Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the tasting room at Mt. Hood Winery
For a whirlwind tour of the best wines the Gorge has to offer, stop at
The Gorge White House
on your way back from the Fruit Loop. The said
house is a century-old Dutch Colonial home on a farm with an equally long heritage. It's been converted inside to a tasting room that serves more
than 30 wines from a smattering of local vintners, plus tastes of local microbrews. While you're there, you can venture out into the farm's u-cut
flower fields to pick out a bouquet for that special someone.
Entertainment and Events
NIGHTLIFE
Enjoy live music most weekends from the stage at
Wacouma Club
(207 Cascade Ave., 541/387-2583,
www.waucomaclub.com
,
4 P.M.-2 A.M.
Mon.-Fri., 9 A.M.-2 A.M. Sat.-Sun.), an established stop for local bands in the area, who come to play the small stage at this cozy joint. You can
also take a seat at its long wooden bar on Tuesday nights to enjoy the rhythms played soulfully at its weekly blues jam session.
A serious winery with a cheeky name,
Naked Winery & Orgasmic Wine Company
frequently hosts bands on the weekends and competes
with Wacouma through its own Tuesday evening jazz nights.
A movie house at a pizzeria? Yes indeedy.
Skylight Theatre Pub
screens first-run movies from its digs inside Andrew's Pizza, letting audiences
enjoy a pie and some local beers while being thrilled and chilled. That's a mite better than popcorn and Jujubees, don't you think?
If you're looking to rub elbows with the hard-charging boardheads, mountain bikers, and other long-time locals, motor south of downtown to
the out of the way establishment
The Shed.
A no-nonsense spot equipped with booths and video poker machines, The Shed serves a mean cocktail
and offers a pool table to while the night away.
THE COLUMBIA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
An institution in the Hood for over three decades, Columbia Arts Stage Troup, or
CAST,
presents plays, musicals, dance performances, and con-
certs out of the Columbia Center for the Arts (215 Cascade St., 541/387-8877,
www.columbiaarts.org
). In addition, the venue hosts lectures and
films and runs an art gallery (11 A.M.-5 P.M. Wed.-Sun.) heavy on local talent.
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
From May through October, many businesses in downtown Hood River band together to host a fun
First Friday
event. On the first Friday of
each month, stores stay open late, run specials, host music and activities, and feature art and gifts tailored for the strong out-of-towner contingent
visiting during the warmer months.
Strong swimmers can put themselves to the ultimate test on Labor Day, when Hood River plays host to the
Roy Webster Cross-Channel
Swim.
The event ferries out a group of cap-and-goggled freestylers to the other side of the Columbia River and deposits them in the water to swim
1.1 miles across and back to Hood River. It's a challenging, chaotic field, often with 500 or more sets of swim caps, arms, and legs churning the
water to reach the shore.
For close to 60 years, Hood River Valley has celebrated the annual bloom on its fruit trees during April's
Blossom Fest
(541/386-2000,
ht-
tp://hoodriver.org/blossom-fest
). The events tied to the fest range from a Craft Show to a fire department all-you-can-eat-breakfast, with little
mini-shindigs across the valley. This is the prime time to drive the Fruit Loop, with many of the stops on the route participating with activities on
their properties.
Held each year on the first Saturday of October,
Hops Fest
honors its prime beer-making crop with an event centered around the ales, ambers,
porters, and more that have brought the Gorge so much fame as a craft brewing capital in the States. Expect to have the hop-portunity to try dozens
of different beers, many of them specially brewed to feature the distinctive taste of freshly harvested hops.
In mid-October,
Harvest Fest
marks the end of growing season for the Hood River Valley. Shop for fresh fruits and veggies at Produce Row,
which offers up delights like Anjou pears, heirloom apples, pumpkins, and roasted nuts. Participate in an annual pie-eating contest, take a horse-
drawn carriage ride, enjoy live music, or just get your fill tasting delicacies like artisan jams, chocolate-covered nuts, and smoked salmon for sale.
In December Hood River is frequently blanketed with a light layer of snow, making perfect scenery for the month-long slate of events during
Hood River Holidays.
Things are typically kicked off the first weekend of the month with a holiday parade down Oak Street and the lighting of
downtown twinklers. Throughout the month wineries usually offer special tastings, Santa can be found frequently at downtown Santaland, and
Mount Hood Railroad runs a special Polar Express train through the valley.
Shopping
With its cute collection of mom-and-pop boutiques and gift shops tucked into historic buildings, downtown Hood River's Oak Street is a vacation
shopper's ideal walkway, filled with window shopping and souvenirs.
Featuring furnishing and unique decor items,
At Home on Oak Street
sells a unique smattering of accents surely not to be replicated by neigh-
bors back home. Nearby,
Made in the Gorge
(108 Oak St., 541/386-2830,
www.madeinthegorge.com
, 10 A.M.-5 P.M. daily) displays a well-
rounded mix of jewelry, painting, pottery, and sculpture created by local artists from in and around Hood River.
For more conventional tourist T-shirts, novelty gift snacks, and other souvenir baubles,
The Gift House
(204 Oak St., 541/386-9234,
www.hoodrivergifthouse.com
)
has your bases covered. Pick up smoked salmon, chocolate-covered huckleberries, or fresh jam without having to
take a drive out on the Fruit Loop. And kids and the young at heart will find a stop at
G Willikers Toy Shoppe
(202 Oak St., 541/387-2229, 10
