: King Estate Winery

The South Willamette Valley Food Trail is a self-guided journey through Oregon’s agricultural heartland. Enjoy farm-to-table restaurants, world-class wines and unique on-farm experiences along the trail. Find your themed route below or download the official brochure.

Charcuterie board and stemmed glass of barrel-aged beer.
The best of both worlds: barrel-aged, Belgian-inspired beers in scenic wine country at Alesong Brewing & Blending.

Real Food, Real Local

Eugene

Taste the best dinners, drinks and desserts prepared by the area’s most creative chefs.

Start the morning downtown at Noisette Pastry Kitchen. This boutique café serves up seasonal, local handmade sweets, savories and of course, coffee. If you’re in town on a Tuesday or Saturday, the Lane County Farmers Market is a great way to spend the morning. Find a wide variety of local foods throughout the year – including breakfast!

Enjoy the riverfront bike paths or a local hike to get your appetite ready for your next meal. Several craft breweries in town feature local ingredients in their food menus as well as their beer. Grab a bite and a brew at Claim 52 Kitchen, Falling Sky Pour House & Delicatessen, or Viking Braggot Company Southtowne.

Looking for a gift to send back home, or to enjoy yourself later? We suggest Euphoria Chocolate Company and Thinking Tree Spirits.

When you are ready for dinner, there are plenty of options to indulge your palette. Marché offers a luxurious farm-to-table experience, as does rye restaurant, which also features house-made chocolates.

Party Bar is the perfect spot to end your day. Their organic menu features a fresh take on American cuisine, late night food, and craft cocktails.

woman walks out of door of big building
5th Street Public Market in Eugene is a hub for some of the freshest produce and ingredients in the region.

World-Class Wine

Eugene to South Willamette Valley Wine Country

A weekend of award-winning wines as you make your way from downtown Eugene to the rolling foothills of the coastal range.

Start your day at Provisions Market Hall in Eugene. Peruse specialty to-go foods and charcuterie to fill your picnic basket with tasty snacks. Make sure to ask for wine recommendations!

Leave the city and head west to Veneta and stop by Our Daily Bread for a delicious meal or simply to grab breads and pastries for later. Another option is not much further north in Junction City, where you will find the Camas Country Mill Bakery & Store.

Then make your way to wine country and spend the day exploring the Prairie Mountain Wineries, five vineyards within a ten-mile radius. Bennett Vineyards & Wine Company, Walnut Ridge Vineyard, and Brigadoon Wine Co. are just a few, and all have extraordinary views.

Want to completely unwind in wine country? Stay at Sweet Springs Family Farm near Cottage Grove, where you can enjoy your morning coffee beside baby lambs and other adorable farm animals.

Spend your second day visiting tasting rooms south of Eugene. Start at Saginaw Vineyard near Cottage Grove, and then climb back into the foothills for the famous pinots at King Estate Winery and Restaurant, Sweet Cheeks Winery, and Silvan Ridge Winery.

Finally, explore something a little different at Alesong Brewing & Blending, where craft beers are aged in wine and spirit barrels.

A little girl holds up small pumpkins as she sits on hay piles surrounded by large orange pumpkins.
Farms along the trail offer valley-fresh produce and seasonal activities like pumpkin picking at Detering Orchards.

Family-Friendly Farms

Veneta to Junction City to McKenzie River

Explore the farms along the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers.

Start your day at either the Spencer Creek Community Market or Veneta Downtown Farmers Market, where you can find bountiful produce and unique local vendors during their operating seasons. Head north past Fern Ridge Reservoir and visit Bush’s Fern View Farms for berries in the summer and apples in the fall.

Drive the scenic county roads to Junction City and explore the variety of farms in the area. Hentze Family Farm is a certified Century farm with a farm stand, u-pick, and delicious cherry lemonade.

Continue south on River Road to find Groundwork Organics farm stand, as well as Thistledown Farm which has a farm stand and also seasonal activities including a corn maze and pumpkin patch.

Spend your next day exploring the McKenzie River, where lavender fields, hazelnut orchards and organic farms fill the lower part of the valley. Make a stop at Herrick Farms and Upriver Organics, who both offer an array of farm fresh produce and seasonal u-pick opportunities.

McKenzie River Lavender hosts a festival in July that cannot be missed! Or end your trip getting acquainted with the river that sustains all of this with a rafting or fishing trip from A. Helfrich Outfitter.

 

Two mountain breakers take a break for beers in front of the iconic red Office Bridge in Westfir.
Westfir Lodge and Mountain Market is located at the base of the Alpine Trail, a famous singletrack mountain bike trail. (Photo credit: Eugene, Cascades & Coast)

More tasty stops

In all there are 53 stops on the South Willamette Valley Food Trail, from bakeries and restaurants, to farms and growers markets, to breweries and wineries, to immersive experiences and food-focused lodges. Make your base camp in one of these charming towns and find a delicious farm-to-table meal around the corner. Here are some of the locales to explore.

Alsea, Junction City, Coburg, Harrisburg, Monroe

North of Hwy 126, west of I-5

Scenic country roads lead the way to award-winning wineries and storybook farms.

Springfield, Walterville, Lowell, Leaburg, Blue River

East of I-5, McKenzie River area

A mighty river feeds these farm-fresh communities where outdoor adventure reigns.

Eugene, Veneta, Creswell, Cottage Grove, Westfir, Oakridge

South of Hwy 126, west of I-5

Tasty rewards await along these towns’ bucolic waterways and forest trails.

Downtown and Central Eugene

Oregon’s third largest city

Inspiration thrives in a city heralded for its innovative and abudant culinary scene.

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Travel Tips

This year-round, self-guided South Willamette Valley Food Trail is designed to be explored at your own pace. We encourage you to inquire at individual businesses about seasonality and hours of operation before visiting.

High season varies per business but is typically May – October. Seasonality of key products listed below:

  • Steelhead and chinook salmon: April – October
  • Berries: June – September
  • Lavender: Late June – August
  • Apples and cider: Late August – October
  • Pumpkin patches: September – late October
  • Oregon truffles: December – February

The working farms along this trail provide some of the most unique and engaging experiences. We ask that you respect the invitation to enter each property and be cautious around farm animals and equipment. Children must be supervised at all times and you should be prepared to follow all site-specific rules. For your safety and comfort, be prepared with appropriate footwear, sun protection and water.

Interested in a professionally-guided farm, food or beverage tour? The following operators offer tours to select trail stops and can build custom itineraries:

Discover seasonal foods, events and trip ideas at SouthWillametteValleyFoodTrail.com. Share your experience with us by tagging #SWVFoodTrail and @EugeneCascadesCoast.

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