The Pacific Northwest currently has lots of job opportunities for healthcare professionals. We recently discussed the jobs and attractions to be found in Washington State. As it turns out, its southern neighbor, Oregon, is also looking for healthcare professionals, and is equally blessed with majestic natural attractions and interesting things to do. If you’ve never been, let us give you some reasons to visit the home of the deepest lake in the US and the biggest fungus in the world (yes you read that right).
Oregon is the ninth largest US state with 98,000 square miles, but a population of only four million people (the population of Los Angeles). Chances are if you are looking for some alone time, you’ll get it. It borders Nevada and California to the south, the Pacific Ocean to the west, Washington to the north, and Idaho to the east. The landscape of Oregon is as diverse as its border states. You’ll find mountains, volcanos, beaches, green valleys, and deserts. Oregon is also home to the largest living organism on the planet: Armillaria ostoyae, a fungus that covers 2,385 acres of the Blue Mountains.
Crater Lake National Park is the area around Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the US and one of the most pristine and picturesque on Earth. It is best visited in summer months when all the hiking trails and the 24 miles of scenic roadway that surrounds it are open. In the winter, visit the tallest peak in Oregon, Mount Hood, (on the western side of the state, south of Portland) for downhill and cross-country, and the Timberline Lodge, which was used for exterior shots in the movie “The Shining.” On the Eastern side of the state skiers happily visit the ski resort at Anthony Lakes.
In the mid-1800s, some 500,000 settlers left Missouri for the promise of a new life in Oregon. One in ten didn’t make the trip across the famed Oregon Trail. The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City remembers these travelers with live demonstrations, exhibits, multi-media presentations, and miles of interpretive trails. Another fascinating historical discovery awaits at Johnny Day Fossil Beds, where you can see science in action and explore the prehistoric past of Oregon.
There are lots of educational opportunities across the state, including the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, the Hartfield Marine Science Center in Newport, and the Whale Research EcoExcursions whale watching tours out of Depoe Bay.
If you’re looking to just relax, visit the Willamette Valley, which has some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country, and 700 wineries; or the Haceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast in Florence; or head to the Pearl District in Portland for dining, shopping, and culture. While in Portland, other great destinations include the Lan Su Chinese Gardens, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (for kids and adults), and Powell’s Books, a bookstore that covers an entire city block and contains over a million books.
Our job board has job openings every day in Oregon. We hope we’ve piqued your interest in checking them out. Nurses can find licensure information on the Oregon State Board of Nursing website.