Oregon Hostels
Set on the northwest corner of Oregon is the Seaside hostel, located in one of the Northwest’s most popular resort towns. Seaside’s 250-foot wide beach is just one of the highlights of this Oregon coast “walking community,” meaning everything is within walking distance. Here, mountains, rivers, and the Pacific Ocean merge to create breathtaking views and natural wonders, including the National Wild and Scenic Tillamook Head Hiking Trail, which winds along cliffs and coves between Seaside and Cannon Beach. Seaside’s three-mile-long oceanfront promenade is perfect for sightseeing, and is the home of the Seaside Aquarium, one of the west coast’s oldest aquariums. Seaside’s many restaurants, galleries, and shops give it a small-town charm with big-time appeal.
Portland is located approximately 80 miles to the northeast of Seaside. As Oregon’s most populous city, Portland is split into five neighborhoods. Portland is known for its urban greenscape and numerous parks, including Washington Park, which includes a zoo, forestry center, arboretum, amphitheatre, and various recreation activities. The city’s International Rose Test Garden is located within Washington Park, and features more than 7,000 rose plants of more than 500 varieties. The roses bloom from April through October, with June as the peak bloom month and date of the annual Portland Rose Festival. Also within Washington Park is the Portland Japanese Garden, a traditional Japanese garden that spans more than five acres. The garden contains five distinct subgardens, including the Strolling Pond Garden, the Natural Garden, the Sand and Stone Garden, a Flat Garden, and the Tea Garden. Garden highlights include an authentic tea house, Zen garden, and multi-tiered pagoda lantern.
Portland is also known for its microbrew beers, and his home to more breweries than any other U.S. city. Portland celebrates its beer heritage with several annual festivals, including the July Oregon Brewers Festival - the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in North America – the Spring Beer and Wine Festival held in April, the Portland International Beerfest, held in July, and the Holiday Ale Festival, held every December.
The Portland – Hawthorne District hostel is located in Portland’s Southeast neighborhood, which is known for its youthful, liberal environment. One of the most famous Southeast landmarks is the Bagdad Brewpub and Theatre, a 1927 theatre now on the National Register of Historic Places. Bagdad was the site of the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest premiere in 1975. Hawthorne is also home to Powell’s City of Books, the largest independent bookstore in the United States. Portland and Bend, Oregon are the only two cities in the contiguous United States with extinct volcanoes in their boundaries – the extinct volcano of Mount Tabor and the Mount Tabor Park are located in Southeast Portland, and are one of the city’s most popular attractions.
The Portland – Northwest hostel is located in the city’s Northwest neighborhood. Northwest is known for the Pearl District, a former industrial area that is now full of restaurants, shops, galleries, and brewpubs, as well as the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood. One popular Northwest attraction is the Portland Classical Chinese Garden, a walled garden that spans an entire city block. The garden features more than 100 trees, orchids, water plants, perennials, and bamboos with classic Chinese garden elements, including a tea room, bridges, pavilions, and the Tower of Cosmic Reflection. Forest Park, the country’s largest natural urban forest reserve, is a short distance away. With more than 5,000 total acres and more than 70 miles of hiking trails, Forest Park stretches for more than eight miles overlooking the Willamette River.
Portland has a temperate climate, with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Winter temperatures average in the mid 30s, and typically bring little snow. Rainy season spans from November through April, while summer temperatures are usually pleasant, averaging in the 80s – but can reach above 100 degrees.
