Eric’s parents came to visit us over the holiday weekend, which turned us into tour guides for a few days as we attempted to show off some of our favorite places. This was their first visit since we moved to Portland, so we finally got to show them some of the dreamy places we’ve been talking about for the past year.
We started with a drive into the Columbia River Gorge on the Historic Columbia River Highway. We stopped at a few viewpoints along the way (the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint and the Vista House at Crown Point), and drove by lots of gorgeous waterfalls.
We drove all the way out to the Rowena Crest Viewpoint to get a look at the dry side of Oregon and the Columbia River. It was quite a bit sunnier and windier over there than it was back in Portland.
We had lunch in Hood River and checked out the windsurfing and kite boarding on the Columbia River.
We headed to the Hood River Valley to tour the Fruit Loop and battle the clouds for a good view of Mount Hood. We struck gold at Draper Girls’ Country Farm, where we picked up fresh plums, pears, and honeycrisp apples, and then stumbled upon this view in the yard. It was magical.
Did I mention there were goats nearby? Adorable little goats that you could pet and feed (with a purchase of some goat food from the country store).
We also enjoyed a little sunshine and some quickly disappearing views of Mount Hood on the patio at Mt. Hood Winery.
We drove down to Canby, Oregon to see the Swan Island Dahlia Festival, which was AMAZING. There were over 40 acres of Dahlias in bloom, of all different colors and varieties. Pictures don’t do this justice at all.
And in our own weekend version of Hood to Coast, we made it all the way to Cannon Beach for some of the finest west coast beach weather we’ve ever had. I’m not saying it was warm enough to get in the water or anything, but it was sunny and pleasant.
And at the end of their trip, Mount Hood really came out to play. We got some perfect views of the mountain and the city from Pittock Mansion back in Portland.
For more Oregon adventures with the Ringers (and other guests), check out these touring Oregon posts from yesteryear.
-Ally
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