An hour away from Portland by car, you can visit the Columbia River Gorge. Home to much dramatic scenery where the Columbia carves its way through a canyon 300m deep, between hills and sheer cliff faces. The visitors centre is in Vista House for Crown Point State Park, and provides the gateway to a string of waterfalls, including the mighty Multnomah Falls, which attract two million visitors a year. The 30mph winds that blow along the river from the coast mean that it is a popular spot for sailing (not around the waterfalls though).
