Drive seven miles west from Portland and you will find the city of Beaverton, Oregon. Beaverton travel is known throughout the northwest as a great way to see the beauty of Oregon, be within close proximity to Portland, and enjoy some excellent outlet mall shopping. Beaverton is the fifth largest city in Oregon and, with the city of Portland for a neighbor, continues to grow as the number of people moving to Oregon increases.

The history of Beaverton Oregon begins long ago. The area of Beaverton was a home to the Native American trip Atfalati for many centuries at the very least, and it was not until the 19^th century that the area now known as Beaverton was visited by settlers. When these settlers began arriving, the town was eventually named Beaverton for the beaver dams that created lakes near the settlement. Lawrence Hall is generally recognized as one of the major founding fathers of the town. In 1847 Lawrence bought 640 acres of land and built a grist mill, which created jobs and drew numerous other settlers to the area. The late 19^th century saw the addition of many other community buildings, including a Post Office and a General Store, and the first mayor was elected in 1893, Alonzo Cady.

Following in the footsteps of its neighbor, Portland, Beaverton Oregon is a great place to go to see Beaverton Art. Although no art galleries in Beaverton are as large as the Portland Art Museum just minutes away from Beaverton, Beaverton art is a still an excellent way to pass an afternoon. A number of great Beaverton restaurants also populate Beaverton, including Peanut Butter and Ellie's. This little Beaverton restaurant features homemade peanut butter gracing sandwiches that are nothing if not creative. Although Peanut Butter and Ellie's is mostly for children, there are a number of great Beaverton restaurants for adults, as well. Thanks to the proximity of the Willamette Valley and all of the great wineries found there, Beaverton travel need not be without gourmet dining. Eateries in Beaverton often feature both local and international wines with their fare.

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Although Beaverton is close to Portland, it also has many of its own great attractions. The Beaverton Farmer's Market is one of the favorite attractions for locals and visitors. Open on both Saturday's and Wednesdays, the Farmer's Market draws features local produce from the surrounding Tualatin Valley. The rural feel of the Tualatin Valley is one of the reasons that people enjoy visiting Beaverton. Each year, the Crawfish Festival and the Strawberry Festival showcase some of the best of locally grown fare.

The rural setting of Beaverton is also condusive to hiking, bird watching and long scenic drives. Hagg Lake, located just a few minutes' drive from Beaverton, is a great place for picknicking, fishing and boating. Fort Clatsop is also found close to Beaverton, which was at one time the winter campsite of Lewis and Clark. Though it is possible to camp near Beaverton to this day, travelers interested in finding a Beaverton hotel should have no trouble. Downtown Beaverton may not be enormous, but there are about twenty good-sized hotel throughout the area.