10 Offbeat Oregon Towns To Visit In 2025
Picturesque Oregon is known for possessing beautiful, majestic natural attractions, like the Japanese Garden in downtown Portland. Yet this rugged state inside the region of the Pacific Northwest also has a plethora of small towns that might be considered more eccentric due to the bizarre attractions one can find within its borders. From the tiny town of La Pine and its Lava Cast Forest to Tillamook and the Octopus Tree, these ten towns catch the interest of thousands of visitors from all over the United States, making them some of the most offbeat Oregon towns that may be the perfect vacation destination in 2025.
Corbett
The town of Corbett, along the banks of the Columbia River, is home to Multnomah Falls. This phenomenal 620-foot waterfall, the state's highest waterfall, may remind you of a magical wonderland. Visitors to Multnomah Falls can also check out the Multnomah Creek Bridge, built in 1914 and ideal for an awesome vacation photograph.
Vista House at Crown Point also overlooks the Columbia River, attracting visitors from as far away as Florida. Later named the crown jewel of the Columbia River Gorge, this stunning house was first built in 1917. Along with the spectacular views of the Columbia River, visitors can check out the on-site museum, stop by the gift shop, and even get something tasty to snack on at the espresso cafe.
Tillamook
Southeast of Tillamook Bay, the small town of Tillamook possesses a few different bizarre attractions. The first odd attraction might just be the Octopus Tree. This Sitka Spruce tree has been blessed with an abundance of trunks. This odd natural creation continues to astound people every year.
Tillamook Creamery and Tillamook Air Museum are two other awesome attractions that attract thousands of guests annually. The Air Museum, in a World War II blimp hangar, showcases a variety of planes and plane parts, including the cockpit of an F-4 Phantom and a Bell TH-57 Helicopter. The creamery, established in 1909, produces more than 150,000 pounds of cheese a day and draws over a million guests each year.
Astoria
Along the banks of the Columbia River and close to the Pacific Ocean, the town of Astoria is another small town with some phenomenal attractions, like the Astoria Column. The concept of the Astoria Column was first to rival the Eiffel Tower in France. Built almost 30 years later, this 125-foot column has become a national tribute to those who built the Northwest.
Other venues that attract people from all over, Hillside Cemetery and Flavel House Museum, both call Astoria home. Hillside Cemetery, also known as Pioneer Cemetery, interred almost 500 people from 1865 to 1891. Most of them were moved from even older cemeteries. Flavel House Museum, named after Captain George Flavel, honors the famous pilot and businessman with a variety of exhibits.
Baker City
Baker City is about 60 miles west of the Idaho border and home to the Great Salt Lick. The Great Salt Lick is a bronze statue of a salt lick in recognition of the Great Salt Lick Contest, which has been attracting people since 2006. An auction, held in September, raises money for further research on Parkinson's Disease.
The Armstrong Nugget is another Baker City attraction. It can be seen inside the Baker Heritage Museum and is rumored to be the largest piece of gold, at over 80 troy ounces, that has ever been found in Oregon. It was discovered by George Armstrong and Dick Stewart in Buck Gulch in 1913 and is worth over $100,000 in today’s economy.
Sisters
Hidden 20 miles north of Bend, Sisters has several bizarre attractions, including the Fantastic Museum. The Museum has a variety of exhibits, from Bob Hope’s stretch limousine to Shaquille’s shoes. It even has Olaf, the giant Viking, who is nine feet tall.
Lost Lake and Clear Lake are also near Sisters. Clear Lake is home to an abundance of trees growing completely beneath its calm surface, some of which are around 3,000 years old. On the other hand, Lost Lake fills up with water every winter, starts draining every spring, and disappears through a seven-foot-wide hole in the ground every summer.
Florence
Picturesque Florence, situated along the banks of the Siuslaw River, on the Pacific Ocean, is home to the Sea Lion Caves and Darlingtonia State Park. The park is currently home to several carnivorous plants, including the Cobra Lily, which is also known as the Darlingtonia californica. The Sea Lion Caves, along the coast, is the largest sea cave in America. It is the home of the Steller sea lion.
Florence is also home to Exploding Whale Memorial Park, situated along the Siuslaw River. This park was accurately named due to a situation that occurred around half a century ago: an eight-ton whale was discovered on the beach. To remove the dead whale, the town used dynamite as a solution. The rest is history.
Pendleton
Just south of the Washington border, the quaint town of Pendleton is home to a variety of bizarre attractions. One of these is the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute, which provides an understanding of the Native Americans who lived in the area. The exhibits within are separated into three interesting categories: “We were,” “We are,” and “We will be.”
Another great offbeat attraction is the Cozy Room, which is a museum that honors the most prominent brothel of the day, which ran from 1928 to 1967, as well as the women who plied their trade there. A part of the history of the town of Pendleton, the Cozy Rooms, first opened by Stella Darby in 1928, even has a bronze statue of the owner herself just outside.
Seaside
Famous all over the United States, Painted Rock Beach showcases the beauty of the picturesque town of Seaside in a fresh, new way, though it has been in existence since at least the 1970s. Visitors to Painted Rock Beach can include their own uniquely painted rocks. There are hundreds of differently painted rocks, some with wishes, others with prayers, and still others with scenic pictures.
Two other awesome attractions, Elsie Cemetery and the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, encourage visitors to stop by Seaside as well. Tillamook Rock Lighthouse, though it is currently deactivated, is situated a little over a mile from Tillamook Head, formerly in service from 1881 to 1957. At Elsie Cemetery, drawing visitors from as far away as Maine, you can see some bizarre headstones atop the graves, including a full-sized metal crib.
Rockaway Beach
Another awesome town in Tillamook County, and only 15 miles north of the town of Tillamook, the town of Rockaway Beach is home to the Original Pronto Pup. This was a dedication to the corn-dog by Anthony McNamer in 2016. The corn dog is said to have originated in the United States in the 1920s. Some say it was created in Illinois, others say Texas, and still others say Rockaway Beach.
Another great natural attraction that garners visitors annually is Twin Rocks Arch, one of the phenomenal photography attractions of the Pacific Northwest. These natural rock formations are located just off the coast and have been astounding visitors for years. Also, if you are checking out both Rockaway Beach and Tillamook at once, Surfside Resort has comfortable yet reasonable rooms.
La Pine
La Pine is located 100 miles east of Eugene. This quaint town is home to Newberry Caldera, which is situated atop the now-active stratovolcano, Newberry Volcano. This caldera consists of two lakes, Paulina Lake and East Lake, with a span of land between them, lying in the center of what is now the Newberry National Volcanic Monument.
This monument is home to the Lava Butte, the Lava River Cave, the Lava Cast Forest, and the Newberry Caldera. While the Lava Butte and the Lava River Cave are interesting natural attractions, the Lava Forest is well worth visiting. This Lava Cast Forest was first created during the most recent lava flow around 6,000 years ago.
While the United States has some bizarre venues, and the cities in Oregon possess bizarre attractions, there are plenty of small towns that you may not even know about that have an abundance of these attractions and venues as well. From the Armstrong Nugget in Baker City to the Sea Lion Caves in Florence, these are ten offbeat Oregon towns that are ideal to visit, either with family, friends, or even solo, in 2025.
