If you live in Lake Oswego, you are only miles away from two top nationally-ranked natural wonders…so what are you waiting for? November is a wonderful time to visit both.

HOYT ARBORETUM. Yelp recently listed Hoyt Arboretum as the 11^th best spot for fall foliage in the United States. Consider that the Arboretum was duking it out with some tough competition from the likes of East Coast attention grabbers like Arcadia National Park in Maine and the Central Park Conservancy in New York. And our hometown favorite even beat out the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C.

One Yelp reviewer called it an “Absolutely gorgeous place! To be able to walk around amongst Coastal Redwoods, Giant Sequoias and numerous other varieties all in one place was simply breathtaking :)”

Another claimed it as “my favorite place in Portland.”

My wife and I visited last fall and the changing colors along the Maple Trail were spectacular. As was the opportunity to just meander on the trails which eventually led us to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Having once trekked across the United States in search of fall foliage in Vermont and Connecticut, it’s much more convenient to just travel the 10.7 miles to Hoyt Arboretum to take it all in.

The Arboretum grounds are open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily; with the Visitor Center open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free but there is a charge for on-site parking.

MULTNOMAH FALLS. We have a celebrity in our midst. It seems Multnomah Falls (only 36.5 miles from Lake Oswego) isn’t only just the most visited outdoor attraction in the Pacific Northwest, but also topped a list of the 30 most Instagrammable waterfalls in the United States.

Once again, our hometown favorite was up against some heavy hitters but managed to come out at #1! According to the online casino search site, Mr. Gamble, Multnomah Falls has been tagged on Instagram 285,337 times, more than any other waterfall in the country. And Silver Falls, just 48 miles away, came in at No. 8 with 91,900 tags. Right now both sights offer a two-for-one deal – the beautiful falls surrounded by stunning fall foliage.

An added bonus for hitting Multnomah Falls now is that timed use permits are not required like they are during the busier summer months. So check the weather and if it looks good, head out!

BEERS AND BOUQUET PUMPKIN CENTERPIECE WORKSHOP. While not on any list, I ran across this event and thought it worth mentioning in this fall-themed post. On Saturday, November 11, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., French Prairie Gardens in St. Paul (26.8 miles)  is offering a pumpkin centerpiece workshop, perfect for your Thanksgiving table or as a hostess gift. The $75 fee includes a heritage pumpkin, the workshop, individual charcuterie board and dessert board, beverages through the class and 10% off any in-store purchases.

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