If you want Oregon without the crowds, point your car toward Silverton first. From there, five real off-the-beaten-path stops are within reach without repeating a single one: the 130-plus-acre Oregon Garden right in town, Belknap Hot Springs up in the Cascades, the Diamond Creek Falls loop near Oakridge, the Painted Hills out in the state's high desert, and Sea Lion Caves on the coast north of Florence.
Moonstone Hotels runs the Oregon Garden Resort, a Willamette Valley property in Silverton that sits about 42 miles, roughly an hour, south of Portland. The resort works well as a home base for all five stops below, since Silverton sits close enough to Salem and I-5 to reach the coast, the Cascades, or the high desert as a single long day trip, and guests get free admission to The Oregon Garden next door through a private gate.
What's it like staying in Silverton instead of Portland?
The Oregon Garden Resort offers king rooms, pet-friendly king rooms, and two-queen rooms, along with an outdoor pool and hot tub, the Moonstone Spa, complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and onsite EV charging. The Garden View Restaurant serves Pacific Northwest cuisine, and the Fireside Lounge runs live music nightly, open to hotel guests and the public. None of that requires fighting Portland traffic first, since Silverton sits about an hour south of the city on its own quieter stretch of the Willamette Valley.
How big is the Oregon Garden, and what's actually inside it?
The Oregon Garden covers more than 80 acres at 879 W Main St in Silverton, with themed sections that include a dedicated Pet-Friendly Garden and a Children's Garden, plus plantings built around what actually grows well in the Willamette Valley and the wider Pacific Northwest. Because resort guests enter through a private gate at no extra charge, a single night at the Oregon Garden Resort effectively buys a full day inside one of the larger public gardens in the region, which keeps it off a lot of visitors' must-see lists even though it's right off Main Street.
Where is Belknap Hot Springs, and what does a soak actually cost?
Belknap Hot Springs sits about 55 miles east of Springfield on Highway 126, along the McKenzie River inside the Willamette National Forest, and the resort has run continuously since 1869. Two concrete mineral pools stay open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except federal holidays, and a walk-in day-use soak runs $12 per person for one hour, no reservation required. Overnight guests get extended pool hours, and the water itself runs warmer in winter, close to 102 degrees, against roughly 92 degrees in summer. Children under 5 aren't allowed in the pool area, which keeps the whole place feeling more like a quiet soak than a swim park.
How long is the hike to Diamond Creek Falls, and is it hard?
Diamond Creek Falls is a 3.2-mile loop trail about 23 miles southeast of Oakridge and roughly 5 miles west of Willamette Pass, reached off Highway 58. The trail traces the rims of Salt Creek and Diamond Creek Canyons before a steep descent to the falls themselves, and hikers should watch for loose rock and boulders along the way rather than treat it as a casual stroll. Weekday mornings are the quietest time to go, since the trailhead lot and Highway 58 traffic both fill up fast on summer weekends.
How far is it from the Willamette Valley to the Painted Hills?
The Painted Hills unit of John Day Fossil Beds National Monument sits about 225 miles and four and a half hours from Portland by way of the Journey Through Time Scenic Byway, and about 9 miles northwest of the small town of Mitchell. That distance holds roughly true from Silverton and the rest of the Willamette Valley too, so it works best as a long day trip or an easy overnight rather than a quick detour. The striped red-and-gold hills look different depending on the light, which is why the spot has earned a spot among Oregon's informally named "7 Wonders," and why photographers tend to plan around early morning or late afternoon.
What's actually inside Sea Lion Caves?
Sea Lion Caves sits at 91560 Highway 101, on a stretch of coast north of Florence that most road-trippers drive straight past. The cave itself rises more than 12 stories and stretches as wide as a football field, carved out of basalt rock over roughly 25 million years, and it's served as a wild, undisturbed home to Steller sea lions since the site opened as a private wildlife preserve and bird sanctuary in 1932. It stays open year-round except for a small handful of holidays, which makes it one of the few stops on this list that works in any season, coastal fog included.
What else is worth doing in Silverton itself before you drive off?
Silverton holds its own small surprises. The Gordon House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright design open to the public in the Pacific Northwest, offers guided tours right on the property. The Silverton Farmers Market runs year-round, selling baked goods, plants, candles, soap, and produce from local growers.
When should you time a trip around the Silverton Christmas Market?
If winter is when you're headed this way, the Silverton Christmas Market runs Nov. 26 through Jan. 9 with more than a million lights strung across the grounds, a German-style marketplace, an ice skating rink, a tubing hill, and fire pits for warming up between stalls. Staying at the Oregon Garden Resort during that stretch pairs naturally with the Fireside Lounge's nightly live music and a soak-friendly side trip to Belknap Hot Springs the next morning, since neither one requires backtracking through Portland to get there.
We wrote up more on the town itself in our winter guide to Silverton, and the full Moonstone Hotels portfolio covers five more properties in Cambria and Monterey if this trip turns into a longer Pacific Northwest and California adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the least crowded thing to do in Oregon on this list? — Diamond Creek Falls on a weekday morning is one of the quieter options here. The 3.2-mile loop near Oakridge sees noticeably fewer visitors than coastal or Portland-area trails, especially once you're past a typical summer weekend.
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How far is The Oregon Garden from Portland? — The garden sits in Silverton, about 42 miles and roughly an hour south of Portland by car.
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Is The Oregon Garden included when you stay at Oregon Garden Resort? — Yes. Resort guests use a private gate to enter the garden at no extra cost.
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What should I know before soaking at Belknap Hot Springs? — Day-use hours run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except federal holidays, walk-ins pay $12 per person for one hour, and children under 5 aren't permitted in the pool area.
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Is the Diamond Creek Falls trail difficult? — It's a moderate but steep 3.2-mile loop, with a notably steep descent to the falls and loose rock underfoot in places, so sturdy shoes matter more here than on a flat park trail.