CORVALLIS - Oregonians interested in exploring hiking trails, archaeological digs, coastal exhibits and gardens that teach can find plenty of options for informative summer day trips through a new online map created by Oregon State University.

The interactive website uses Google maps to display more than 30 opportunities from Portland to Newport and Klamath Falls to Hermiston.

Created by OSU's Department of Research Communications, the new online site called "Seize the Summer" is associated with the university's research magazine, Terra. All the listed activities have a connection to OSU research.

Demonstration gardens at county fairgrounds, for example, cover topics from wheelchair-accessibility to gardens inspired by Japanese and English traditions. A 3.5-mile hike through the old-growth of the H.J. Andrews Forest showcases sustainability research. And OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport is a focal point for marine research and education.

Special events include da Vinci Days in Corvallis, the August Fest in Klamath Falls and the 100th anniversary of the Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center on June 30.

Other stories on the site describe OSU's K-12 summer camps, a sampling of undergraduate research activities and an OSU authors summer reading list.

The site can be found at: http://oregonstate.edu/terra/2009/summer/explore-oregon-through-osu-research.