Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

A National Scenic Area carved by the Columbia River on the Oregon–Washington border. Hood River is the outdoor hub; the area is famous for windsurfing, waterfalls, fruit orchards, and dramatic canyon views.

Hood River is the main population center — a lively small city with a strong outdoor and craft-beverage culture and views of Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood. The Dalles is a historic trading post and growing tech hub (Google data center) with more affordable housing. East of the Cascades, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, and Wheeler counties are sparsely populated wheat-farming and ranching communities with very low costs of living.

The Historic Columbia River Highway offers spectacular driving with multiple waterfall pullouts. Multnomah Falls (Oregon's tallest, 620 ft) draws over 2 million visitors annually. Hood River is the world capital of kiteboarding and windsurfing, with Mt. Hood skiing an hour south. The Fruit Loop driving tour passes apple, pear, and cherry orchards in spring bloom. Maupin is the hub for Deschutes River whitewater rafting.