When I spotted The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips on the B&B coffee table on one of our trips, I flipped it open to take a peek. And thus was born our latest road adventure to Columbia River Gorge.
This picturesque vacation destination is a year-round paradise just one hour east of Portland, Oregon. We had only three days, but we could have easily stayed much longer with all the activities and places to see. We stayed in the town of Hood River and enjoyed the sights within driving distance: the local shops, the “Fruit Loop” tour of local apple, pear, and berry farm stands, Beacon Rock State Park, and the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Our first lunch was at Three Rivers Grill. We enjoyed crispy fish and chips while overlooking the spot where the Columbia River, the Hood River and the White Salmon River all converge. After lunch, we watched kiteboarders taking advantage of the strong winds on the Columbia River.
Oak Street is the center of Hood River and has lots of fun shops to explore. My two favorites were Parts and Labour, a boutique with unique clothes and accessories, and Duck Clothing Store, a clothing and home furnishings store in a two-story purple and pink trimmed house. I spoke with the owner and found out she’s a grandma who treks in Nepal and buys beautiful necklaces in Kashmir. Next door is a small cottage called Mike’s Ice Cream, owned by the same family. There are chairs on the front lawn and a water bowl for dogs.
We spent about an hour exploring some of the farms and orchards on the 35-mile long Fruit Loop. There are 30 local farm stands selling pears and apples and Mt. Hood provides a beautiful backdrop to the farmland.
We drove across the toll bridge to the Washington side of the Columbia River and headed 20 miles west to Beacon Rock. The trail, which was built in 1915, is .9 mile long and rises 650 ft. The switchbacks of rock, concrete platforms, and wooden bridges lead to the peak and a spectacular view of Hamilton Mountain and Bonneville Dam.
My grandma friend at the Duck Store recommended dinner at Nora’s Table. It’s a tiny eatery in the middle of Hood River that blew us away with their creative small plates that combined bold flavors and local ingredients. My seared Oregon sable fish with apples, fresh sage, chanterelles, and apple cider was a wonderful blend of sweet and savory. The house-made pappardelle pasta, pancetta, local chanterelles, and grana cheese was equally complex and satisfying. They also have the Gorge’s only Gorge-only wine list.
For our drive back to the airport we took the historic Columbia River Highway from Dodson to Troutdale. The highway was built between 1913 and 1922 and winds through lush forest foliage with plenty of opportunities to stop at the many breathtaking waterfalls, including Bridal Veil and Multnomah Falls.
Multnomah Falls, which plummets 620 feet to the pool below, is the most visited natural setting in Oregon. You can hike up a short path to the Benson Footbridge, midway between the upper and lower falls. It was windy enough that I felt the spray of the falls on my face. But those winds were nothing compared to the 65 mph winds we experienced at the Crown Point Vista House at our final stop before returning to the airport. This stone observatory sits 733 feet above the Columbia River and provides a majestic view of the Gorge. It was an amazing ending to a memorable road trip and one I would definitely do again.
