Jennifer Burns Bright

I’m in a tiny hut sitting beside the rushing Deschutes River in Bend, feeling waves of alder-scented, steamy heat circulate around my body. Sauna guide Halina Kowalski-Thompson — our mistress of ceremonies and co-owner of Gather Sauna House — dips a leafy bundle of cut branches into a tub of water and sprinkles it over my head like gentle rain.

It’s a sunny afternoon in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighborhood, where Main Street divides the vibrant Canadian city in two. I sit in what looks like a typical busy, chic urban café. But instead of a cappuccino, I’m about to tuck into a bowl of Vietnamese noodles, which can only be described as a jewel box, with dollops of crab meat souffle, fried tofu, tomatoes, bean sprouts and little crab claws over a mound of soupy rice noodles...

With bold flavor profiles that include rose, smoky tea and sandalwood, cocktails crafted without alcohol continue to grow ever more popular, with continually new flavor combinations. A key player in the non-alcohol scene, Hood River-based Wilderton Botanical Spirits opened the country’s first dedicated nonalcoholic distillery with a tasting room in Hood River in July 2023.

A small town with outsize charm in southwestern Montana, Helena offers visitors glimpses of its gold rush mining past with impressive stone and brick architecture, as well as a lively arts scene, outings in the foothills of the Rockies, and plenty of bakeries and watering holes within a walkable downtown.

[Recipe development and photo for feature story produced by the Fisheries Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).]

U.S. seafood is sustainable, nutritious—and delicious! Many Americans are familiar with only a fraction of the species that come from U.S. fisheries. Beyond staples like tuna, salmon, and cod, there are plenty of other fish in the sea that merit a place on our plates. Because these species are not as familiar to seafood shoppers, they are often overlooked or harder to find ...

It’s always taco time on the Oregon Coast. For a quick meal before an afternoon hiking the cliffs, a stop on a long-distance cycling tour or a budget-friendly family dinner, someone has the perfect taco for you. Here’s a guide to restaurants and food carts that would make any tortilla proud.

Fish tacos and the Coast are a natural match, thanks to Oregon’s bustling fishing industry. To support the local fleet and healthy oceans, c...

Home of the vibrant and culture-rich capital city of Victoria, wild and evergreen Vancouver Island is well worth exploring. Stretching nearly 300 miles from north to south and 60 miles east to west, the island sits on British Columbia’s western coast, with miles of beaches, temperate rainforests, peaceful lakes, and laid-back outposts to overnight at after a day of hiking, biking, or surfing.

On a rocky point overlooking the Pacific Ocean, about 55 miles south of San Francisco, Año Nuevo State Park offers miles of sandy beaches and wonderfully windswept hikes. What sets the park apart from other Northern California coastal locations, however, is the large population of northern elephant seals who live on a 4,000-acre protected reserve within the park boundaries.

With vast reaches of land, wildlife galore, towering mountain ranges, and old-growth evergreen groves that run down rocky cliffs to pristine beaches, Western Canada’s national parks are destinations worthy of a bucket-list trip—or many repeat visits. Several are located in Alberta and British Columbia provinces with easy access through Washington, Montana, or Idaho.

Laid-back vibes and outdoor fun await you in Kalispell, a town frozen in time, tucked between Montana’s Swan and Salish mountain ranges. Here, you can feel at home spending a morning casting your line for rainbow trout, then relaxing with a burger and brew or a craft cocktail after a tour of a perfectly preserved historic mansion or art gallery.

Native chef brings a unique culinary experience to a luxury resort in Willamette Valley wine country. Growing up on the banks of the Siletz River in Oregon’s Central Coast town of Siletz, chef Jack Strong learned traditional foodways as part of his Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians upbringing. When the executive chef and cookbook author took the helm at renowned JORY Restaurant at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg in October 2022, he found heritage foods ready...

A sweeping journey from the Canadian Rockies to the Pacific Ocean.

Of the many treasures washed to shore on Oregon’s North Coast — a stretch of cliffs and sand known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” for its shipwrecks — one created quite a buzz in 2022. No, not the gold and jewelry discovered on the lost ship in “The Goonies.” We’re talking beeswax, and a ship carrying a load of it in its cargo hold that wrecked in 1693.
In June 2022, a team of investigators uncovered even more about the origins — ...

With a vibrant arts scene, beach walks, and tide pools, Cannon Beach is great for a North Coast getaway. While the sun doesn’t always shine, and the water isn’t always warm (okay, it’s never warm), the town takes pride in its laid-back vibe and excellent eats. You’ll find a surprising number of bakeries and coffee shops to fuel up for a day on the beach, and cocktail lounges and breweries to hit afterward.

When spring dawns and the sun’s rays begin to thaw frozen landscapes, you can be certain of one thing: mud. While some might wait to resume outdoor activities until drier conditions prevail and the main roads open, the mud season can be a great time to explore Yellowstone National Park with alternative modes of transportation.