In A Nutshell: -It's…read morenot too often you can actually walk down to a dam & watch real fish inside the water like an aquarium. -You can do that at Winchester Dam and Fish Ladder, which is a National Historic Landmark in our great country the USA. -You can easily find parking in the small lot, then walk down the concrete/mental stairs towards the dam. -There are plenty of places to take some really nice photos of the entire dam & Umpqua River. -As you walk down the steps towards the fish count area, you will be able to see real fish struggling against the strong currents through glass. -You can see all sorts of fish if you wait a little. Overall, this is a nice place to take your family.

This was the first place I ever went to when I first got to Oregon in 2018. It was a wonderful…read moreclimb down but going back up at my age and my disability was hard but I love it. I love going over the bridge and seeing the waterfall. I think everybody would enjoy that's just my opinion.

Smelled like boots and bad breath bad atmosphere and vibe from management. Do better for the arts…read moreand the people who truly support and make it thrive.

Was just passing by the theater, when we noticed they had free self guided tours. So the Mrs & I…read morewent in to look around. Walking in to the theater, built in the 1920's, you pass the 8' tall pharaoh statues & see murals on the walls, a very large movie screen & a ceiling 40' high! There is a mezzanine & a balcony. It was very interesting & we enjoyed the tour.

This landmark is a beautiful gesture from the city of Roseburg to the family of Maj. Gen. Marion…read moreCarl who was murdered in 1998. Mr. Carl was a true American hero who fought in two wars and pushed the bounds of aviation. The memorial dedicated to his memory is aptly located at the Roseburg Regional Airport. Any aviation buff or military aficionado will appreciate the memorial's spacious layout. It's great for inducing a somber ambiance that honors Mr. Carl's memory.

It's about a half mile hike from the parking lot at the beach and it's not too difficult. If you're…read morelucky the lighthouse will actually be open and there were Volunteer docents who were very helpful. Especially the educator inside the lighthouse who was telling us stories about the original interior versus the later developed. There was a smaller building that felt to be like a chapel but wasn't, it contained a small library and everything from gasoline/fuel to the original light bulbs that were the lamp. There's also a gift shop on the way up. And you could see the homeless where at least a couple of the lighthouse keepers lived perhaps with family. There was a soft mist rolling in as we left... the view is beautiful. One of the most beautiful things about reaching the lighthouse is the drive there. Take advantage of the vistas that you can pull over to take photos of the ocean, the wall, the lighthouse from afar. It's an incredibly beautiful part of the world.

Stop here. Go here. Heck, stay a while…read more Heceta Head is one the most prominent sites on the amazing Oregon coast. The combination of Pinnacle & Parrot Rocks, the inlet with a walkable beach, and the iconic lighthouse & viewing spot makes it simply sensational. It is another fantastic Oregon state park, so be sure to pay your parking & visit fees to help keep this state as gorgeous as possible. The 'climb' (it's really like a long ramp) from the parking lot up to the lighthouse is a little over 1/4 of a mile, and it is paved with a very walkable, even wheelchair accessible, gravel. Even the Oregon rain doesn't make this a muddy, sloppy mess and the walk pales in comparison to the views. About halfway up the slope, there is a gift shop with plenty of keepsakes, souvenirs, and even a few snacks & drinks. The shop is open pretty much every day with limited hours, but it's a wonderful opportunity to commemorate your visit. When you get to the top near the lighthouse, the view of the rocks down below will almost always have wildlife. Cormorants and other seabirds will nest on the rocks and if you're lucky, you might see some California sea lions hanging out on the southwest part of Parrot Rock. Park rangers will frequent the lighthouse area in nicer weather, and sometimes will have scopes set up for a birds-eye view of, well, birds. My lovely wife couldn't get enough of the view of the nesting seabirds and their littles during hatch season. What a magic memory! Be mindful of the tides, and if your visit happens to coincide with King Tide season, then take the opportunity to view from above. The sea gets ANGRY, the winds get crazy, and it is a humbling reminder of how powerful Mother Nature can be. Heceta Head is still a functioning lighthouse, and when the ocean is super choppy, then you can certainly see how valuable a light can be to warn ships along the coast. The mariner's friend is always a beacon in a storm, communicating safe haven or dangerous rocks, dependent on tides and winds. The turn to the state park comes up quickly off the 101, so keep your eyes sharp. There's plenty of parking, there is an accessible restroom, and if you don't make the climb up to the lighthouse, then the beach is a wonderful alternative. If you have the time, then just don't miss it. It is one of the most beautiful spots on the beautiful western edges of a beautiful state.

The Oregon Coast Highway was constructed piecemeal beginning in 1914 the Umpqua River Bridge is…read morehistorically significant as one of the five Depression-era bridges that connected the Oregon Coast Highway. The Umpqua River Bridge is the only one of the five coastal bridges to be constructed with a swing span. It is the longest swing span bridge constructed in Oregon, and one of only a few left in the state. Looking at this beautiful structure there's no doubt the Umpqua River Bridge, located in Reedsport, was designed by the famous Oregon Coast bridge engineer Conde McCullough and opened to traffic in 1936. The Umpqua River Bridge includes early examples of use of bowstring arches, and concrete arches, it's as if McCullough's signature design criteria was never challenged during his era. The integrity of this bridge proves the genius behind his engineering and it's no doubt that he became a professor of engineering later in life passing on the decades of knowledge he gained while leading many successful projects. One purpose of the coastal bridge projects was to provide jobs for people unemployed by the Great Depression. The project aggregated over 2.1 million man hours directly on the bridges. In addition to this, the project benefitted Oregon industries by consuming 16 million board feet of lumber, 54,000 cubic yards of sand, 110,000 cubic yards of gravel, and 182,000 barrels of cement. It was also expected that future revenue from tourism along the highway would increase greatly, to the benefit of both the state and the region and that has been proven to be the case, it's doubtful I would of ever been able to enjoy this beautiful drive without the construction of this bridge. The total length of this bridge is 2,206'. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 5, 2005. No dedication ceremony occurred at the time the bridge open due to the unavailability of President Franklin Roosevelt. The ceremony was postponed indefinitely. At 3 PM on September 8, 2011, the bridge was opened and closed, followed by a ribbon cutting, and cars from the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s crossed the bridge. It was finally officially dedicated to celebrate its 75th anniversary.

Toketee Falls is just an okay looking waterfall. Granted I have become a little spoiled witnessing…read moreall the beautiful waterfalls located throughout Oregon. But...Toketee Falls isn't exactly accessible for visitors. You can see it by casually walking half a mile through an old growth forest to a viewpoint lookout deck from high above. And then if you're using your phone for pictures and recordings, you must zoom in to get good closeups. Toketee Falls is a double decker waterfall. The top tier falls measures 40 feet high and the lower falls is 80 feet in length. From the observation lookout, the upper falls are barely visible. And when at the vista point, maybe you need 5 - 10 minutes in total to observe the falls before returning back on the pathway to the trailhead and parking lot. But, not to fret...in this area of Southwest Oregon, there are more things to see and do. The north entrance to Crater Lake is just 29 miles away. 3 miles down the road is a much more fulfilling waterfall experience...and that's Watson Falls. At Watson Falls, you take another short path (half a mile too) to reach the base and within steps of a jaw dropping 293 foot waterfall. Views at Watson Falls are unprecedented, in a good way, lol. They sure beat anything that Toketee Falls offers. Also, just down the road (4 miles from here at Toketee Falls) is Umpqua Hot Springs. Unfortunately in early September 2024, recent wildfires in the area had closed down the entrance to Umpqua Hot Springs, which was a letdown. Extra notes about Toketee Falls... - Right next to the parking lot is a 12 foot pipeline tube that's part of the Toketee Hydroelectric Project. I'm not exactly sure if that then means Toketee Falls is a natural wonder or partly manmade? - According to the trailhead sign, to reach the overlook platform, you must climb 97 steps up and 125 steps down along the way. They rate the trail as "more difficult", but I highly disagree with this. It's easy for everyone of all ages. - There is a bench to sit down on at the lookout deck but it's sort of pointless because the fence protecting visitors is chest high which forces you to stand while seeing Toketee Falls. It's tough to get pictures of yourself at the viewpoint since the falls are far away in the distance. I was even taking a selfie which is always a last resort option for me. Finally, Toketee Falls is a quick visit. I was hoping for better, especially coming from stunning Watson Falls down the road. But, in the context of the sights and surroundings in this part of Southwestern Oregon, it doesn't take much effort to reach the Toketee Falls viewpoint and you can pair it with Crater Lake, Umpqua Hot Springs and Watson Falls making for quality explorations in the grand scheme of it all.

I saw a few pictures online for these falls, but seeing them in person was a completely different…read moreexperience. The hike to the fall was not bad until the end where boardwalk & staircase took over and led to an amazing overlook of the falls where you felt you were just suspended in the air. Fairly crowded but an amazing fall to see, plenty of parking and a neat historical wooden water pipe to check out at the parking lot. Very glad I made time to check this out!

This is the 2nd time going to this location. It's been years since I went…read more The tour was a little smaller, smaller location to roam and the known things like the standing broom was not included in the tour. It was a hot day and I'm sure everyone was overheated. They have porta potties outside of check in area. Things to know: Bring your own golf ball to test one of the guides theory. Bring comfortable clothes and walking shoes. The location has a few souvenirs and drinks for sale in the check in area. Discount for veterans and first responders. Overall great experience and would recommend. The tour guide was knowledgeable.

Oregon's version of the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz CA…read more I've only been to the Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz once over 10 years ago in June 2013 and this experience at the Oregon Vortex was pretty much the same. Max was a very informative tour guide and was great in explaining the history and the "unexplainable" with plenty of exhibits detailing defying the laws of gravity. He asked for volunteers (children and adults) on some of his illustrations like for the height illusions as well as use props like a broom, a measuring tape and a leveler. The tour lasted about 45 minutes. The place is located off the beaten path. From N River Rd/Second Ave as we entered Sardine Creek Rd was another 4-1/2 miles to the attraction itself. Parking is free. Admission price is expensive (I can't remember, I think $20/ea or close to it). Discounts were given if you're a AAA member or military personnel. Mystery Spot in California is half at $10. Anyway, the property is small. This is definitely one of Oregon's oldest and most original examples of Roadside America. 3.5 Stars Review #3264

There are few things that bring Eugeneans together across the great divide like the Ferry Street…read moreBridge. Love it or hate it, the bridge maintains the life support between these two quarreling families. The North side progeny are conservative urban sprawling through freeway interchanges and commuter neighborhoods unfriendly to even the most adventurous bipedals. The South banks kin are liberal bastions of tree hugging ivory tower denisons waiting to dawn their faded tie dye and bike to mecca. The bridge maintains friendly relations with four lanes of moderate traffic except on gamedays when congestion brings this asphalt mess to a standstill as Oregon trounces another unwitting foe.