Where Oregonians want to spend their summer, according to our poll
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Nothing beats the coast. Photo: Meira Gebel/Axios
When Oregonians dream of a two-week in-state summer escape, most are heading west — and packing a few extra layers with them just in case.
The big picture: Nearly 54% of the 265 Axios Portland readers who took our recent unscientific survey chose the Oregon Coast (all 363 miles of it) as their ideal summer vacation destination.
- Central Oregon finished a distant second with 17%, followed by Eastern Oregon at 11% after we asked y'all to pick one of the state's seven tourism regions.
The catch? You couldn't leave the zone you picked for two weeks.
🌊 What you're saying: It's no surprise readers praised the coast's cooler temperatures, long stretches of sandy shoreline, tide pools and dramatic rocky headlands that provide picturesque ocean views.
- "Nothing better than a sunset walk on the beach and poking into tiny shops in the little towns," one reader wrote.
Meanwhile, reader Kiley W. chose the coast for local favorite sea foam candies and Pam M. said the best way to calm the nervous system is to spend a few hours watching the waves.
- Perhaps one respondent said it best: "I let the ocean make me feel right-sized again."
⛰️ Yes, but: Central Oregon defenders argued that two weeks spent within the region — which includes Bend, the Three Sisters and Smith Rock State Park — could easily be filled with hiking, paddling, biking, golf, breweries and plenty of sunshine.
- "It would be incredibly easy to not get bored," Nicole D. wrote.
🏜️ The other side: Readers who chose Eastern Oregon said the region offers dark, open skies, fewer crowds and much-desired solitude.
- Eastern Oregon pulls in far less tourism dollars than every other region, but features unmatched landscapes — from high deserts with historic Oregon Trail wheel ruts to the rolling blue hills in the Wallowa Mountains and the cathedral spires along the Owyhee.
🏙️ The intrigue: Just 3% of respondents picked the Portland metro to spend their two-week vacation — including seven of the 203 survey-takers who already live here.
- Still, Tommy J. defended the hometown staycation, pointing to Portland's restaurants, arts, parks and numerous outdoor events: "I doubt you absorb it all in just two weeks."
❤️ The bottom line: Wherever you pick, it's hard to go wrong. We got a lot going for us.
- But it's clear the coast remains our collective happy place.