Hood River Travel Guide: Explore Scenic Adventures

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From historic streets and riverfront adventures to craft breweries and scenic train rides, Hood River, Oregon, delivers an unforgettable day for couples, with everything easily explored from a central home base.

Highlights:

Learn the history, fun facts, and origins behind Hood River’s Windsurfing Capital nickname while strolling downtown
Spend the day enjoying waterfront trails, Fruit Valley tours, vintage train rides and local breweries
End the day steps from dining, wine and comfort at the centrally located Hood River Hotel

You drop your bags, step outside and realize the car can wait. From the Hood River Hotel, coffee shops, galleries, tasting rooms and historic streets fan out in every direction. For couples seeking a memorable escape, the town invites you to wander at your own pace. With the hotel as a home base, exploring Hood River feels easy and comfortable.

Editor’s Note: The writer was hosted.

Are you ready to explore off the beaten path? Let us inspire you!

Why Hood River Hotel is a Central Home Base in the Windsurfing Capital of the World

Brick facade of the Hood River Hotel with a sign National Historic Site a fully restored vintage hotel. — The Mt. Hood Hotel Annex, constructed in 1912-13, housed commercial businesses on the first floor and the second story had apartments and additional hotel rooms. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Nicknamed the Windsurfing Capital of the World, Hood River channels strong Gorge winds created when cool coastal air meets Eastern Oregon’s warm high desert, sometimes reaching 100 miles per hour. Watching wind sports from Waterfront Park or your Hood River Hotel window offers nonstop action.

Brick facade and neon hotel light glowing red and windows lit from within. — Restored in 1989, the Hood River Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

More reasons why you should stay at Hood River Hotel:

Convenient, central location in a very walkable town
Easy access by car
Updated historic building
Large guest rooms with modern conveniences
Boutique hospitality
Close to upscale and casual dining
Broder Ost Restaurant, specializing in Scandinavian cuisine, shares the lobby
One short block to Mount Hood Railroad and Depot
Less than one mile to Waterfront Park

Hood River Hotel lobby with fireplace living room and front desk. — The Hood River Hotel lobby offers comfort, board games, and adult beverages to guests. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

SheBuysTravel Tip: Ask for Room 310—its large picture windows face east and north, so you can watch the sunrise and see kite surfers on the Columbia River.

living room with big picture windows and comfortable furniture and modern decorations — The spacious Room 310 boasts east and north exposure at the Hood River Hotel. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Fun Facts About Hood River

Pear tree laden with fruit just waiting to be picked at the height of fall season — Mary Coe, a local pioneer and doctor, planted the first fruit trees in the Hood River Valley, which defined the region’s economy. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Lewis and Clark traveled through Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge in the fall of 1805. They built and occupied Fort Clatsop near the mouth of the Columbia River in the winter of 1805-1806.
The Native American Wasco people inhabited Hood River before Lewis and Clark arrived.
Originally called Dog River after a stream flowing down from Mount Hood, the town took on the new name of Hood River thanks to Mary Coe. She pushed for something more refined, tied it to nearby Mount Hood, and in 1858, the name Hood River became official.
Oregon law does not prohibit adults aged 21 or over from drinking alcohol on the streets or in public places in Hood River, as long as it is not inside a motor vehicle on a highway, although this practice is still uncommon in most other Oregon towns, according to Oregon statutes.

Close up of green pears in a bin. — One in five pears eaten in the United States comes from Hood River Valley. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Don’t Miss

Must-Do #1 – Downtown Art Walk and Shopping

art gallery window with signs — Many small shops include jewelry stores, a bookstore, art galleries, cooperative art spaces and the Big Art Walking Tour. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Hood River feels like a living museum the moment you start walking. Historic buildings line city streets, still in use and still relevant. Plaques and markers note each building’s provenance, turning a casual stroll into a self-guided history walk.

Must-Do #2 – Hood River Waterfront Trail

playground with strollers and green space for kids to play on — Youth Legacy Park at Waterfront Park designed for outdoor fun for youngsters. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Hood River’s waterfront runs nearly two miles long. Pedestrian paths follow the shoreline, pause for a few gaps, then reconnect beside parks and open green space. Walkers, cyclists, kiteboarders, windsurfers, anglers, paddlers, boaters, parents and grandparents with children and event crowds all move through the same stretch.

Must-Do #3 – Hood River Fruit Loop

Tour The Fruit Company factory and learn how they produce gift baskets and explore local fruit history. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

The Hood River Fruit Loop, a 35-mile scenic drive through Hood River Valley, boasts Mount Adams to the north and Mount Hood to the south. Thirty stops include farm stands, u-pick fields, cideries, breweries and wineries.

SheBuysTravel Tip: Plan three to five hours for the entire loop, or longer to enjoy tastings. Many stops operate seasonally and are open mainly on weekends.

Must-Do #4 – Mount Hood Railroad and Depot

Mount Hood Railroad train car in the background and railbikes in the foreground. — Mount Hood seated railbikes let visitors experience one of the few remaining switchbacks in active use in the United States. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Offering a vintage train experience, Mount Hood Railroad operates scenic excursions seasonally (spring through late fall and holidays) from Hood River through the Hood River Valley.

Inside the Mount Hood Railroad station watching the staff perform. — Railroad staff present a lively introduction before the train excursion, then serve refreshments and chat with guests on the train, creating a fun, interactive experience. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

The historic dates from the early 20th century. Today, it serves as a station and a small museum with exhibits on logging and agricultural history.

Must-Do #5 – Fruit Valley Trolley

Fruit Valley Trolley awaits guests — The Fruit Valley Trolley, operated by Gray Line, takes guests in one direction from the Mount Hood Railroad train. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Stops along the Fruit Valley Trolley route:

Panorama Point offers stunning views of Mount Adams and Mount Hood on a clear day.
At Hope Ranch Lavender Farm, guests harvest their own bouquet of lavender.
The Fruit Company offers factory tours.
Mount Hood Winery offers wine tasting and bottles for purchase.

Food and Drink

Broder Ost serves Scandinavian cuisine. They also serve Aquavit, a traditional Scandinavian spirit with hints of caraway, cardamom, anise and other botanicals.

A breakfast meal at Broder Ost with eggs in a skillet walnut toast and other Scandinavian delicacies. — Try the delicious walnut bread with a hearty breakfast at Broder Òst. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Celilo Restaurant and Bar features an upscale, sophisticated menu and dining room.

small plates and bowls of healthy snacks and breads — Small plates, appetizers and salads create a delicious light dinner when paired with a glass of wine at Celilo. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery offers a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Ciders feature quality local fruit, and brewers source ingredients throughout the Northwest.

White plate piled high with a sandwich potatoe chips and dill pickle with a beer in the background. — Double Mountain sandwich and a beer for lunch. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Getting There and Getting Around

Hood River lies within the Columbia River Gorge. Most visitors fly into Portland International Airport and drive east through the Gorge, about 75 scenic minutes, to reach town. A car gives you the freedom to explore the Fruit Loop and the surrounding backroads.

Highway 26, a scenic road heading east from Portland, takes you around Mt. Hood. Stop at historic Timberline Lodge, a National Historic Landmark built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression, for an unparalleled view (on a clear day) of Mount Hood National Forest and some of the mountains in the Cascade Range.

Front entrance to Packer Orchards. — Stop at Packer Orchards for a hand pie or milkshake, then drive around the Fruit Loop. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Best Time to Visit

woman in purple hat cutting lavender from plants in the ground — The author harvesting lavender. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Hood River offers adventure, great food and wine, craft beer and more year-round. For trees laden with fruit, fewer crowds, ideal weather for trails and warm autumn colors, fall is the best time to visit.

Know Before You Go

Windsurfing gear on the grass at Waterfront Park — Wind sports are wind-dependent, and some days the wind doesn’t blow. Photo credit: Julie Diebolt Price

Free street parking on Wednesdays begins at 3 o’clock. You might score a parking place right in front of the Hood River Hotel, as we did.
Make reservations for the Mount Hood Railroad and Gray Line Trolley online at Mount Hood Railroad. Pay for parking when making your reservation online. It saves time when arriving at the station.
Learn to kiteboard or windsurf in The Hook, a protected lagoon in Waterfront Park. Weekends are very busy.
While at Waterfront Park, walk across the street to Ferment Brewing Company and visit the tasting room. Taste fermented beer, ketchup, and kraut from locally sourced ingredients.