Foto- und Reiseblog by Stefanie Wich-Herrlein
https://instagram.com/smile4travel
ꜱᴛʀᴇᴇᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀɴᴛɪᴀɢᴏ 🇨🇱
If you are on the hunt for colorful street art in Chile's capital, check out these neighborhoods:
🖌️ ʙᴇʟʟᴀꜱ ᴀʀᴛᴇꜱ: especially the streets Loreto, Dardignac & Antonia López de Bello (pics 1-4)
🖌️ ʙᴀʀʀɪᴏ ʙʀᴀᴢɪʟ (pics 5,6 & 10)
🖌️ ʙᴀʀʀɪᴏ ʟᴀꜱᴛᴀʀʀɪᴀ (pics 7-9)
𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠?
ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ...
ꜱᴀɴᴛɪᴀɢᴏ ᴅᴇ ᴄʜɪʟᴇ 🇨🇱
🏙️ With a population of 7 million, Santiago is the largest city in Chile and one of the biggest cities in South America.
👣 Though the city is walkable and in 1-2 days are you can cover the most interesting areas.
🗼 Santiago is home to the tallest building in South America: Gran Torre Costanera
🚨 Various guidebooks state that Chile is the safest country in South America. In Santiago crime rates are increasing though, with muggings, pick-pocketing and theft getting on the rise.
🏛️ While the most popular sights represent traditional colonial architecture, major parts of the city have a vibe of Eastern Europe from decades ago and vandalism present all over.
🎨 Best murals and street art can be found in Bellavista and Barrio Brazil.
🔐 Every Sunday is an official holiday in Chile. This means most businesses and services are closed on Sundays, incl. restaurants, vineyards and all the good stuff you want to experience as a visitor.
𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐭?
ˢᵃᵛᵉ ᵗʰⁱˢ ᵖᵒˢᵗ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵉ ᵖʳᵉᵖᵃʳᵉᵈ ᶠᵒʳ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᵗʳⁱᵖ ᵗᵒ ᶜʰⁱˡᵉ'ˢ ᶜᵃᵖⁱᵗᵃˡ!
ᴜʀʙᴀɴ ᴛʀᴀɪʟꜱ ɢɪᴠᴇᴀᴡᴀʏ 🌲📣
Before continuing (or actually really starting) to post about South America I have a little surprise for you!
[ᴷᵉᵉᵖ ᵒⁿ ʳᵉᵃᵈⁱⁿᵍ!]
As a hiking enthusiast, I believe it’s important to give back to places I love and the people who care for them. That’s why this week I am supporting Trailkeepers of Oregon and their Legacy Builders campaign to preserve urban nature access. Because caring for trails doesn't only mean to Leave No Trace, but also to maintain, and keep them safe and accessible for everyone.
Portland has so many urban trails and especially in winter I love hitting these on the weekend to get my dose of fresh air, outdoor vibes and moving time.
ᴍʏ ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴜʀʙᴀɴ ᴛʀᴀɪʟꜱ ɪɴ ᴘᴏʀᴛʟᴀɴᴅ:
🌲 𝑯𝒐𝒚𝒕 𝑨𝒓𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒎 - Did you know Portland has a Redwood Groove in town?
🌲 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥 - Connecting the lovely St. John's neighborhood with Forest Park
🌲 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒕𝒆 - Come here for great views of multiple volcanoes incl. Mt. Hood, Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Adams
🌲 4𝑻 𝑻𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒍 - My recommendation to sustainably explore the city of Portland and some of its greatest trails
ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʟɪꜱᴛ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ:
🌲 𝑻𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏 𝑪𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒌
Building new trails, and maintaining existing ones makes a tangible difference in the daily lives of urban communities. And this is exactly what Trailkeepers of Oregon are doing with the help of volunteers.
You can learn more in the article linked in my Bio and support their mission by either donating any amount you are able to give or donating your time and join one of their trailkeeping projects.
If you are a hiking enthusiast like me, spread the word and enter the raffle to 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙨𝙬𝙖𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙜 with great prizes like a Day Hiking Starter Pack from .
ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ (on IG) ɪꜱ:
1️⃣ Follow & Smile4Travel
2️⃣ Like this post
3️⃣ Tag someone you would like to take on the trail with you.
This giveaway is not sponsored or endored by Instagram. The winner will be announced by Trailkeepers of Oregon.
Good luck & happy hiking!
♡ Mt. Hood ♡ The PNW is a beautiful place, period!
Impressions from our flight with Envi Adventures
✈️ Route: Troutdale - Sandy River - Mt. Hood and back
Explore Troutdale Travel Oregon Travel Portland
Dreamy scenes from the Oregon Coast 🌊
Have a beautiful weekend y'all!
Travel Oregon | The Oregon Coast | Visit The USA
10 ᴛɪᴘꜱ ᴏɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴀʏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴄɪᴛʏ ⁽ˢᵃᵛᵉ ᶠᵒʳ ᵖˡᵃⁿⁿⁱⁿᵍ ⁿᵒ ᵐᵃᵗᵗᵉʳ ʷʰᵃᵗ ᶜⁱᵗʸ ʸᵒᵘ ᶜᵃˡˡ ʸᵒᵘʳ ᶜᵘʳʳᵉⁿᵗ ʰᵒᵐᵉ!⁾
🏙️ Pick a district you typically don't spend much time at.
🏨 Find a hotel in walking distance to places you want to explore.
🚲 Arrive by bike and don't worry about parking or having another drink.
🪟 Ask for a room with a view.
🍽️ Make a reservation at a restaurant you saved for a special occasion.
📷 Stroll around town and play tourist in your own city.
🛍️ Visit some shops you typically don't find the time to.
🍸 Have a drink at the hotel bar.
🛌 Sleep in and go for brunch before checking out.
🎒 Ask to leave your bag for the rest of the day and explore some more.
We stayed in Downtown Portland , enjoyed dinner at and 's the newest restaurant at Pioneer Place, went for brunch to , walked along Broadway and the Portland Waterfront Park to for some bridge views, street art and highrises.
ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴀʏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴄɪᴛʏ?
Jumping into the weekend with...
☀️ a beautiful weather forecast and second summer temperatures
🍁 fall vibes arriving in Portland
🗻 some fun plans to soak it all in
👟 New waterproof sneakers to prep for playing in the city puddles
I've recently (re) explored Downtown Portland. So head to my stories for PDX city tips!
What are your weekend plans?
Does it still feel like summer, or have you already transitioned into fall vibes?
Happy from... 🗻
With turning the calendar page to October, I eventually had to acknowledge that summer is over. It was a good one though!
Staying mainly local, I hit a couple of PNW bucket list trails and this one ranks among my favorite summer hikes in 2023.
The view from Fremont Lookout has been on my wishlist for 4 years. This August, with visiting Mt. Rainier NP in summer for the first time, I finally was able to hit this trail.
I cannot recommend Mt. Fremont Lookout Trail enough if you love mountain views, are excited about potential wildlife encounters on the way, aren't afraid of heights, and don't mind being surrounded by other photographers. 😉
ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ʜɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴠᴇ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ?
Soon, Portland is going to look like this... 🍁
Happy First Day of Fall, y'all!
Are you having any fun plans for this first autumn weekend?
We are going to explore Portland in a lil' staycation this weekend. Headed to the west side of town and going to check out a few new places. 🏙️
Any tips? Drop them in the comments!
📷🕹️ by Jan Wich-Herrlein
Travel Portland Travel Oregon
Happy Day 🌊🗑️
Did you know 80% of marine debris found on beaches and in our oceans comes from inland sources?
Think about it: all creeks, rivers, and city waterways lead to the ocean at some point. So caring about the oceans starts with avoiding litter no matter where.
Here are some tips on how you can be part of even if you are not at the coast:
🌲 Pack in & pack out and leave no trace on trails, beaches, streets, park, campgrounds - literally anywhere you go.
🚮 Leave recreational places better than you found them - even if this means to take someone else's trash
♻️ Try to recycle as much as you can
🥤 Avoid single-use plastic such as straws, cutlery & plastic bags
🔊 Spread the word! We all make an impact, together we make it even bigger!
𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗧𝗧 ⛺
Going through photos on this slow Sunday makes me reminisce about the most special spots we popped our rooftop tent so far. And there are quite a few...
🏜️ ᴀʟᴠᴏʀᴅ ᴅᴇꜱᴇʀᴛ, Southern Oregon - my favorite place on earth!
🌲 Remote campground in ᴜᴍᴀᴛɪʟʟᴀ ɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴇꜱᴛ, Eastern Oregon - had the campground all to ourselves
🪨 ᴀʟᴀʙᴀᴍᴀ ʜɪʟʟꜱ, Northern California - one of these underrated and lesser known places in California
🌊 ᴄᴀᴘᴇ ᴋɪᴡᴀɴᴅᴀ, Oregon Coast - one of the few places on the Oregon Coast where you can drive on the beach and and make yourself comfortable from dawn to dusk
🌴 ᴊᴏꜱʜᴜᴀ ᴛʀᴇᴇ ɴᴘ, California - one of my favorite national parks in the US
🍷 ᴠɪɴᴇʏᴀʀᴅ, Oregon Wine Country - wine tasting with the option to pop your tent and not having to drive back home definitely has its benefits...
ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇ ʏᴏᴜ'ᴠᴇ ᴘɪᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛᴇɴᴛ?
Travel Oregon Visit California Visit The USA Cascadia Vehicle Tents-CVT
Been focusing on the mountains lately here and just feeling the itch of exploring the PNW coast, even if only virtually...
I'm sure it has a lot to do with the Cascade Mountain Range seeing lots of snow and the travel window to explore higher elevations being relatively short. The coast instead is accessible year round, and in my opinion actually even nicer in fall and winter.
The coastline of Washington State's Olympic National Park is one of the most beautiful stretches and here are some beaches you shouldn't miss for moody coastal vibes:
From south to north:
🌊 Ruby Beach
🌊 Second Beach
🌊 La Push
🌊 Rialto beach
🌊 Cape Flattery (still on my list)
Are you team mountains 🏔️ or coast🌊? Does it differ from season to season?
Only one more week until the largest and most-respected rodeos in the United States take place in Pendleton, Oregon. I've visited the town in Eastern Oregon earlier this summer for the Pendleton Whisky Music Fest, taking place at the same venue, the Pendleton Round-Up grounds, and got to explore this corner of Oregon where America's West is still wild.. 🏇
Got to visit the premium hatter 🎩 in town Pendleton Hat Company as well as the original cowboy boot maker 👢 Staplemans Boots & Leather and the only remaining textile mill in Oregon 🧶 Pendleton Woolen Mills
I came with the expectation for a fun weekend and left with impressions for weeks to last. Impressed by the Pendleton Center for the Arts and positively surprised Pendleton's restaurant scene, I can only recommend to stop in Pendleton on your Eastern Oregon road trip.
Read about my Pendleton experience on the blog:
🇺🇸 https://smile4travel.de/en/america/usa/travel-guide-pendleton-oregon/
🇩🇪 https://smile4travel.de/amerika/usa/reisetipps-pendleton-oregon/
Travel Pendleton Travel Oregon Visit The USA
Things to do in Pendleton, Oregon ► Local makers & thrift shopping ✓ Pendleton Music Fest & rodeo ✓ Where to eat & stay
Have you ever heard of or even been to Pendleton, Oregon?
This tiny town in Eastern Oregon is well known for its craftmanship, wool and whisky. You could even say it's a cowboy town where the time stands still and and the city's legacy gets carried from generation to generation.
If you are ever road trippin' through Eastern Oregon, make sure to plan a stop, or arrive in style by:
✈️ Flying into Pendleton w/ Boutique Air &
🛏 Staying at MotoLodge Pendleton, Pendleton’s newest hotel
I've put together a detailed blog post including all my tips for exploring Pendleton and its surroundings including:
🍳🍸 Where to best enjoy ʙᴇᴀᴋꜰᴀꜱᴛ / ʙʀᴜɴᴄʜ / ʟᴜɴᴄʜ / ᴅɪɴɴᴇʀ
👢🤠 Where to ꜱʜᴏᴘ ᴀɴᴛɪQᴜᴇꜱ, ᴠɪɴᴛᴀɢᴇ, ᴄʀᴀꜰᴛꜱ & ᴡᴏᴏʟ
🖼🃏 Most unique ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠɪᴛɪᴇꜱ around Pendleton's infamous past and modern Art scene
🎶🐎 ᴇᴠᴇɴᴛꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍɪꜱꜱ besides the Pendleton Round-up, the largest & most respected rodeos in nation
𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 post to Travel Pendleton well-prepared and follow the link for all the details!
🔗 https://smile4travel.de/en/america/usa/travel-guide-pendleton-oregon/
I'm not ready for the corn maze yet, but I might be for a sunflower maze. 🌻
How about you?
Are you over summer already or team wishing summer never ends?
Portland, Oregon, the city I call my new home away from home for 4 years now, has been declared as one of the greenest cities in the US and I'm honored to have contributed the first article about PDX to go live on Sustainable Cities - a new online magazine for conscious travelers & global storytelling platform to inspire travelers to (re)discover both famous and lesser-known cities.
There are several reasons why Portland should be on your radar as sustainable travel destination. Here are 4 - for more details read the full article (Link below):
🌲 PDX is home to the largest number of urban green spaces per capita, including an urban forest bigger than New York's Central Park.
🚴♀️ One of Portland's many nicknames is BikeTown for its widespread network of cycling lanes and neighborhood greenways.
🌽 You can harvest your own produce at family-run farms nearby and support local businesses at neighborhood farmers markets.
🥑 Last not least, Portland is often named one of the best cities for vegans globally.
🔗 https://sustainablecities.travel/reasons-to-visit-portland-oregon/
Travel Oregon Travel Portland
Green reasons to visit Portland, Oregon - from hikes and bike rides to farmers markets, wineries and vegan food.
One mountain, three perspectives over three different times of day. 🏔️
This might be your sign to visit Mt. Rainier National Park before the season ends...
What's your favorite view you'd like to see yourself?
Happy
Hiking boots, clear skies & mountain views is all I need this summer. 🏔️
More than 100° Fahrenheit / 40° Celsius three days in a row, I'm ready to jump into a pool! 🌡️
In case you need a refreshment during your summer adventures, here are some
ᴛɪᴘꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴛᴀʏ ᴄᴏᴏʟ:
🕦 Plan activities in the morning - in the PNW the heat really kicks in in the late afternoon after 3 pm
🏔️ Drive to the coast or the mountains - the Pacific Coast is often significantly cooler. Also higher elevated areas in the Cascade Mountains are a great escape from the heat.
👒 Find shade and bring sun protection incl. hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
👗 Wear loose clothes and light colors
🥗 Eat light meals
💦 Stay hydrated! Especially when you are outdoors, bring extra water and minerals
🧊 Cool your neck and wrists with a cold wet towel
👣 Put your feet and ankles in cool water - there might not always be a pool around, but a creek or lake to cool off from the button
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳𝗳? 💦
Pictures taken at
📍 , Eastern Oregon
📷 in collab w/ .rosa.wolf
Hanging at a beach, lake shore, or cooling down in a river? Kayaking, canoeing, fishing, or swimming? Waterfall of alpine lake? 🏖️🚣🏼♀️ 🏞️
Water connects us all, especially during summer when we all head out of town to cool down and enjoy the hot PNW summer months.
When going out to recreate, remember to leave nothing but footprints on your vacations and day trips to the water. 💦
➡️ Swipe left for tips how to preserve our waterways while we are enjoying these hot PNW summer months & slide into my stories for some fun This ↔️ That!
Keep Nature Wild
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝘁𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿?
𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴! 👇🏼
This mountain... I just cannot get over it.
One spot you shouldn't miss to visit when exploring Mt. Hood National Forest and staying at is Trillium Lake.
While it's a very popular spot for swimming, paddle boarding and chilling over the summer weekends, the time around sunset or sunrise tends to be quieter and if you get lucky you get to experience the calm water turning Mt. Hood into a painting-like reflection.
I took this image on an early fall evening last year and just realized I haven't posted it yet. What a miss...
Have you found your favorite mountain and special view of it?
July is National Picnic Month!.. and sometimes it doesn't take much
to have a great lil' picnic.
What goes into your 🧺? LMK in the comments!
*Blanket by woman owned brand Groovy Tuesday Inc
Get 20% off with my link referral link 🔗 https://groovytuesdayinc.com/?ref=SMILE4TRAVEL (*affiliate link = no extra cost for you!)
This might be the most popular photo spot at the Painted Hills section of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. But there is more than the 0.2 mi short Painted Cove Boardwalk that only takes 2 min to explore... I recommend combining them to get some miles in if that's your goal and see the entire area from different perspectives.
𝟱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 & 𝗵𝗶𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗹 𝗕𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 - 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩:
∆ Painted Cove Trail - 0.3 mi
∆ Leaf Hill Trail - 0.3
∆ Red Star Knoll Trail 0.5 mi
∆ Painted Hills Overlook - 0.6 mi
∆ Carroll Rim Trail - 1.6 mi
∆ Bonus: Blue Basin Overlook Trail - 4 mi (located in Sheep Rock Unit) & one of my favorite hikes in the area
𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗴𝗼 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸?
ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴘᴏꜱᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʀɪᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴀꜱᴛᴇʀɴ ᴏʀᴇɢᴏɴ'ꜱ ᴘᴀɪɴᴛᴇᴅ ʜɪʟʟꜱ!
It wasn't the first time that I felt like I've been traveling to a different state while I was still in Oregon...
The first time this happened when I visited Smith Rock State Park for the first time. Leaving the evergreen Mt. Hood National Forest behind and entering Oregon's high desert made me feel like I've been traveling to Nevada or the Southwest.
When driving through Southern Oregon lately, I couldn't believe my eyes when seeing the sign "Oregon Outback Scenic Byway"... Did you know Oregon has an Outback?? 😲
The giant Fort Rock truly has a similar feel to famous Ayers Rock in Australia. And the town itself transported me to... Wyoming with its wooden structures typical for the Old West. 🧡⛪
Just another reminder how diverse Oregon's landscape is and how lucky I am to be living in this beautiful state...
𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗡𝗪?
Happy 4th of July & cheers to PNW summer! 🌞
Cheers to summer picnics, long days and warm nights, backpacking trips and mountain views, lake swim and river crossings, ice cream and BBs, outdoor concerts and street festivals.
Cheers to an endless PNW summer season!
Wₕₐₜ ₐᵣₑ yₒᵤᵣ ₛᵤₘₘₑᵣ ₚₗₐₙₛ?
📸 in collaboration w/ .rosa.wolf
📍 waterfront park
Summer is here!!
Can't decide between staying in a cozy cabin or sleeping in a hammock?
I found the best combination of both worlds: LOGE Camps
Last weekend, after we finished the Cascade Lakes Relay, Jan and I checked in at LOGE Bend to extend our stay in Central Oregon and recharging batteries.
And I can tell you... This hot tub felt heavenly!
But not only this! LOGE Camps is the perfect hub for outdoorsy loving travelers who don't mind a little comfort and
🥾 love the option to explore nearby trails
🔥 hang out at the campfire
🎸 listen to live music
🍻 sip craft beers and ciders
🚲 rent bikes for a free ride to the city & explore Bend on two wheels.
Swipe left for a look around the property!
Would I stay again? Yes, 100%!
Would you?
Happy Flower Friday, peeps! 🌼
Spring wildflowers may have faded, but this is no reason to be sad! Did you know that In many parts of the PNW wildflowers don't even start blooming until July or August.
Especially the Cascades Mountains still have so much snow. Hard to imagine from Portland, or Seattle. But trust me, I went to Crater Lake yesterday and it will still take a while until it feels like summer here...
So there is still plenty of time to plan your summer trips!
ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ ʜɪᴋɪɴɢ ʟɪꜱᴛ:
🏔️ Mt. Hood & Mt. Rainier
🏞️ Alpine Wilderness, Central Washington
🤍 And finding bear grass!!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫?
📷 by Vanessa Rosa Wolf
Summer is here and for me this means camping & backpacking trips are around the corner.
If you feel like naaahh, I prefer sleeping in a comfy bed and exploring from there, I get you!
Especially now, during these early days of summer, lots of higher elevation destinations are still covered in snow. The best time to stay at a cozy cabin and explore mountains, lakes, forests & the coast from there.
I've put together a list of 5 unique cabins & cottages to explore some of my favorite PNW outdoor spots nearby:
ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ᴀꜱ ʀᴇᴍɪɴᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴛʀɪᴘꜱ!
🏔️ Millard's Cabin - getaway to Mt. Rainier National Park (pic 1&2)
🚣🏼 .stays - getaway to Lake St. Clair & Olympic Peninsula pics (3 & 4)
🌲 Getaway House Portland - getaway to Mt. Adams Wilderness & Gifford Pinchot National Forest pics (5 & 6)
🏞️ Skagit Valley - Getaway to North Cascades National Park (pics 7 & 8)
🌊 Bay Point Landing - getaway to South Oregon Coast (pics 9 & 10)
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞?
Day, or sunset hike? Weekday, or weekend? Adorable wildflower hike, or leg-burning workout?
Everything you need to know about hiking Dog Mountain, one of the most beautiful, popular, but also challenging spring trails in the Columbia River Gorge - is up on my blog! 🧑🏼💻
I've been hiking Dog Mountain Trail twice, starting early in the morning, and as a sunset hike. The first time I went up with a badass group from Women Who Explore, deciding for the "difficult" way up and down. Second time Jan Wich-Herrlein and I made it a loop trail going up the even "more difficult" route and coming back the little longer, but steeper trail.
ᴛʀᴀɪʟ ꜱᴛᴀᴛꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ:
🚶♀️ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ: 7.6 miles / 12 km
📈 ᴇʟᴇᴠᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: 2,988 ft / 911 m
🥾 ᴛʀᴀɪʟ ᴛʏᴘᴇ: loop trail or out & back (depending on route)
🚨 ᴅɪꜰꜰɪᴄᴜʟᴛʏ: challenging
🌼 ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀᴇꜱ: meadows of wildflowers, rolling hills, Gorge(ous views)
📍 ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area near Carson, Washington State
🚗 ᴘᴀʀᴋɪɴɢ: $5, NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass
🎫 ᴘᴇʀᴍɪᴛꜱ: No permits are required as of now through April 2024
🐕 ᴘᴇᴛꜱ: Dogs on a leash are welcome
No matter if you're still planning to hike up Dog Mountain this season, or want to be prepared for next spring's peak wildflower bloom, 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴:
🔗 https://smile4travel.de/en/america/dog-mountain-trail/
Seasonal permits for Dog Mountain Trail, WA end today. 🎫
This means you no longer need a permit to hike this popular trail on weekends.
While the peak bloom of the balsamroot is almost over, this hike is rewarding throughout the entire summer season! 🌼 And as the blossoms fade, the daily visitors do, too...
Everything you need to know about hiking one of the most challenging trails in the Portland Metro & Columbia Road Gorge area is now on my blog!
Permits, parking, preparations, what to pack, how to dress + the best time of season & day to hike incl. tips for your sunset adventure! 🌄
🇺🇸 https://smile4travel.de/en/america/dog-mountain-trail/
🇩🇪 https://smile4travel.de/amerika/usa/washington/dog-mountain-wanderung/
Dog Mountain Trail permits ✓ Best time to hike Dog Mountain ✓ What to wear on Dog Mountain Trail. Trail stats & Parking
Hi, it's Stefanie, the creator of Smile4Travel. 👋🏼
As I see quite some new faces here lately, I thought it's time to reintroduce myself.
Also time for a new profile pic maybe...?
✈️ As you can tell from my feed + handle, traveling is my biggest passion. In fact, traveling has been part of my life AND professional career ever since.
🇩🇪 I was born in Germany, the former Eastern part - still figuring out how this might have influenced my urge to explore the world and live abroad. Fact is: If history had gone differently, I would never have met Jan who grew up 20km away in the West.
👩🏻🤝👨🏼 I've been with my better half for 14yrs & we'll be married 6yrs this fall. Jan is the creator of
🧑🏼💻 I have been in corporate roles in PR, content marketing & social media in the travel & events industry for 8+ years before building my own business around content creation, travel writing & social media consulting where I get to work with brands, orgs & tourism boards worldwide.
🌍 Thinking about seeing the world & making travel plans has always put a BIG 😀 on my face. Smile4Travel was born the moment I started my blog 10 years ago when I was still working full-time for Germany's 2nd largest travel operator, learning about SEO, website hosting & all things tech while growing & managing the company's corporate blogs.
📄 On www.smile4travel.de/en I share in-depth travel itineraries, outdoor guides & gear reviews.
🇺🇸 I'm calling Portland, OR my new home & travel hub for 4 years.
🇨🇳 Before moving to the US, Jan & I have been living in Shanghai, China for 2 years.
🎒 I've been traveling to 50+ countries, lived in Cape Town & went on my 1st solo trip through Central America when I was in my early 20ies.
🌲 I'm most happy outside, immersing myself in nature, sleeping under the stars & helping find ways to protect our planet.
🤿 I'm a certified open-water diver, yoga lover & avid hiker, an advocate for LNT principles, proud Keep Nature Wild wildkeeper & ambassador for the female outdoor community Women Who Explore.
Thanks for being part of this community of travel addicts, outdoor lovers & those who strive for a sustainable lifestyle. Glad to have you here!
📸 Vanessa Rosa Wolf
Hello June! 🌸
Happy Pride Month 🌈, happy Great Outdoors Month 🌲, happy Camping Month 🏕️!
There is so much to celebrate in June and even though I feel like the last 2 months have flown by (too) fast, I cannot wait for all the June adventures to come.
I'm looking forward to immersing myself outdoors with lots of time to spend in nature, local camping trips, hiking and preparing for a big backpacking trip in July, outdoor concerts, and exploring Portland's events & art scene.
It's not officially summer yet, but I have totally fallen for the hype of celebrating these long and sunny days and enjoying them to the fullest.
ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴏ ɪɴ ᴊᴜɴᴇ?
📷 in collaboration w/ Vanessa Rosa Wolf
Oh Oregon...💚 You blew my mind again!
The kick-off into the first long weekend of the season & unofficial start of summer has been magical.
After taking a little detour across the river to Washington State and hiking up Dog Mountain to see the meadows of balsamroot in full bloom, Jan and I crossed the Columbia River back to Oregon again and made our way East into Oregon's Wild West.
Our first roadside stop in Central Oregon's Tygh Valley turned out even prettier than I had expected. So it deserves a feed post, don't you think?
🗺️ White River Falls State Park
📍 Tygh Valley, Central Oregon
🚗 8 mi / 13km off Highway 197
🥾 0.8 mi 1.3km out & back trail to bottom of the falls with swimming hole
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿?
1️⃣ White River Waterfall plunging 90ft over basalt cliffs
2️⃣ White River winding through earth-toned rolling hills
When eating ice cream turns into a good cause… 🍦
If you’re living in or have been traveling through the PNW you probably know about the Portland-based, family-run company Salt & Straw Ice Cream, their creative, sometimes weird-sounding, but surprisingly delicious ice cream flavors and monthly rotating seasonal scoops.
For the month of June, they came up with an extra special mission: Using upcycled food to create 5 flavors that are officially Upcycled Certified®, awarded by the Upcycled Food Association (UFA)
Together with local news outlets, I was invited by Salt & Straw founder Tyler Malek into Salt & Straw’s R&D lab where we learned about his partnership with brands focused on reducing food waste in the U.S., got to taste the 5 flavors that will be available in scoop shops and nationwide shipping throughout June starting this Friday, May 26th.
Before, we visited Urban Gleaners, a local Portland nonprofit that collects delicious, fresh food before it goes to waste and gets it to people who need it by redistributing food from high-end restaurants and grocery stores to schools and agencies working to end hunger. We helped sorting food deliveries before heading over to Salt & straw’s kitchen to craft some ice cream out of upcycled food ourselves. 🌱
Salt & Straw has been working with Urban Gleaners for over six years now with the mission to normalizing the use of upcycled food. The June flavor „Day-Old Bread Pudding & Chocolate Ganache“ is the result of the collaboration between the two. Salt & Straw worked with Urban Gleaners to gather bread from around Portland that would have gone to waste to feature in this flavor.
With the Upcycled Food Series Salt & Straw is able to rescue over 38k pounds of food from being thrown away. Instead using it for the creation of these special flavors. Knowing this, every spoon we try tastes even better.
🍦 https://saltandstraw.com/collections/ice-cream-packs
Travel Portland Eater Portland The Oregonian Broussard Communications Travel Oregon
After receiving so much great feedback on the portrait of PDX Dönerländ in ZDF I have 2 more recommendations to share with you! 📺
Also worth checking out the short films about:
🎨 Philipp Zurmöhle and how he is managing his brand design agency Transatlantika based in Portland, OR, & Germany
🔗https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/hallo-deutschland/auswanderer-portland-produktdesigner-100.html
🏨 Britta, who is running the Northwest Portland International Hostel
🔗https://www.zdf.de/nachrichten/hallo-deutschland/auswanderer-hostel-cafe-portland-usa-100.html
Travel Portland Travelbook Travel Oregon
Philipp Zurmöhle wandert für die Liebe in die USA aus. Inzwischen lebt er mit seiner Familie in Oregon und fühlt er sich in der Metropole wohl.
After a long, cold, and wet winter, spring has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest. 🌲
The waterfalls are roaring, so don't let the hot temperatures lately fool you! Getting close to the spray is half the fun. And staying dry and warm makes exploring even more joyful... 💦
After discovering the Canadian brand Vessi advertising all their shoes as 100% waterproof, but sturdy and breathable, I had to test them. And honestly speaking, this brand collaboration turned into a new product love. I've been literally living in my Vessi Stormburst and Chelsea boots this spring, now waiting for their summer release.
Read my full review on the blog:
🔗 https://smile4travel.de/en/america/usa/oregon/vessi-product-review/
If you decide to get your own Vessis and order through my referral link (scroll down the article), you'll receive a free gift with your purchase. 🎁
Is Vessi worth the hype & money? ☂ I've put the Vessi Stormburst ✚ Chelsea boots through their paces. ★ Read my full review.
Portland, OR
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One day you'll visit places you thought could only exist in your dreams... For me Canada has always been a dream. Beginning of this month - #EarthMonth - it came true! I'm just back from a trip to Alberta, Canada and have seen majestic mountain ranges, frozen waterfalls, ice canyons, untouched frozen lakes, my very first moose, and soaked in hot springs that once was the source for Canada's very first national park... The Canadian Rockies are wild and need to be protected - today even more than ever! For this Earth Day I would like to know: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬? 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦? One thing we all can do to protect our beautiful earth is being serious about the Leave No Trace principles. Happy #EarthDay! 🌎 #Smile4TravelinAlberta Travel Alberta Banff & Lake Louise Tourism Banff Gondola Banff, Alberta
POV: You see your first moose up & close while driving through Jasper National Park, Canada.🫎 Our trip through Alberta has been a dream so far and as we are getting to our second last destination on our trip - Jasper National Park - a dream came true: finally seeing my first moose 🫎 They might not have their iconic antlers on in early spring yet, but aren't they cute though? Have you seen moose in the wild? While traveling through Jasper National Park your chances are good to see them feasting on the roadside or even crossing the road. They love the cold and did you actually know they loose their antlers before winter and grow it back each spring? Make sure when you Travel Alberta to go on a wildlife tour and let knowledgeable guides show you the best spots to see wildlife. They know the terrain well and will tell you lots about the animals on the way. We took a tour w/ SunDog Transportation and Tours, booked through Tourlane in collaboration w/ @travelalberta. Curious what else we got to see? Slide into my IG story highlight 'Alberta, CA', check the link in my Bio to see our route and save €200 when booking your own trip by June 30th! #ad | Werbung #Tourlane #NextLevelTravel
