You Don’t Have to Drive for Hours to Have an Epic Summer. Here Are Four Portland-Area Escapes.

After spending the past two years close to home, it’s only natural to yearn for escape.

But now that Portland is finally flickering back to life, racking up hundreds of miles in the car to experience a soul-replenishing getaway isn’t necessary. We’re home to a list of both natural and entrepreneur-created attractions that is so long you could embark on an adventure every day this summer and never do the same thing twice.

To help you make the most of these next few months of sunshine, we checked out some of the city’s newest excursions, like a motor-powered hot tub that you can use to putter around the Willamette River, as well as a staycation that begins and ends at one of downtown’s swankiest hotels, but manages to squeeze in an idyllic tour of Willamette Valley wine country.

We also tried out an Airbnb-style app that allows you to rent one of the area’s dozens of backyard pools—a program you’ll want at your fingertips during our typically short stretch of 90-degree days.

And don’t forget to take advantage of the season’s warm nights by staying up late and taking in the beauty of a darkened sky. There are plenty of peaks and parks around town that are perfect for stargazing, so we asked an expert how to get started.

There are many reasons why tourists traditionally flock to Portland in summer: It’s when our city reaches the height of its beauty, and the weather can’t be beat. So follow their lead and get out there. After all, your journey, at the most, is just a car ride across town.