The Most Unique Places in Oregon That You Never Knew Existed

Oregon is a strange and fascinating state. There’s a reason that Portland’s motto became “Keep Portland Weird,” but that weirdness certainly extends to the rest of the state, in different ways. Like any place, there are unique and interesting things to do and see, and a diverse range of activities. However, the unique places in Oregon are somewhat baffling. 

There may be a plethora of stunning natural wonders, outdoor adventures abound, and good food, but this article is focused on the weirdly unique places in Oregon- not the pretty and normal.

Below are some of the wackiest, strangest things Oregon has to offer: 

Wolf Creek 

This is a creepy ass town, I’m not going to lie. My dad sent me here because of the historically haunted Wolf Creek Inn, but we were genuinely really creeped out by the whole town. Wolf Creek is a very small town off the highway in Southern Oregon, in the middle of nowhere. 

This town is home to two of the most unique places in Oregon. We’ll start with Wolf Creek Inn. We stayed the night in this refurbished old hotel from the 1800s. While the property was quite lovely- especially compared to its surroundings, it was undeniably chilling. They say Jack London stayed here and wrote a book, and other famous people like Clark Gable, filled their guest list. Their big draw today is the history of ghosts. They offer paranormal tours, and shows have even filmed here.

Secondly, you have Golden State Heritage Site- the “ghost town” which is a former mining town, turned historic state park. I love abandoned buildings, so I definitely enjoyed this. It’s essentially a bunch of little houses, church and a classroom, all preserved in a field off a secluded road. People have left their mark on the site over the years and it’s definitely eery, but photo op worthy. 

Fort Stevens State Park

Probably one of my favorite abandoned spots in Oregon, Fort Stevens is a must. You can camp here, which I highly recommend during the summer months- and it’s very family friendly. You can kayak, swim, horseback ride, bike everywhere, and hike.

What makes it one of the best unique places in Oregon though, is that it’s a coastal campground on the same grounds as an old military fort. Dating back to 1865 in the civil war, this fort is as cool as it is old. It’s the only fort on the Oregon coast and was used until World War II.

Now, you can explore the whole abandoned and eerie fort, and then hike your way to the coast. On the coast, you’ll find half an old shipwreck site that’s been preserved. Giant, rusted iron bones of of an old ship stand tall out of the sand where the rest is forever submerged. 

Witches 

Right in the middle of a popular hiking loop in Forest Park, in Portland, stands a creepy old, half burnt building. Known as “The Witches Castle” There are rumours and legends abound about the history of this building, but the reality is it was an old bathroom and ranger station. 

The land used to belong to a man in the 1800s who murdered his daughter’s lover, so rumours of hauntings and witches have followed suit. I personally know it as the spot us West Siders used to throw keggars at. It took a lot of effort to hike the keg up there, but it was one of the most secluded options to party for longer than usual before the cops would roll up. Regardless, it’s a cool spot to pass by while you’re hiking. 

Love Craft

This is the weirdest club I’ve been to in Portland and it’s also my favorite. Love Craft, in the industrial area of SouthEast, is a goth bar. I don’t mean it’s just kitschy and themed- which it certainly is. Hello, there’s a freaking life size coffin in one of the rooms. But it’s also authentic. 

Actual goth’s go here to have a great time, be around their community and listen to the type of music that goths listen to. Think heavy electronica and everyone on some sort of drug, but the dancing scene is pretty hard to beat. Plus, it’s fun to go somewhere filled with smoke, cobwebs and coffins of course. 

Bend BlockBuster Video

Reportedly the last remaining BlockBuster in the world, I would expect it to be in Oregon. They’ve gone one step further though- you can actually rent it out on Airbnb and stay for the night. On a fold out sofa…with a home theater set up. Sounds about right. They are certainly capitalizing on nostalgia and kitsch, which makes it worth a visit and a $20 t-shirt. Jury’s out on if I’d actually stay there, but let me know if you do. 

Rimsky-Koroffe Coffee House

Another strange and unique place in Oregon, this coffee shop in South East Portland is a trip. Let me start by saying their dessert is fantastic and so is their coffee. But one does not just go here to sip a latte and eat some cake. One goes to Rimsky’s for an experience. 

Neon lighting, extremely weird and creepy decor (think dolls, victorian furniture and creepy crawlies). With very strange hours, they’ve capitalized on a ghastly and haunted theme, with classical music shows and a dedicated local crowd. The tables will move, shrink and rotate and every table is named after a famous composer. They claim the place is legitimately haunted, but the experience you have while there is not from a ghost, more so some wires and cables. 

Casa Diablo 

Alright, Portland knows their image and they cater to that. A vegan strip club- well, that should only be expected here. Off the highway in North West, you can experience what I only can imagine is one of the only vegan strip clubs. It’s authentic in that the woman usually doesn’t shave, expect some tattoos and some very interesting techniques and moves. You can also enjoy what I hear is a lovely Thanksgiving buffet- all vegan, of course. 

Antelope

If you haven’t yet binge watched Wild Wild Country on Netflix, you should immediately. This was a part of my Oregonian history I had no idea existed until this documentary came out. Without giving away too much- essentially a cult leader moved to a small town in Oregon, Antelope. And by “a cult leader” I mean the one and only Osho. Pretty sure you’ve heard of him, you may even be a fan of his books. This will change your viewpoint on him.

He then built his own airport and huge estate called Big Muddy Ranch. While a bunch of creepy, typical cult things happened like brain washing, drugging and sexual assault- they went further. Apparently, this group called Rajneeshpurum, is responsible for the biggest domestic terrorist and wiretapping incident in US history. They wanted to take over Antelope, and more and the lengths they went were truly insane if not bone chilling. 

Today, the ranch still exists, but converted to a Christian camp under new management. You can visit the town, and It’s worth it. Not to mention, this whole area of Oregon, Wasco County, has tons of beautiful nature and hikes to make the trip worthwhile. 

Oregon Vortex

Up in the mountains near Grants Pass, you can find the “famous house of mystery” and the crazy, unexplained natural phenomena that is the Oregon Vortex. Much like the mystery house in Santa Cruz, this is a spot where gravity appears to work differently. Think slanted buildings, not being able to walk normally, and inexplicable height differences. It’s worth a trip, and it is truly strange, whether or not it’s simply a trick of illusion or science. 

Hot Lake Hotel

Last but not least on the unique places in Oregon, we have the Hot Lake Hotel. This haunted hot springs has attracted visitors for numerous reasons. You can spend the night and you’re granted access to every room in the building, or you can visit for the day and use the hot springs and take a tour.

A former sanatorium, it’s rumoured to be incredibly haunted, something the current owners don’t really acknowledge. You can see old medical equipment, and preserved rooms with creepy portraits. You can also just enjoy the hot springs and the beauty of the area.