Hood River, Oregon

The Columbia River Gorge is a magnificent 4,000-foot deep canyon above the Columbia River that stretches for over eighty miles westward through the Cascade Range. Forming the boundary between the state of Washington to the north and Oregon to the south, the canyon offers the only navigable route through the Cascades Range, and the river is the only water connection between the Columbia Plateau and the Pacific Ocean. The gorge is protected as the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area and offers a wide variety of recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, canoeing, and guided tours.

Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 541-308-1700

Known as Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, Mount Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. Resting on the border between Clackamas and Hood River counties, about 50 miles east-southeast of Portland, and crowned by 11 glaciers, Mount Hood is Oregon's highest mountain, and the second most climbed mountain in the world. Natural attractions in and around the mountain include carpets of wildflowers, several hiking trails, six skiing areas, the 1930s Timberline Lodge, the Hood River County Fruit Loop, which boasts hectares of fruit orchards, lavender and wildflowers, and several spectacular alpine lakes.

Clackamas / Hood River counties, Oregon

Located next to the Ken Jernstedt Memorial Airport, the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum is dedicated to the preservation of aviation, automobile, and other historic transportation-related relics. The museum features the most extensive collection of three-cylinder, radial-powered airplanes in the country that focuses on aircraft from the early 1900s, along with army, air corps, and naval aircraft from the Second World War. The museum also boasts an outstanding collection of OX-5-powered airplanes and hosts the annual Hood River Fly-In show every year that features antique aircraft and automobiles from around the country.

1600 Air Museum Rd, Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 541-308-1600

Attractions for Couples

Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom is a brewery and pub that produces a range of innovative craft beers and distributes them in the Pacific Northwest, the Los Angeles area, and New Jersey. Founded in 2007, the spacious brewpub-restaurant is a popular spot for casual fare and great beers, serving a menu of wood-fired brick-oven pizza, gourmet sandwiches, snack baskets, and other pub grub. A rotating selection of craft beers is available on tap and by the bottle, and live music is regularly hosted at the venue. Double Mountain Brewery & Taproom has taprooms in Woodstock and Hood River and is open every day for lunch and dinner.

Eight 4th St, Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 541-387-0042

The Hood River Waterfront Park is a bustling, multi-use area for recreational activities and pastimes, offering a wide range of amenities. Bordering the Hood River, the park has a beautiful crescent-shaped beach for sunbathing and swimming and a sandbar kite beach for windsurfing and kiteboarding, picnic tables, and benches, a marina with launching areas for watercraft, and winding walkways for strolling, cycling, and jogging. Other activities that can be enjoyed in the park include fishing, kayaking and canoeing, beachcombing, and dining out at one of the casual restaurants in the area.

650 Portway Ave, Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 541-387-5201

Recommended Activities for Families

The Mt. Hood Railroad is a heritage and shortline freight railroad that provides exciting excursions through the beautiful Hood River Valley to Mount Hood. The historic century-old railroad was once an essential connection between the valley’s fruit farmers and foresters with the significant markets in the area; however, today, its primary function is simply to provide visitors with an unforgettable train ride through the magnificent Hood River Valley to Mount Hood. The excursion takes place aboard original historic cars dating from the early 1900s and begins at the northern depot in downtown Hood River and travels through the Hood River Valley which is filled with orchards of fruit trees and fields of blooming flowers and boasts breathtaking views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams and the majestic Cascade Range. The journey ends at the southern terminus at the base of Mount Hood in picturesque Parkdale, which is home to several fascinating museums and restaurants.

110 Mt Hood Railroad, Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 800-872-4661

Celilo Restaurant and Bar is a woodsy-chic New American restaurant on Oak Street in the heart of downtown Hood River that serves contemporary farm-to-table cuisine and Oregon beers and wines. Committed to sustainability, the restaurant uses only the freshest, locally sourced ingredients from local foragers, ranchers, and winegrowers to create a menu of farm-to-table fare such as grass-fed, antibiotic and hormone-free meats, fresh local seafood, and organic salads, herbs and vegetables. A full-service bar serves a selection of award-winning wines from Oregon and surrounds local craft beers and brews, and classic cocktails made with high-end spirits. Celilo Restaurant and Bar is open for dinner.

16 Oak St, Hood River, OR 97031, Phone: 541-386-5710

Located in south-central Washington, the White Salmon River is a 44-mile tributary of the Columbia River that originates on the slopes of Mount Adams and flows down into the Columbia Gorge near the community of Underwood. A designated Wild and Scenic area, the river has an approximately 400-square mile watershed and is home to a vast array of wildlife and waterfowl. It is also a popular white-water rafting destination and offers the sport year-round, as well as more sedate activities such as hiking, picnicking, and bird-watching. Continuous rapids, rushing waterfalls, and abrupt drops challenge white-water rafters advanced skill, and only ten commercial outfitters are issued special use permits to white-water raft and kayak on the White Salmon River.

Klickitat County, Skamania County

Nestled between Mosier and The Dalles, the Tom McCall Nature Preserve is a pristine nature reserve with a magnificent plateau overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. Named for Oregon Governor Thomas Lawson McCall, who inspired a commitment to nature conservation, the reserve is famous its spectacular displays of wildflowers that cover the gorge in May. The park is home to several species of rare plant populations, which are monitored by ecologists and can be enjoyed on docent-led interpretive hikes during the spring when the flowers are in bloom. There are also several hiking trails throughout the reserve that cater to all skill levels.

Old Columbia River Scenic Highway, Rowena, OR 97014, Phone: 800-628-6860