For Columbia River Gorge lifestyle entrepreneurs and their families there is an unending variety of things to do. With the many outdoor, dining, shopping, and community activities here in the Gorge and neighboring Portland, there are endless opportunities for both excitement and relaxation in our corner of the world. Below we have listed some of our favorite activites, but there is so much to do in the Gorge we may have missed some, so if you would like some help from the experts, please visit them at ColumbiaGorge.com and Columbia Gorge Visitors Association.
Outdoor Activities and Sports - Family and Touring - Culture - Portland - Wineries and Breweries
Outdoor Activities and Sports
Windsurfing and Kiteboarding
Ask any windsurfer or kiteboarder in the country about Hood River, OR, and they will have been here or will be planning a trip here- guaranteed. If you are a windsurfer or kiteboarder already, I need not say more. If you aren't, there are plenty of lessons available from the local shops and experts. Click below for information on some of the lessons offered:
Skiing and Snowboarding
Mt. Hood, at 11,249 feet, is so big that it sports four separate ski resorts. On your way out of Hood River you will come first to the family-oriented Cooper Spur, then to the large and varied Mt. Hood Meadows. At this point you curve around the mountain and start to head west. On this route you will reach Mt. Hood's highest, and arguably most famous resort, Timberline. And finally, around one more bend you will come to Skibowl, another family-oriented ski resort comfortably close to Portland. If you don't mind driving you'll also find great skiing down in the Three Sisters/Bend region of Oregon. Both Mt. Bachelor and HooDoo offer great skiing and long seasons.
Bicycling
Both mountain biking and road biking are popular sports in the Gorge. Post Canyon and Syncline, offer some of the best mountain biking terrain for miles around and are just minutes from downtown Hood River and White Salmon. As for road biking, you'll find plenty of well-paved, generously shouldered roads populated by some of the friendliest drivers you ever wanted to meet. Both Discover Bikes and Mountain View Cycles in downtown Hood River can rent you a bike or help you to get set up with one of your own. These are also great places to stop for a map of local trails.
Hiking
There are endless lengths of trails in the Gorge. You'll find hikes for all ages, sizes, and experience-levels, from the paved switchback trail that brings you to the top of Multnomah Falls, to some of the most rugged backcountry available in the U.S. on Mt. Hood. Columbia River Gorge Hiking has great descriptions and directions for area hikes. In fact, it was recommended by one of Insitu's many hike enthusiasts, our CEO. The USDA Forest Service should also help in your search for great hiking.
Columbia Gorge Racing Association (CGRA) and Sailing
The Columbia Gorge Racing Association runs regattas regularly. There are lessons available for both children and adults. (The children's lessons are organized by our own Jaime and Andy!) Even if you are not interested in learning to sail, it's worth finding a good viewpoint on the night of the regatta. White sails against the blue and green of the Gorge are a must see.
Golf
The Gorge offers some great golfing at a number of areas. Insitu participates in an annual tournament in support of many local non-profits, so if you've got a sweet swing, be sure to let us know! The most well-known course in the area is Indian Creek, but both the Husum Hills Country Club and the Hood River Golf and Country Club offer a fun selection of holes and great views.
Horseback Riding
Don't feel like walking? Take a leisurely horseback ride through the lovely Cascades countryside. No experience is necessary when you arrange a trip with Northwestern Lake Riding Stables.
Frisbee Night
We can't tell you much about Frisbee Night right now as it, and the many other pick-up and casual sports leagues in the area, is officially restricted to word-of-mouth publication. We hope you come to the area looking for a sport to play though, because there is a sport looking for you.
Family and Touring
Orchards
The Gorge is famous for its orchards, vineyards, and wineries, and rightfully so. From succulent pears, to sweet cherries, to crisp apples, the area orchards serve up an abundance of fruit and fruit-related products (jams, pies, etc). The Hood River Fruit Loop makes an excellent day's tour of the area orchards and is fun for kids ages 3-99. Also, use the Hood River Fruit Loop link for information on special events, like U-pick Cherry opportunities and County Fair details.
First Friday
Sponsored by the Hood River Downtown Business Association and Columbia Center for the Arts, First Friday offers a chance for locals and visitors to mingle in the casual and vibrant atmosphere of downtown Hood River from 5-8pm on the First Friday of every month between April and December. Local businesses stay open late and show work by local artists. Many businesses offer special First Friday discounts and serve treats or provide a space for musical entertainment. As if that was not enough, local handicraft artists sell their works fromsmall stands set up along Oak St, which is closed to car traffic for the evening. As an added bonus, the artwork that is put up on First Friday stays up for a month at the business sponsoring that artist. This pattern continues through the non-First Friday part of the year, providing an ever-changing and always lovely re-decoration of your favorite local establishments.
Kids
In addition to the many local parks and children's sports leagues, Gorge Kids offers a number of links to fun activities in which your kids can participate. From tricycle races put on by the downtown bike shops, to reading hours sponsored by the local libraries, there are an abundance of things for kids to do and see in the Gorge. The area also boasts excellent schools.
Culture
Art
The tireless local arts association, Columbia Center for the Arts, has a downtown Hood River gallery and auditorium that is in constant use. They also organize the art side of First Friday and coordinate with local galleries and artists to keep the scene fresh and exciting.
Dance
Despite the small population in the Gorge relative to a big city, there is a spunky and active dance scene in the area. The Gorge Dance Calendar lists a variety of events and makes special notes of events that provide lessons. Salsa, country, and other forms of dance are amply covered, but if it is good old-fashioned club dancing you are looking for, you'll have to make it a night in Portland.
Museums
There are a number of local museums in the area. Some are focused on the fascinating history of the area and include exhibits on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, while others, like the Maryhill Museum are art museums. If you can't find what you are looking for locally, you will definitely find any museum resources you may need in Portland.
Portland
Portland Art Museum
The Portland Art Museum is the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest and, since its founding in 1892, has amassed a diverse collection numbering over 35,000 objects and works of art. 503.226.2811
Oregon Zoo in Portland
The oldest zoo west of the Mississippi, the Oregon Zoo is home to animals from all corners of the world, including Asian elephants, Peruvian penguins and Arctic polar bears, from the mist-filled Africa Rain Forest to the majestic Great Northwest exhibits. Committed to conservation of endangered species and their habitats, both locally and around the globe, the zoo is a center for wildlife preservation and field research. 503.226.1561
Oregon Symphony
The Oregon Symphony, established in 1896, has internationally acclaimed music directors, skilled performers, and diverse programs. The Oregon Symphony ranks among the largest orchestras in the nation and performs in the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. 503.228.1353
Portland Opera
Currently in its 42nd season, Portland Opera has established itself as a vibrant and vital part of the region's cultural activity and identity. With its commitment to producing operas that invigorate the future of the art form and are dramatically and vocally compelling, Portland Opera has earned a devoted public following throughout the state of Oregon and southwestern Washington. 503.241.1407
PDX - Portland International Airport
Gorge lifestyle promotes travel when possible, whether challenging yourself outdoors, experiencing other cultures, or just keeping in touch — not to mention doing business! Luckily, PDX has been recognized as the best airport in the United States. A beautiful 50-minute drive through the Gorge from Hood River or Bingen, parking and flying from PDX is as economical and easy as it gets. 503.460.4040
Portland Trail Blazers NBA Basketball Team
The Portland Trail Blazers professional NBA basketball team has a storied history. 503.234.9291
Portland Beavers AAA Baseball
The Portland Beavers are the triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres. Take your friends and familty to a game, and remember what baseball used to be like. 503.553.5400
Also consider the Portland Center for the Performing Arts.
Wineries and Breweries
The Pacific Northwest is somewhat newly famous for its wineries. The Gorge has a particularly good climate for pinot noir grapes, and if you like reds, you will find some of the best in the world around here. A popular weekend jaunt is a trip out to Walla Walla, WA, where you will find some excellent in-town tasting rooms and a network of small vineyards that happily serve and sell some of the best U.S. wines available.
Longer term fame goes to the area's breweries. There are more micro-breweries per capita in Oregon than in any other state in the union. Locals are proud of this fact and will quote it to you over many a pint of porter. When you find yourself quoting it to a visitor, you'll know you've really arrived. Here is just a sampling of some of the region's wineries and breweries.
Wineries
Columbia Gorge - Walla Walla - Willamette Valley
Columbia Gorge
There are many excellent wineries in the 40 mile span that is officially labeled as the Columbia Gorge Winemaking Region. Please see the Columbia Gorge Winery Map or Columbia Gorge Wine for a complete list. For your convenience, a small selection of Gorge wineries is listed below.
Bingen
Gorge Wine Tasting
Gorge Wine Tasting offers wines from numerous Gorge wineries. Across from Insitu's main office in Bingen, Gorge Wine Tasting is a popular post-work stop on Fridays.
Husum
Wind River Cellars
How they make such seriously good wine is a mystery many would like to solve. Their port dessert wine is an especially delicious holiday treat.
Hood River
Cathedral Ridge
Cathedral Ridge Wineries is the deserving recipient of the 2007 Oregon Winery of the Year award. A small, but elegant tasting room is surrounded by their beautiful vineyards.
Pheasant Valley
The spacious tasting room offers spectacular views of Mount Hood. Holding a glass of spectacular Pheasant Valley wine in your hand will add to the charm.
Quenett Cellars
A boutique Gorge winery crafting a few select varietals from the vineyards along the shores of the Columbia River, Quenett's tasting room in beautiful downtown Hood River is a must for even the shortest of visits to the Gorge.
Mt. Hood Winery
Offering the normal range of wines, but particularly noted in the area for their dessert wines, Mt. Hood Winery is a few miles out of Hood River in the orchard region that leads up to the base of Mt. Hood.
Goldendale
Maryhill
Take the winding I-84 out east along the Columbia river and cross the bridge into Goldendale, WA to taste some of the finest wine around. The beautiful new tasting facility also offers a stunning view of the eastern Gorge.
Paterson
Columbia Crest
Columbia Crest prides themselves on delivering handcrafted, superior-quality, small-lot wines, as well as affordable everyday Washington wines. These excellent everyday wines are available as far away as Texas, and brighten any dinner table. Stop by to taste some of their more high-end varietals. You won't regret it.
Walla Walla
Walla Walla is the at the center of a world-class wine region. Their spring release weekend brings a large crowd to this small town, once a hub for farmers wishing to ship their goods across the country by train. Now home to Whitman College, this quaint little town makes an excellent weekend get-away from the Gorge region. For a complete list of Walla Walla Vintners, please see the Walla Walla Winery Map. Listed below are two of the larger wineries that are readily available by the bottle in local grocery stores.
L'Ecole No 41
L'Ecole No. 41 has been producing premium, handcrafted varietal wines in the Walla Walla Valley since 1983 in the historic Frenchtown School in Lowden, Washington. If you are new to wine-tasting, the friendly staff will gladly give you some hints.
K Vintners
The property on which K Vintners sits was homesteaded in 1853 with the adjacent farmhouse built in 1872. The winery grounds are a little slice of heartland Americana. K Vintners produces wines from two distinctive viticultural zones- Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Each of these areas is awesome for producing K Vintners' famous Syrah and Field Blends.
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley, the northern boundary of which is most notably punctuated by Portland, offers a number of well-known wineries. Two of Oregon's oldest vineyards are noted below, but please visit the Willamette Valley Winery Map for a complete list of the over 300 Willamette Valley wineries.Erath
Dick Erath is one of the wine pioneers of Oregon. From the first vintage in 1972 to the recently released 2005 vintage, Erath consistently produces award-winning wines that are a treat with any meal.
Eyrie
Known for being the first Oregon winery to produce the state's signature Pinot Noir and the first in America to bring us Pinot Gris, Eyrie continues to produce excellent wines.
Breweries
The number of breweries in Oregon and Washington is beyond counting in a humble corporate website like this one. Below, please find some of the local and not-so-local but quite well-known microbreweries in the Northwest. Please don't think that this is all the Northwest has to offer in terms of microbreweries though! For a complete list please see the Oregon Breweries Map and the Washington State Breweries Map.
Local
Full Sail
Hood River's proud residents tout Full Sail as just one more reason to love living in the Gorge. Their lightest brew, Session, can be found at every house party in town, and their famous Full Sail Amber is craved forever after by all who have tasted it. The recent facelift and menu overhaul at this popular downtown brewery have made the laid-back pub even more tourist friendly, and the outdoor deck overlooking the river makes it an ever-popular post-windsurfing grub pick-up spot.
Double Mountain
This brand-new Hood River Brewery was started by former Full Sail brewers Matt and Charlie and offers as-good-as New York pizzas and far-better-than New York brews. Their growing brew offerings and small but always full Fourth Street location make Double Mountain an excellent place to grab an after-work beer with friends.
Elliot's Glacier
This local, Parkdale brewery is so small it doesn't even have a website. Also listed under Pizza, Tacos, and Such, Elliot's is a favorite for post-frisbee or post-skiing burritos and beer.
Walking Man
Walking Man, located in Stevenson, WA, serves an excellent variety of beers. Their Barefoot Brown and Homo Erectus are often found at nearby pubs. For a larger selection of their excellent handcrafted beer, stop into their riverside brew pub on a summer evening after an afternoon on the water.
Not-Quite-as-Local
McMenamins
One of the most well-known breweries in Oregon, McMenamins, which also has locations in Washington, is known as much for its excellent brew as it is for its varied-themed bars, restaurants, and hotels. Stop into their Hillsboro location for a burger on a trip back from the coast, or dine at their classy Troutdale location on a weeknight jaunt in from the Gorge.
Rogue
Rogue Breweries fashions itself a revolutionary in the micro-brewery movement, and few would argue with this self-appointed title. Committed to quality and innovation, Rogue consistently shows up with new, hoppy, interesting brews to complement its stellar roster of regulars like Dead Guy Ale and Chocolate Stout.
Laurelwood
The Laurelwood is a smaller Brewery than McMenamin's and Rogue, but the quality of their beer is just as large. Enjoy Laurelwood brews at their original Hollywood location or in their more central, family-style restaurant in northwest Portland. Rumor has it that at least one Insitu employee made a buck serving at the Laurelwood before his full potential was realized as a brainy engineer.
Deschutes
This Bend, OR brewery is a little further afield than some of the other listed breweries, but their on-tap standard, Mirror Pond Pale, is available at almost any pub in Oregon and southern Washington. If you do take a (highly recommended) trip down to Bend, don't hesitate to stop into Deschutes' downtown Bend Brewery and Public House for a bite and some brew.
Bridgeport
One of Oregon's oldest brewers, Bridgeport Breweries serves a more upscale clientele than many casual Northwest spots. If you would like that clientele to be you, at least for a night, visit one of their classy restaurants in downtown Portland.