#EXPLOREGON THIS SPRING BREAK

Get Outta Town

Compiled By Cassie Broadwin /// Photo Editor

FOREST ROUTE 19 Get lost on this very scenic, winding road.

CAPE KIWANDA This small town on the coast is central to some of the best times I’ve had in Oregon. Drive your car right out onto the sand, pop the trunk and roll out your blankets, and add to the multitude of fired that dot the beach at sunset. If you’re feeling bold, there are sites inconspicuous enough to pitch a tent for the night. The sunrise is always rewarding.

ONEONTA GORGE While there will be no soaring summer temperatures at this time of year, I’ll leave it to you to decide whether the wade through this gorge is worth some numb toes. Take the plunge, and you’ll find a waterfall around the bend with a few rocks to scramble up and jump off.

ASTORIA FISH & CHIPS Driving into Astoria, you can’t miss Bowpicker Fish & Chips. Just off the main road, this foodcart-esque joint is sure to set the mood for a day on the water. Be prepared for a long line, and to stick it out.

APE CAVES You’ll hardly notice the hole in the ground until you’re practically standing on top of it. Below you is an expanse of caves to explore, bats and all. Follow the staircase into the earth, and layer up as it’s pitch black and a constant 42 degrees.

PAINTED HILLS The four hour drive to one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon is well worth it. Their name (and color) is derived from the stratified layers of soil that correspond to different geological eras that tell the history of the land.

THOR’S WELL Make sure to check tide schedules before heading this way. If you time it just right, you can watch as water cascades into a hole in the ocean — something that straight out of “Interstellar.”

Take a 3-stop Adventure around Northeast

By Eva Goellner /// Social Media & Website Manager 

Brunch: Screen Door – 2337 E. Burnside St.

Portlanders take their brunch very seriously and, during my three years living here, that love for brunch has rubbed off on me. But out of all the Saturday mornings I’ve spent waiting in line with other hangry brunchers waiting to be fed, the wait for Screen Door was the most worth it. Known for their southern comfort-food-inspired menu, Screen Door has got weekend brunch down to a science. Yes, you’ll have to wait in line for potentially as long as an hour, but that first bite of fried chicken and sweet potato waffles or bananas foster French toast more than makes up for it. For weekend brunch, plan ahead and start your day early. Once you put your name down on the list you can walk down the road to grab a cup of coffee while you wait/dream about cheddar grits, and then—before you know it—your name has been called, you’re seated at your table, about to dig in to the most food-coma-inducing meal of your young life. Enjoy it.

Afternoon Tea Break: Tea Bar – 1615 NE Killingsworth

The Tea Bar is exactly what it sounds like a tea bar would be. But it’s probably one of the hippest and most instagram worthy tea shops I have ever been to. The design is clean, minimalistic and light — creating the perfect atmosphere for studying, chatting with friends or deciding which filter to use on the picture of your London Fog (I always recommend ‘Valencia’ for drinks that include steamed milk). Although this place is a bit off the beaten path, if you’re already up on Alberta, it’s worth it to walk over a few blocks and check it out. Order yourself a Jasmine Pearl latte, grab a copy of Kinfolk, snag one of the tables next to the floor-to-ceiling windows and let yourself feel totally and completely trendy for the next hour or two.

Cocktail Hour: The Box Social – 3971 N. Williams Ave (21+)

Any place that lets me eat fancy mac ‘n’ cheese and goldfish while drinking a cocktail called the “RuPaul Sparkle Pony” is going to forever be my top choice for the consumption of all things alcoholic and cheesy. The Box Social touts itself as a “drinking parlour” and strives to offer high quality beer, wine and cocktails, along with tasty little bites to eat in a sophisticated yet homey environment. The main room is small but not overcrowded, the drinks are fancy but not over-the-top and the mac ‘n’ cheese is just what everyone wants to be eating at 1 a.m. The Box Social seems to strike the perfect balance between being both a classy place to get drinks and a spot to meet up with friends and munch on snack food into the wee hours of the morning.

And finally — a Good ol’ Fashioned Pub

If you’re looking for a Friday night free from 15 dollar drinks and tinnitus-inducing bass (not that there’s anything wrong with that), keep reading. Located in downtown Portland on 2nd and Ash, Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub is refreshingly authentic — except on St. Patrick’s Day. Patrons sip Guiness not for the novelty but for the taste. Bagpipes or Irish folk music are a nightly staple and echo through the cavernous main room. Lamb stew and shepherd’s pie are washed down with some Irish beer or whiskey. Downstairs, patrons can sit in the dimly lit cigar room, reminiscing about Portland in the 90’s and the days in which they didn’t have emphysema. —JR