Northwest Travel Guide 2023: 25 places to thrill you and chill you out

McNeil Point Hike

Summer wildflowers grow at McNeil Point on the northwest slopes of Mount Hood.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

What’s the difference between visiting a big city and a small town? An awesome viewpoint and a quiet forest? The popular trail and the less visited one?

When traveling, there’s often an inclination to see the biggest, the best, the most beautiful places you can. Why hang around the trees when you could go see a spectacular waterfall instead? But by skipping over the quieter spots, you might be missing out on a real opportunity to relax amid the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

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