“Elephant Ear”byErin Kohlenbergis licensed underCC BY 2.0
Deep fried dough covered in a range of toppings, elephant ears are a local favorite at all of Oregon’s fairs. Don’t knock it until you try it.
“Community bikes, Pepsi truck, Nike, office, Beaverton, Oregon, USA”byWonderlaneis licensed underCC BY 2.0
In Oregon, bikes trump cars. Tons of people get along just fine with minimal use of automobile, using their bike for commuting to and from pretty much everything they do. It helps that the state, especially Portland, Eugene, and Bend, is filled with one of the most bike-friendly cultures around.
“Roasting coffee beans in Eugene Oregon”byDon Hankinsis licensed underCC BY 2.0
In Oregon, it’s pretty normal to care about where your morning coffee is coming from. The state is home to some of the best coffee shops in the world, often featuring extremely unique blends and special releases of beans. These shops aren’t your typical Starbucks.
Locals will probably scoff at you if you try to order a beer from one of the country’s huge macro breweries like Budweiser or Coors. Oregon has tons of better craft beer options ranging from organic IPAs to espresso stouts straight from one of the state’s 183 local breweries.
Shows like “Portlandia” have given most of America the misconception that everyone in Oregon falls into the hipster category, full of individuals that love to do things before they’re cool. This is pretty far from the truth. While certain pockets of this subculture exist throughout the state, especially in Portland, Oregon is extremely diverse, home to people from all walks of life.
It seems as if everyone has a dog in Oregon. One of the most dog-friendly places in the country, it’s not uncommon to see dogs on the streets, on hiking trails, and even in bars. Dogs are basically treated like people in the Beaver State.
Just like many out-of-towners assume everyone is a hipster in Oregon, they also love to assume that Portland is the only place worth visiting. This is wildly inaccurate, as there are tons of awesome cities peppered throughout the entire state, each with their own appeal making them unique awesome in their own way… and nature, so much beautiful nature to explore.
Famous nationwide for their ever changing jerseys, roughly half of the state seems to be obsessed with Oregon Ducks sports. Without a professional football team to cheer for, expect cities to be flooded with green and neon yellow come game day.
If someone isn’t cheering for the Ducks, they’ll be backing the Oregon State Beavers. The rivalry in-state is pretty intense, making it impossible to cheer for both teams at the same time.
If someone is using an umbrella, it’s usually a dead giveaway they’re from out of town. The proper Oregon way to do it is to put your hood up, make a strange face, and move quickly across the slick pavement. Especially in the coastal areas, it rains very frequently.
Throughout Oregon, there’s a huge mushroom culture that exists. With tons of flavors and varieties unique to the region, it’s not uncommon to hear someone mention that they went “hunting for some shroom last weekend.” The state mushroom is the Pacific gold chanterelle, a must try for an out-of-towner with its fruity aroma and a peppery taste.
For some reason, out-of-towners always struggle with pronouncing Oregon, saying things like “Are-egon” and “O-ree-gone.” Give them a few tries before you laugh them out of the Beaver State.
While Portland may be Oregon’s largest city, there’s also a huge farmland community in the state. The entire eastern side of Oregon is home to a ton of ranching, farming, and picturesque scenes of “the great wide open.”
While shopping in Oregon, you pay the price that’s on the sticker, nothing more, and nothing less. There’s no sales tax throughout the state making some high priced products significantly cheaper. This opens the door for tons of tourism shopping, as people travel to the state just for the lower prices.
Oregon gas stations have paid pumpers to assist you in filling your tank, as it’s one of few places in America where pumping your gas is illegal.
If an out-of-towner is driving in Oregon, make sure they know all of the special bike laws. With so many bikes sneaking into blind spots on the roadways, it’s important to always be aware of everything that’s going on.
Oregon is often credited with starting the food truck movement. These meals on wheels operations pop up around town during lunchtime, dinner, and late night, cooking up some of the most creative and delicious meals imaginable.
Oregon locals often find themselves in a sort of rivalry with their neighbor to the south, California. Californians are often credited with invading Oregon streets, acting rude, and resulting in huge crowds. When it comes down to it, Oregonians don’t really care where someone is from, they’re just not big fans of transplants.
A coastal state, Oregon has some pretty unbeatable seafood. It’s especially known for its Dungeness crab season. With a little butter and a squirt of lemon, these crustaceans become one of the tastiest bites around.
Hazelnuts are all the rage in America right now, and they’re just as huge in Oregon. However, in Oregon, some people refer to them as filberts. They’re the same thing, filbert just sounds fancier in a state that produces nearly all of our countries hazelnut supply.
Recycle it! Oregon has a bottle bill that requires all beverage containers to be returnable for a refund. Recycling is huge all over the state, as it’s one of the greenest places around.
Sure, it’s a delicious donut, but the extremely long lines make it more of a touristy stop than something a true Oregonian will admit to loving. For a delicious donut in Portland without the wait, head to Blue Star Donuts instead.
Thrift shopping is pretty big throughout the Beaver State. It’s the best way to find a one-of-a-kind style for an extremely low price.
In a 2012 interview, Simpsons creator Matt Groening finally admitted that the Springfield featured in the show is indeed located in Oregon. However, Oregonians still love to argue about which of city they think best illustrates Homer’s hometown.
Another misconception most of America has about Oregon is that everyone there is extremely liberal. While there is a huge liberal presence, especially in larger cities, there are also a ton of people that are more conservative. Really, Oregonians are pretty accepting of everyone, regardless of whether or not they disagree with their political views.
With over 300 wineries in Oregon, it’s a surprise the state is not more famous for this booze nationwide than for its beer. Parts of the Oregon landscape are perfect for growing grapes, allowing Oregon wineries compete with the best of them.
Oregon cities have some pretty…umm…unique names. One of the strangest city names in the state was Half.com, Oregon, named as part of a marketing effort by a website for a full year. It has since changed its name back to Halfway.
The Oregon Beach Bill of 1967 granted free beach access to everyone. While people can own parts of the beach, they must allow access to the public and cannot build on that part of their property.
While professional soccer is still a growing sport in America, the Portland Timbers have no problem attracting fans in the Beaver State. While they’ve only been around for a few years, they’re already one of the best teams in the country with some of the most dedicated supporters around.
The beauty of Oregon is unbeatable, with an extremely diverse range of climates and some of the coolest vistas around. Stretching from a stunning shoreline to the more central Crater Lake to vast plains in the east, Oregon is any nature lover’s dream. Once you have a little time to explore it, you’ll never want to leave. What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about Oregon? Tell us in the comments below!
