Lebanon is a great little town that has undergone some big changes in the last decade; it’s gone from being mostly dependent on the timber industry to being the home of a small medical school and regional health care facilities — the growth due to this new development has brought some great amenities to the town….
Glad to hear you’ll be visiting the Willamette Valley! An early welcome to you. Wineries, historic sites, scenic spots, good food, and off the beaten path experiences–those are some of my favorite things too and you’ll definitely find them here! Here are some of my favorites: Wineries: Here are seven wineries that are known for…
You’re in luck — there are a lot of gorgeous flower farms in the Willamette Valley, and most are not more than 20 minutes east or west of Interstate 5, the main north-south route through Oregon. Depending on what time of spring or summer you’re driving through, there will be different flowers in season. Also,…
My very simple, condensed answer about foraging is: as long as you are picking small amounts of non-endangered species for personal use, it’s most likely going to be fine. (i.e. picking a few berries or mushrooms while you’re hiking) Regulations depend on what you want to pick, where you’re picking it and how much you…
What a great question! Here are my ideas for good sunsets near Salem. Willamette Valley Vineyards is just south of Salem is on a hill facing west toward the Jory hills and the Coast range. The west facing views at Willamette Valley Vineyards are great any time of day, but when the sun is setting on a…
Picking the best hotels, wineries and restaurants in the Willamette Valley is a little bit like picking a favorite child…they’re all so great it’s hard to pick just one. But I’ll do my best! Hotel: For the fanciest hotel near wineries, I’d have to say The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Oregon. It’s a…
I can answer this one pretty well, as one of my relatives uses a power chair and we’ve gone many places together over the years. Are you looking for camping sites? Or parks and natural areas? Here are a few ideas: Sunnyside Park and RiverBend Park are two very pretty campgrounds on mostly flat ground…
Of course, you’ll be deep in Wine Country there, and I should encourage you to stop in at one of the bajillion wineries for a drop of pinot — it is definitely worth a stop. As for beer, a couple to put on your list are Golden Valley (McMinnville), one of Oregon’s older breweries and a good one….
For the most concentrated wine tasting area, stay either in the Yamhill Valley (Newberg, Dundee and McMinnville area, where the majority of the Willamette Valley’s wineries can be found) or in Salem (easy access to the Eola-Amity Hills AVA). My go-to fun, budget-priced hotels in Yamhill Valley: McMenamin’s Hotel Oregon, a beautiful historic hotel in…
You can definitely photograph dozens of Oregon’s covered bridges in a three-day journey. How many you can hit just depends on how much driving you want to do and how early you want to get up and get started! Assuming you start on the north end of the Willamette Valley and head south, I suggest…
I love kayaking — and it’s a great vacation idea! Here are a few spots in that area you might try: Fern Ridge Reservoir is a really big lake just a few miles west of Eugene with nice park areas on the shore and plenty of room for kayaking. Willamette River is not a lake, but the Willamette…
Berry picking is one of my favorite things to do in the summer! Greens Bridge Garden in Jefferson, a little south of Salem, is one of our family’s favorite U-pick farms. They have a really large variety of fruits and berries to pick, and they have a nice little farmstand store as well. In addition…
Dundee and McMinnville are beautiful areas! Most of the countryside directly surrounding Dundee and McMinnville is covered in vineyards, and some vineyards actually have hiking or walking trails. Here are a few to check out: Sokol Blosser, just outside Dundee: they have a guided vineyard hike you can sign up for. Winter’s Hill Vineyard, Dundee…
Fun question! There are a few places in the Willamette Valley that are known as being great for rockhounding. The areas surrounding the South Santiam River, the Calapooia River, and Quartzville creek (all of these are about an hour southeast of Salem) are popular with rockhounders and folks who pan for gold as well. Also, check…
A girls weekend sounds fabulous! You really can’t go wrong in any part of the Willamette Valley if you’re looking for wine, food and fun. Since you specifically asked about something that’s reasonably priced, I’m going to pass along a few ideas for places to stay that I know are a bit off the beaten…
Both April and May are great times to visit wineries in the Willamette Valley, but if I had to pick I’d lean toward May because it’s Oregon Wine Month and many wineries are offering special events and tastings that they don’t offer at other times of the year. Depending on your preferences, you may or may not…
I actually just attended the Oregon Truffle Festival last month, which is an amazing event if you want to learn more about truffle hunting when it comes around again next January. I learned a little bit about truffle-hunting, but you’ll probably have to seek out a true pro for expert advice. Here’s what I can…
The towns I love for wine tasting are Newberg, McMinnville and Dundee. All three are driving distance of each other in Yamhill County. In Newberg there are lots of great B&B’s and vacation rentals. Here are a few favorites: dreamgiversinn.com/ lepuy-inn.com/ lobenhaus.com/ distinctivedestination.net/lionsgateinn/ For dinner, The Painted Lady is seriously top notch. Recipe- A Neighborhood…
Salem is a good city to stay in because it is a central location to all sorts of places to visit in Oregon. It is also the capital so if you want, you can visit our state’s capital building located in downtown Salem. Inside the building are murals painted depicting our state history. Outside are…
Hi Betty, Just south of Portland, you can exit the main freeway and get on to 99W. I would suggest you do this and then sit back and enjoy the ride! You will be soon be entering the Willamette Valley and I will suggest some stops along your route. One of the first stops should…
