It’s been bone dry here in Southern California this summer, so I’ve been itching to get to the ever green Pacific Northwest. A few days ago, I finally got the chance to head to Portland; my sisters were competing in a college tennis tournament and invited me to photograph the tournament. Along with lakes and waterfalls, I was excited to shoot the colorful transition from summer to fall that’s scarce for us Angelenos. As far as I was concerned, this was the perfect time to travel to Portland: a time when it’s not too wet, not too cold, and not too crowded. Photographer friends of mine have raved about the endless beauty of the area, so I asked around and came up with a list of must-see destinations within a stone’s throw of the city. The night before our flight, my girlfriend Ashleigh and I finalized a top-five list of day trips that we could make while in Portland and still have time to enjoy the tennis tournament, visit with family, and partake in Portland’s excellent food, micro breweries, and local coffee. Our final list, in order of importance: Multnomah Falls, Trillium Lake at Mt. Hood, Willamette Vineyards, the new(ish) Tilikum Crossing bridge, and Angel’s Rest, a 4.8 mile hike that originates just down the road from Multnomah Falls. As a bonus, we’d visit Mt. Tabor if time allowed, a park located in Portland’s east end that offers incredible views of Mt. Hood at sunrise.
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