Autumn brings peace to Oregon’s quiet country roads and makes it the perfect season to explore Silverton, a small town 90 minutes from Portland. Its charming downtown, surrounded by hazelnut farms and vineyards, offers great dining and boutique shopping. Just 15 miles away lies Silver Falls State Park, Oregon’s largest state park, where the waterfalls surge with fall rains and trails glow with colour.

Stay at the Oregon Garden Resort, set among fruit trees and overlooking the Willamette Valley. Guests can explore the adjacent 80-acre Oregon Garden, home to themed gardens, wetlands, and a 100-year-old Japanese maple. A short drive away, the Gordon House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, showcases his mastery of light, proportion, and form. For dinner, Oso Silverton offers Mediterranean-inspired dishes and local ingredients.

Silver Falls State Park, formed from volcanic rock 60 million years ago, is the next day’s adventure. The seven-mile Trail of Ten Falls passes 10 waterfalls, including four you can walk behind. After hiking, stop at the Mount Angel Sausage Company in the Bavarian-style town of Mount Angel, then visit the Benedictine Mount Angel Abbey, with its serene architecture, library, and on-site brewery.

Finish the journey in the Eola-Amity Hills wine region, where ocean breezes nurture vineyards producing crisp chardonnay and earthy pinot noir. Enjoy tastings at Eola Hills Legacy Estates, Brooks Wine, and Bethel Heights Vineyard, one of Oregon’s oldest family wineries. End the trip at the luxurious Inn at Dayton and dine nearby at the Joel Palmer House Restaurant, where chef Christopher Czarnecki’s five-course mushroom menus pair with an extensive Oregon wine list.

This story has been edited and condensed for clarity. Read the original version in the Fall/Winter 2025 edition of driver magazine.

Pick up your copy from an OpenRoad location in BC, or subscribe to receive our next issue.