalet in Lake Arrowhead, California
Dozens of Oregon getaways let you soak in natural hot springs: Ease into the new year by soaking the day away at Crane Hot Springs, a getaway off Oregon Route 78 east of Burns that the Oregonian/OregonLive travel writer Jamie Hale calls "an oasis."
If you're too relaxed to leave a cedar tub bubbling with mineral water from natural hot springs ($15 an hour) or the soothing, 101-degree pool ($10 for four hours), stay overnight inside a rustic room or tepee, or set up a tent or park your RV at one of the campsites.
Perhaps you'd like to explore beyond the remote resort? The slow winter season in southeast Oregon's high desert will allow time to learn about the area's fascinating prehistoric history and other places to soak.
Looking for more getaway ideas?
10 cozy, cool, crazy cabin vacation getaways: Escape to Oregon mountains and lakes or the California desert
The need to be in nature may be strong, but there are so many ways to relax amid towering trees in the mountains or next to a lake.
In this week's vacation getaway roundup, we look at cabins of all kinds, from a classic A-frame in a forest to a modern dwelling in the desert.
Rustic or luxury? Cozy or expansive? It’s up to you to decide: Are you dreaming of a romantic escape or group reunion?
Escape to one of Oregon's wacky, funky, adorable getaways for rent like this quaint, solar-powered cabin near Vancouver.
Getaways mean more than staying in a different shelter. Vacations are supposed to be physical and mental escapes from real life.
If you truly want an experience that's unlike the place you lay your head, check out Oregon's wacky, funky, adorable lodging, from a Swiss Family Robinson luxury tree resort to an off-the-grid yurt.
How about sleeping in a teepee on a yak ranch in Bend?
In this week's home stay gallery, we check out 10 oddball abodes that you can check into.
Aero Teardrop in Sherwood/Outdoor
Rent oddball RVs, sleek Airstreams, colorful camper vans, teardrop trailers a la Airbnb: A long holiday weekend may inspire a road trip. You can ride your own wheels or rent a roomy RV, sleek Airstream or colorful camper van, through a company or private owner, a la Airbnb,
In this week's getaway gallery, we look at personalized mobile homes that are kitschy, cute or cool.
RVs are in Oregon's DNA. Wally Byam, who founded Airstream in in 1931, was born in Baker City. Holiday House modern travel trailers were dreamed up by Medford's David Holmes of Harry & David fruit basket fame. The canned ham-shape Alohas started in -- you guessed it -- Aloha and Timberlines hailed from Sandy
Whatever you're steering, we hope you have a memorable journey.
Blue Moon House & Cottage/BookStayHop
10 top Ashland Airbnb home stays for couples, families, girl groups: Online travel agent Daniel Perry manages 100 vacation rentals in Ashland, from a single room to an entire house, where a chef can be hired to make meals. We asked the owner of BookStayHop to suggest a home stay for various Ashland visitors, from singles and couples to large groups.
Many of the vacation rentals are in Ashland’s downtown area, which allows out-of-towners to leave a car behind and live like a local, says Perry.
Prospect Historic Hotel Bed and Breakfast Inn
10 snowy getaways near Crater Lake get you close to free ranger tours: Are you ready to be whisked off on snowshoes to explore corners of Crater Lake? Rangers offer free tours and equipment, but you'll need to get there first since the Crater Lake Lodge and all park campgrounds are closed until late May.
There are winter lodging options near and far like Diamond Lake Resort. Here are 10 snowy getaways.
The entrance road to park headquarters and Rim Village usually remains open year-round, and a discounted $15 entrance fee allows you to explore on your own or go on a free ranger-led snowshoe tour, says Oregonian/OregonLive travel writer Jamie Hale. For tour dates, visit nps.gov/crla or call 541-594-3000.
Hilltop Treehouse Retreat in Lopez Island/Airbnb
10 cool treehouses: These elevated vacation getaways are for rent
Do we really ever grow out of wanting a treehouse? A vacation rental might answer that question.
In this week's getaway roundup, we look at 10 vacation rentals, near and far, designed to elevate your point of view.
These modern dwellings in mostly remote forests are perfect perches for birdwatchers and nature lovers, but they're not always easy to reach. They're rustic and may offer waterfront views but not indoor running water.
What unifies them? They’re cozy.
Bend ranks 4th in U.S. as a vacation rental hot spot. Here are 10 getaways, from funky to fancy: Bend residents may feel as if at least one person in their neighbor is renting out a room or a whole house to tourists. And they may be right.
A study released Wednesday found that Bend has 1,658 Airbnb listings per 50,000 people, which vaults the city on the Deschutes River to the fourth most saturated vacation rental market among more than 750 U.S. cities, according to IPX1031, an investment property exchange service.
When active home rental listings were compared to the population, three Florida cities took top place: Miami Beach came in first with 3,416 listings per 50,000 people. Kissimme, near the Walt Disney World Resort, came in second with 2,880 listings per 50,000 residents and third-place Sarasota, on Florida’s Gulf Coast, has 2,234 listings per 50,000 people.
Heceta Lighthouse B&B
10 Oregon coast getaways to enjoy a Victorian-style Christmas at the Heceta Head Lighthouse: Lighthouses are a beacon to captains and people curious about these rare, old navigational towers.
If you've never gazed out to sea from a 200-foot-tall vantage point at night, here's your chance: You can enter the Heceta Head Lightstation on Oregon's central coast during the 24th Annual Victorian Christmas Open House from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. on Dec. 7, 8, 14 and 15.
The festive event starts at the Heceta Lighthouse B&B, in the 125-year-old Queen Anne-style keeper's quarters, which is decorated for the holidays. Santa Claus, music and goodies will fill the scene.
Bundle up and stay overnight. Here are 10 vacation homes for rent, from a vintage Airstream to a contemporary house, near Florence and Yachats.
10 vacation getaways to join Mount Hood's New Year's Eve parties: Are you searching for a memorable way to watch the dawn of a new decade? How about ringing in 2020 from Oregon's tallest mountain?
All three of Mount Hood's major ski resorts -- Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood Skibowl and Timberline Lodge -- host New Year's Eve parties, each with night skiing, entertainment, food and fireworks, reports Oregonian/OregonLive travel writer Jamie Hale.
In this week’s vacation roundup, we look at 10 different ways to stay near the slopes, from a luxury chalet to a ski-in cabin.
Monroe Studio~Modern Cozy Gem!/Airbnb
Airbnb picks the West Coast's top destination, and it's Eugene: These are the most wish-listed rentals Of Airbnb's more than 7 million homestays scattered across the world, which West Coast city rose to the top as a destination more people want to visit in 2020?
The reasons? Travelers like to be around nature and big events, says the lodging company. Green-thinking Eugene has both hiking trails and the University of Oregon’s constant activities.
10 accessible Airbnb rentals in Portland, Palm Springs and London: Srin Madipalli is a devoted world traveler who uses a wheelchair. To make it easier to find accessible lodging when booking online, he co-created Accomable, an online resource that was acquired by Airbnb in 2017.
Since then, Madipalli, who heads Airbnb's accessibility team, has refined the homestay rental company's search filters to help people with disabilities and their families find places that can be easily enjoyed without steps or stairs, and other accommodations.
"No two people with a disability are the same, so we offer 27 accessibility filters for a spectrum of needs, and we're working on more," says Madipalli.
Luxury Wine Country Retreat/Vrbo
10 luxury home rentals let you dream big on vacation: Vacations are supposed to be a fantasy come true. Yet, most of us stick somewhat to a budget. But ... we can dream.
Here are 10 luxury home rentals that cost more for one day than most people's monthly housing expenses. Still, there's something appealing about looking at perfect scenery from a secluded perch surrounded by nature and deluxe perks (yes, a butler).
In time for holiday giving – or making plans for a wedding or family reunion – we spotlight off-the-charts, Neiman Marcus fantasy gift level of getaways to rent, in Oregon and once-in-a-lifetime, fabulous destinations.
Where to stay for Willamette Valley’s Wine Country Thanksgiving: From a tiny house to vineyard villa
Thanksgiving weekend in Oregon's wine-growing regions is an action-packed chance for patrons of pinot noir and other varietals to barrel taste this year's vintage as flavors mature and to enjoy food pairings with bottles that have been released (and perhaps are on sale).
More than 140 Willamette Valley wineries will host events in tasting rooms and cellars during Wine Country Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 29, through Sunday, Dec. 1.
After stops at scenic vineyards to swirl, sniff and sip, you might want to stay over a night or two. Here are 10 vacation homes for rent, from a tiny abode to a contemporary villa.
Double O Seven Yacht/Airbnb
Vacation getaways: Yachts, yurts and other unusual Oregon home rentals: To celebrate a seriously special occasion, you can charter the Disco Volante, a 45-foot yacht with three levels of luxury. We're talking swim platforms and sun pads, and a ban on red wine and orange Cheetos to protect the pricey teak and tan finishes.
The cost: $999 for two hours then $299 for each additional hour, including the services of a licensed captain.
Or, if you want to pretend to pilot a vessel, there are landlocked pleasure boats on Airbnb or other vacation rental sites.
Vrbo's 2020 Trend Report found a 30% increase in traveler demand for houseboats, yachts, RVs and Airstreams, aka "land yachts," compared to last year.
In this week’s getaway galley, we look at these movable homes plus quirky yurts.
10 glamorous historic mansions and homes for rent: Are you curious about what luxury looked like a century ago and how it feels today? In this week's home stay getaway gallery, we peek into 10 historic mansions and homes that you can rent for a day or longer.
Modern kitchen appliances including a fridge mean you won’t have to call the iceman or bring in wood to start the stove. Instead, cuddle into a wingback chair by the fireplace and read a classic.
Sunny studio with private deck/Vacasa
Here are 10 ideal Airbnb rentals for sweet Cannon Beach getaways: For people who dream of having a beach house, an Oregon Coast vacation rental is a sweet substitute.
In addition to hotels and B&B, Cannon Beach visitors can check into a cottage or condo, wrapped in classic cedar shingles and equipped with a kitchenette and patio, that's operated by hospitality professionals as well as homeowners with space to spare.
Airbnb's research found visitors book their Cannon Beach getaway at least two months before their trip. Nightly rentals are restricted and people devoted to special events like the crowd-pleasing Sandcastle Contest and hilarious corgi run race to reserve a place.
10 Oregon coast getaways to see Shore Acres' stunning holiday light display: If you're looking for a place that's all aglow for the holidays, Shore Acres State Park's display of 325,000 decorative lights on the southern Oregon coast will blow you away.
Volunteers and park rangers have been hosting Holiday Lights at Shore Acres since 1987.
The free event takes place daily from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve at the park, which is three miles south of the small fishing town of Charleston and 12 miles southwest of the city of Coos Bay.
Here are 10 vacation stays, from a camper to a midcentury modern house, near the stunning holiday light display, which continues through Dec. 31.
Tiny new cabin in the Mount Adams Outpost: Getaway has tiny cabins in nature to rent outside of Portland as well as Los Angeles, New York City, Washington D.C., Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.
The Mount Adams Outpost is an 80-acre property with handcrafted, dog-friendly hideaways for two to four people. Each one has a fire pit, grilling grate and a picnic table.
Inside the 140 to 200 square feet of living space are either one or two queen-size beds plus a mini kitchen, electric toilet, shower and a cellphone lockbox.
• Cabin that accommodates two to four guests
• $99-$209 a night depending on travel dates
These 5 vacation rentals are hauntingly close to scary movie locations: In the chilling days leading to Halloween, horror movie fans might want to linger on a dead-end street and other places that cinematically spooked them, and then turn their nightmares into dream vacations.
For this week's vacation getaway roundup, we turned to Portland-based Vacasa to find five places to stay that are hauntingly close to scary film locations, in Oregon and spots for those who may want to creep over state lines.
10 spirited vacation rentals to stay in St. Helens as HalloweenTown takes over
Portland is only 30 miles south of St. Helens, making day-tripping easy. But during the October-long Spirit of HalloweenTown festival, which starts Saturday, Oct. 5, visitors may want to linger into the chill of the night, when costumed characters re-enact scenes from movies filmed here, like the "Twilight" vampire saga and the bewitching "HalloweenTown."
Visitors will also learn about space alien invasions and see creepy stuff in the Museum of Peculiarities & Oddities.
Luxury Retreat with Natural Hot Tub/HomeAway
10 vacation rentals with closeup views of Oregon’s fabulous fall colors
If you live in Oregon, you can look out almost any window and see greenery. Starting now through mid-October, you’ll also see bronze, crimson and golden autumn leaves.
The Little Owl Cabin/Airbnb
Where are you heading? What's your favorite home rental?
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