Flying into Pendleton Airport in Pendleton puts you in a great spot, surrounded by wheat country, the Blue Mountains, and small towns full of Western character. Pendleton is a real cowboy town in northeastern Oregon, known for its wool mill, its rodeo, and a downtown that still looks much like it did a century ago. The pace is easy, the hospitality is genuine, and the September Round-Up turns the whole place into a party.

Standout experiences around Pendleton: - Catch the Pendleton Round-Up in September, one of the biggest rodeos in the country since 1910 - Tour the Pendleton Woolen Mills and shop the blankets at the mill store - Take the Pendleton Underground Tour through the tunnels and rooms beneath downtown - Visit the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute to learn the story of the Cayuse, Umatilla, and Walla Walla tribes - Walk the Umatilla River and the restored Main Street - Drive up into the Blue Mountains for hiking and fall color - Visit Wildhorse Resort and Casino on the Umatilla reservation

Pendleton is well placed for a wider loop. Walla Walla and its wine country are about 45 minutes north, Hermiston and the Columbia River are a half hour west, and La Grande sits an hour east across the mountains. The Tri-Cities of Washington are about 90 minutes away. Order a steak and a local craft beer, then sit on a downtown bench and watch the town go by. Come in Round-Up week for the full show, or any other time for a quiet taste of the West.