Campervan Trip Around Oregon

Covered in mountains, valleys, deserts, and forests, Oregon is all about enjoying the outdoors and refueling afterward, making it perfect for exploring by campervan or RV.

Choosing and Running a Campervan

You can opted to rent a Kuga Campervan from Travellers Autobarn in San Francisco, which cost about $2,000 for two weeks. It came with everything we needed, from a small refrigerator to plenty of headroom while cooking, though the van itself was old and slow. Even on the highway, we rarely got above 55 mph, which rendered our driving time calculations overoptimistic.

t’s a great way to save money and recycle. That it was best to fill up in towns and cities, where gas prices were considerably lower than on the coast and in remote areas.

Exploring Beyond the Pacific Coast

Driving north or south on Highway 101 means covering about 400 miles and traveling past dramatic capes and rivers, always with the Pacific Ocean on one side and the forested range of mountains on the other. It’s at its best in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor in the south. Inland, in the north, is the Willamette Valley and its vineyards, but what really defined our journey was the Cascade Range — iconic snow-capped peaks lined up in a vast volcanic landscape.

Traveling further east, you reached the Columbia Plateau, a high desert region whose star attraction is the Painted Hills, a spectacular hillside of red, yellow, and gold stripes — the remains of ancient volcanic ash dumps. We didn’t reach it until three hours before sunset, but there was a reason for that: Having read that the colorful stratifications in the soil look their best during golden hour, we timed our visit specifically, and it was a great decision.

Where to Stay

You needed simple campgrounds that could be booked ahead of time, preferably with a beautiful natural setting. That was no problem in Oregon. Can chose Oregon state parks, the best being Cape Lookout State Park and Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park on the coast and Oxbow Regional Park near the Columbia River. Each one provided campfire rings, privacy, and an incredible river, beach, or forest view. We booked them months in advance for an $8 reservation fee. Tip: Print out your reservation confirmation and leave it on your dashboard, as it doubles as a day-use permit in many state parks you may visit during the day, saving you a $5 fee each time.

The remote Painted Hills region lacks campgrounds, but we luckily found Priest Hole Recreation Site a few miles north on the John Day River. It was primitive — just a pit toilet and warning signs about rattlesnakes.

Stayed in The Camp, a relaxed and clean boutique RV resort, complete with a communal fire pit and BBQ grills. It’s a 15-minutes walk from downtown Bend and the Bend Brewing Company’s beautiful beer garden.

Visiting Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake, situated in the caldera of an ancient volcano, is the deepest lake in the U.S. — and a major draw of Oregon.
Mazama Campground’s Annie Creek Restaurant served takeout pizza.

Hiking, Kayaking, and Horseback Riding

Horseback riding on the beach from Bandon Beach Riding Stables, hiked the coastal Neah-Kah-Nie Mountain Trail and Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park, kayaked Paulina Lake with Wanderlust Tours, and drove the campervan up Lava Butte, a cinder cone right alongside Highway 97.
watch wild Roosevelt elk at Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area, in Depoe Bay, spotting huge gray whales just offshore while standing beside the closed-for-the-season OPRD Whale Watching Center.

Where to Find Oregon’s Best Seafood

Fresh seafood was a major reason we spent time on Oregon’s Pacific coast. There are dozens of restaurants, cafes, and kiosks to sample the local salmon, much of which is fresh from the Columbia River. Most of these establishments served oysters and a warming cup of clam chowder to take back to camp.