Best Winter Road Trips From Portland, Oregon

🚗 55 miles ⏱️ 2 hours, 40 minutes

As a renowned skiing destination, Mt Hood offers a variety of activities to cater to every level of adventure – from skiing and snowboarding to snowshoeing and tubing. Mt Hood is also famous for its alpine scenery, which is a quintessential winter postcard come to life.

🚗 310 miles ⏱️ 5 hours, 50 minutes

Famous for its Alpine-style buildings and festive holiday lights, visiting Leavenworth in winter is like magically teleporting to a festive Bavarian village during Christmas. On the way, you can also spend some time at White Pass Ski Area and the charming town of Yakima, famous for its holiday displays.

🚗 160 miles ⏱️ 3 hours, 15 minutes

Bend is a famous hotspot for winter outdoor activities. Whether you're a fan of skiing and snowboarding or prefer snowshoeing, snowmobiling, fat tire biking, and winter hiking, Bend has it all! En route, you can also enjoy the wintery landscape of Mount Hood National Forest.

🚗 185 miles ⏱️ 5 hours

Mt Bachelor Ski Resort is a must-visit winter destination for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts. The ski resort in Oregon's Central Cascades is stunning and exciting in its own right, but it is also just a short drive from Bend, which makes this an even more amazing weekend road trip destination.

🚗 90 miles ⏱️ 2 hours, 15 minutes

Renowned for its wineries, the Willamette Valley is the perfect place to sample offerings of Oregon's wine country. In winter, wineries will be less crowded and more cozy - how about enjoying a sip by the log fire? You will also get to visit pretty Yamhill, McMinnville and Salem en route.

🚗 90 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 30 minutes

During the colder months, Cannon Beach transforms into a peaceful haven, offering a unique experience with fewer crowds. Winter at Cannon Beach is also a prime time for wildlife spotting and an amazing time to snap dramatic photos of Haystack Rock and Ecola State Park nearby.

🚗 220 miles ⏱️ 4 hours, 10 minutes

With amazing nature areas and skiing locations nearby and spectacular Christmas light displays to admire, there is much to see and do in Seattle on a wintry day. You can also visit Shelton, known fondly as "Christmastown USA," on this route to get in the festive mood.

🚗 350 miles ⏱️ 5 hours, 50 minutes

Spokane is a great destination for the colder months with its many museums and festive activities. From wine tasting to skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling, this road trip is filled with activities that make it a true winter adventure with Mt Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park en route!

🚗 230 miles ⏱️ 4 hours

This route to Crater Lake National Park will take you past Salem and Eugene before you reach the winter wonderland landscape of Crater Lake National Park. While the Rim Drive is closed during winter, you can enjoy magical adventures on a snowmobile or take on snowshoe trails.

🚗 315 miles ⏱️ 6 hours

Vancouver is a true winter wonderland with colorful Christmas lights displays, nearby ski resort like Grouse Mountain, ice skating and Christmas markets! En route, don't forget to visit Seattle, which is another city renowned for its cheerful Christmas shopping and festive spirit.

🚗 60 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 25 minutes

The winter road trip from Portland to Hood River will transform the chill of the season into a soul-warming escape through Multnomah Falls, which is especially stunning in winter. If you are traveling during the holiday season, you might even be able to spot Santa himself in Hood River!

🚗 100 miles ⏱️ 1 hour, 45 minutes

Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is beautiful in winter, and is home to several trails where you can discover several breathtaking waterfalls like Bridal Veil Falls and panoramic views of Cascade Locks. Along the way, you can also enjoy local wines at the wineries dotted along the gorge.

🚗 100 miles ⏱️ 2 hours

perfect for history buffs looking for a winter adventure, Astoria is home to landmarks linked to the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. As you follow the course of the Columbia River, the route will take you to stunning views, and you can also enjoy a scenic drive across the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

🚗 640 miles ⏱️ 11 hours, 20 minutes

It rarely snows in San Francisco, but that doesn't mean that the city doesn't know how to celebrate the festive months! In addition to boasting milder weather, the city is home to beautiful Christmas light displays and you can even spot a whale during their southern migration in winter!

🚗 1,070 miles ⏱️ 19 hours, 20 minutes

Las Vegas's Spectacular Christmas lights display and decorations, fun ice skating rinks, and fabulous museums set It apart as an amazing festive road trip destination. You will also get to visit the destinations of Klamath Falls and Lake Tahoe on this beautiful winter road trip!