IPW 2024

  WHAT'S NEW IN OREGON 2024

Sustainable Seafood Makes Waves and a Culinary Feast for Sea Vegetables

One of the wonders of the Oregon Coast is the bounty of delicious seafood that's caught by local fishers and delivered directly from the boat to nearby markets and chefs. Popular catches range from chinook salmon and Pacific halibut to Dungeness crab and Oregon albacore.

The Oregon Coast Visitors Association continues to build resources like Oregon's Best Catch, a guide that details what seafood is local to Oregon and when it's in season. For a map of retailers, there's Oregon Sea Grant's guide to where to buy Oregon seafood. In February, seafoodies flock to Winter Waters, a culinary series that spotlights the state's sea vege- tables with a variety of prix-fixe dinners and pop-ups, along with cooking classes and workshops.

The new year brings a diverse range of accessibility and inclusion initiatives to the Oregon Coast. More than 15 coastal organizations were awarded $1.1M in grants from Travel Oregon.

Awardees range from the City of Coos Bay and the Coquille Indian Tribe to the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Some of the projects will partner with Wheel the World, a leading online platform for booking accessible travel experiences.

Spotlight on Native Foods and an Award-Wining Travel Guide to Oregon Indian Country

Travel Oregon was recently awarded the 2023 ESTO Mercury Award for printed collateral material for its Travel Guide to Oregon Indian Country. The 52-page print guide (along with companion web content) was created in collaboration with the Tribal Tourism Working Group, a collective of representatives from Oregon's nine federally recognized tribes. An updated version of the free guide is now available online and at visitor centers across the state.

The guide invites Oregonians and visitors to experience a holistic view of the state's tribal cultures and hospitality, high- lighting museums, galleries and cultural centers; powwows and seasonal celebrations; outdoor recreation opportunities like camping, boating and Native-led fly-fishing trips; as well as dining and entertainment offered by tribally owned casinos and resorts.

Chef Jack Strong, a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, has been sharing Native stories through food his entire culinary career. Most recently, he's been garnering accolades for his dining program that spotlights first foods at JORY, the restaurant at The Allison Inn & Spa, a luxury resort in the Willamette Valley. His collaborations with other Native chefs and growers, along with his commitment to Indigenous ingredients like Fort Klamath sturgeon and foraged mushrooms, was featured by Eater Portland.

New Lodging: Alpine Cottages, Wine Country B&B, and a Japaense-Inspired Hotel

For winter bliss, there's no place like the mountain town of Sisters. Located just a short drive from Hoodoo Ski Area, it's Central Oregon's only night-skiing destination and also has a family-friendly autobahn tubing park. Unwind after a day on the slopes at the town's newest boutique hotel, The Cottage Inn at Sisters. Each of the six cottages has contemporary decor with comfort perks like a gas fireplace and a walk-in shower with a heated floor.

In the town of Hillsboro, located about 20 miles west of Portland, a Kyoto-based hotelier just opened the highly anticipated Cedartree Hotel. Standouts from this Japanese-inspired retreat include an outdoor onsen (traditional soaking pool), indoor onsen baths and a fitness center. On-site dining includes Waterfalls and Kiyomizu (an izakaya serving small-batch saké and drinking snacks like karaage and nasu nibitashi). Take advantage of nearby Asian culinary experiences in the Tualatin Valley from exceptional bakeries to the esteemed SakéOne.

One of the state's pioneering wine families recently opened an idyllic bed-and-breakfast in Beaverton, a suburb located seven miles west of downtown Portland. Spearheaded by siblings and owners Nico and Mia Ponzi Hamacher, Sosta House is located in the original home of their grandparents — wine legends Dick and Nancy Ponzi. The three-room retreat has an outdoor sauna and cold plunge and is adjacent to Hamacher Wines (founded by their winemaker father). An on-site garden the siblings planted with their family provides inspiration for breakfasts and wine-paired dinners.

For eco-conscious travelers, Fir Haven Retreats is set to open in August 2024 in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge. The 20-acre property will feature 14 private, modern

A-frame-style cabins surrounded by forest, along with sites for traditional tent camping. With an emphasis on regen- erative tourism, stewardship experiences will range from salmon rehabilitation to trail restoration. A communal base- camp for guests includes wellness amenities like an onsen- style cedar hot tub, a sauna and a cold plunge, a stargazing yoga platform and a campfire area.

Epic Winter Advenutres in Central Oregon and Sauna-Inspired Getaways

When you need a snow day, join Cog Wild, one of Central Oregon's adventure guides on one of their newly launched winter excursions. These guided outings include cross-country skiing along Douglas fir-lined trails in the Cascade Mountains, snowshoe tours near Willamette Pass and winter bike rides on the low-elevation trails around Oakridge, a small town known as the mountain-biking capital of the Pacific Northwest.

Experience the magic of starry winter nights with guides from the nearby Cascade Outdoors Center; their evening snow- shoe tour follows forested trails to Salt Creek Falls, Oregon's second largest waterfall.

For a winter wellness weekend, seek out one of the state's many sauna hotspots. With Central Oregon's Gather Sauna House, the authentic wood-fired saunas rotate locations and are often immersed in nature. The mobile sauna outfitter also offers sauna tent rentals. In Eugene, you can visit the calming Onsen who offer sauna rentals and in Portland, Loyly's mini- malist day spas offer a range of relaxing experiences inspired by traditional Finnish saunas.