As an Oregonian, more or less, I can't help but love summers here in the Pacific Northwest whether it's lurking around Portland, or taking trips to Washington, British Columbia or Northern California. There's just so much to do, see and experience.

1. Perfect Weather for Outdoors-y Things

Summer here in the good ol' PNW is the best time of the year to put your hiking boots, rock climbing shoes, water shoes or whatever you need, and get out there. For these few months the sun is shining, it's never quite overly hot, and there's just so many things that you can do, which brings me to my second reason...

2. Tons of Beautiful Places to Explore Outside

The PNW has so many beautiful places to experience the great outdoors. There's a plethora of national parks such as Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic up in Washington, Crater Lake in Southern Oregon, and the Redwoods and Lassen Volcanic Park in Northern California. British Columbia is pretty rad too. On top of the national parks there are plenty of other beautiful places to explore. My personal favorites are backpacking the North Umpqua trail in Southern Oregon, rocking climbing (and mostly watching) at Smith Rock State Park, biking in the Canadian San Juans, and hiking around Mount Hood National Forest and the Columbia River Gorge.

3. The Lack of Rain Makes Exploring the Major Cities More Fun

As much as I do love the rain, when it comes to exploring my own lovely city of Portland or going up to Seattle for a day or two, it can put a damper on plans especially when there's so much to see on foot. Though we are seasoned to rainy weather, it's just more fun going to farmers markets, walking along the water front, and more when the sun is shining down on you.

4. Berry Picking Season

One of the best parts about summer in the PNW is the fact that there are so many beautiful farms close to the city with a crazy abundance of berries. It's crazy fun spending an afternoon filling up the basket with berries while snacking on a few in the process. What better way to spend a lazy summer afternoon than berry picking. It's easy, fun, and you get tasty fruit in the end.

5. All the Outdoor Street Fairs, Night Markets, and Such

While Portland does have things like the Saturday Market, we also have wonderful street fairs located all around the city during the summer filled with vendors of all sorts including so much great food. Venturing to the Mississippi or Alberta street fairs has proved to be tons of fun. Although I have yet to go, I've been told by many that the Richmond Night Market up in Vancouver is absolutely worth a visit for all the food, cute little stalls, and general exploration.

Overall, the Pacific Northwest is a great place during the summer with an abundance of activities whether you want to experience some beautiful natural sights or explore the city. These 3 months of great weather are an uplifting and calming time before the rain hangs around for the following 9 months of the year.