Portland → Cannon Beach
A little coast time
Sea stacks, a sandy stroll, lunch in town, and an optional Ecola viewpoint. A simple escape with room to linger.
Best: All year; best April–September
$4 USD
Holiday lights · Oregon
Portland Holiday Lights Evening day trip
Portland Holiday Lights Evening
One December evening of Portland's best holiday lights: the downtown tree at dusk, ZooLights from opening time, the Christmas Ships leaving RiverPlace, and a walk down Peacock Lane. Built around the four nights in 2026 when all of them overlap, with the Grotto as the swap for other nights.
- Time
- Late afternoon and evening, about 6 hours
- Driving
- Short city drives plus a MAX ride to the zoo
- Best time
- December 15–18
- Updated
$4 USD
One-time purchase. You own your guide forever and can return for the latest update any time.
Suggested times, not bookings
Your day at a glance
- 3:45 pmPioneer Courthouse Square tree
- 4:30 pmZooLights at the Oregon Zoo
- 6:30 pmEarly dinner near RiverPlace
- 7:00 pmChristmas Ships from RiverPlace Esplanade
- 8:00 pmPeacock Lane
- 9:15 pmHead home
Highlights
Worth the trip
- ZooLights from its 4:30 pm opening, reached on MAX with your ticket as the fare
- The Christmas Ships fleet leaving RiverPlace at 7 pm on Willamette nights
- Peacock Lane, decorated since the 1930s, car-free on December 15 and 16 in 2026
What’s in the guide
Detailed stop guidance, rules, practical pitfalls, a route map, Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps links and weather alternatives. Read it online any time, or keep it offline in the Greg’s Guides app for iPhone and iPad. See an example guide →
Plan for the conditions
Expected seasonal weather
Mid-December in Portland usually brings highs in the mid-40s °F and evenings in the mid-to-upper 30s, with frequent light rain, damp air that feels colder than the number, and an occasional cold snap with ice or snow that can make the West Hills and side streets slippery. Sunset is about 4:30 pm, so almost all of this plan is after dark. Wear a waterproof layer, keep hands warm for an hour standing on the waterfront or the Lane, and expect slower driving in rain. These are seasonal expectations, not a forecast for your travel date; check the NWS forecast the day before and again before leaving.
Admission and parking are separate. Check current conditions before departure.
Another good day
More Pacific Northwest day trips
Tacoma → Mount Rainier
A day above the everyday
Forest trails, waterfall viewpoints, and the glaciers above Paradise. Short walks, a clear route, and a weather backup.
Best: Mid-July to early October
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Portland → Tillamook → Cannon Beach → Astoria
The big north coast day
Cheese and ice cream, iconic sea stacks, and Columbia River views. Three coastal favorites in one ambitious day.
Best: June–September
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Portland → Mount Hood
A mountain day within reach
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Best: July to early October
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Halloween in Portland · Family day or adult evening
A little spooky. A lot of Portland.
Halloween-season choices in Portland, with two separate plans: a family day built around the Oregon Zoo's Howloween weekends, and an adult evening in Sellwood ending at Scaregrounds at Oaks Park. Includes the Davis Graveyard yard display, costume rules, rain backups and phone routes.
Best: October; best October 15–31
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Portland → Columbia River Gorge
A day worth falling for
Four waterfall stops, forest walks and Gorge scenery. A flexible day with parking guidance, seasonal weather advice and shorter options.
Best: All year; best April–May and October–November
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Seattle → Puget Sound shores
A wilder side of Seattle
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Best: All year; best June–October
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Seattle → Pike Place & waterfront → Seattle Center
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Best: All year; best June–September
$4 USD
Seattle → Bainbridge Island → Seattle
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Walk onto the Bainbridge ferry for Puget Sound views, Winslow cafés, Eagle Harbor and a free art museum. No car needed on the island.
Best: All year; best May–September
$4 USD
Portland → Cascade Locks → Hood River → Parkdale
Portland to Hood River
A Columbia River Gorge drive with Bonneville Fish Hatchery, Cascade Locks, Hood River waterfront and downtown lunch, plus one harvest-season orchard stop near Parkdale.
Best: Mid-September to October
$4 USD
Seattle → Anacortes → optional Deception Pass
Seattle to Anacortes
A drive-to-island day with Washington Park shoreline views, downtown lunch and Cap Sante, plus an optional Deception Pass detour. Includes a shorter Anacortes-only version.
Best: All year; best May–September
$4 USD
From Forks → Hoh Rain Forest → optional Second Beach
Hoh Rain Forest & Olympic Coast
Two short rainforest loops with time to notice the moss, followed by an optional Second Beach walk. Includes Ruby Beach, Kalaloch and Rialto alternatives, with guidance on bridge and road closures.
Best: Late May to mid-October
$4 USD
Seattle → Stevens Canyon Road → Paradise → Reflection Lakes → Skyline Trail
Mount Rainier: Stevens Canyon & the Skyline Trail
Cross the park the long way: Stevens Canyon Road from the east, Myrtle Falls, a picnic at Reflection Lakes, then the Skyline Trail past Glacier Vista and Panorama Point. Includes a shorter turnaround and a bad-weather plan.
Best: Late July to late September
$4 USD
Seattle · Pike Place → Westlake → Seattle Center → WildLanterns → Candy Cane Lane
Seattle Holiday Lights
A December afternoon-to-evening plan for Seattle's holiday lights: Pike Place Market at dusk, the Westlake tree and carousel, Seattle Center Winterfest by Monorail, a timed entry to WildLanterns at Woodland Park Zoo, and the free Candy Cane Lane display in Ravenna. Bellevue's Garden d'Lights and the Argosy Christmas Ship are covered as swaps.
Best: December; best December 5–23
$4 USD
Seattle → Edmonds–Kingston ferry → Port Angeles → Hurricane Ridge → Lake Crescent → Forks → Rialto Beach → Bainbridge ferry → Seattle
Olympic Peninsula Weekend
A two-night loop through Olympic National Park from Seattle. Take the Edmonds–Kingston ferry on Friday and sleep in Port Angeles. Saturday climbs to Hurricane Ridge for the Hurricane Hill trail, then drops to Lake Crescent for Marymere Falls and the lodge lawn before an evening drive to Forks. Sunday is the wild coast at Rialto Beach and Hole-in-the-Wall, then the long drive home with the Bainbridge ferry into downtown Seattle.
Best: All year; best July to mid-September
$5 USD
Portland → Silver Lake → Forest Learning Center → Elk Rock → Coldwater → Hummocks
Into the blast zone on Spirit Lake Highway
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Best: Late June to September
$4 USD
Seattle → Wallace Falls → Stevens Pass → Leavenworth's Village of Lights
Leavenworth Village of Lights
A December day from Seattle over Stevens Pass on US 2 to Leavenworth's Village of Lights: an optional waterfall hike at Wallace Falls, lunch in the Bavarian village, the Nutcracker Museum, a snow walk or sledding, and the half a million lights coming on over the Front Street gazebo at dusk. Covers chain rules, pass reports, festival-weekend parking and shuttles, and when to stay the night instead of driving home.
Best: Late November to December 23; best on December weekdays
$4 USD