Oregon

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT – The Oregon coastline is dotted with lofty lighthouses on various points of land. One of the better ones is the Cape Meares Lighthouse, near Tillamook, which features an interpretive center and offers a good look through binoculars at a massive colony of seabirds nearby. Be sure to see the Octopus Tree, a Sitka spruce shaped into a rough candelabra by what Native Americans say were early burial practices, in the old-growth forest nearby.

TO MARKET, TO MARKET – One of the country’s largest and best arts and crafts markets is the Portland Saturday Market. Everything sold there is handmade and new vendors must pass muster for quality with the market’s judges before they can set up shop. The market, founded more than 30 years ago, continues to expand, and will feature entertainment at a new stage in 2009.

LITTLE FRISCO – The oldest U.S. city west of the Rockies, Astoria happens to resemble San Francisco in miniature, with rolling hills, Victorian homes, and frequent fog. It’s less crowded than its California cousin, but be forewarned (or delighted): in winter ferocious storms come in off the Pacific. Climb the 164 steps of Astoria Column for a spectacular view of the city founded by the nation’s first multimillionaire, John Jacob Astor (yes, the Astoria on the other coast, in New York City, is named for him, too).

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