In celebration of our birthday month, my mom and Anna, along with my dad (for good measure) flew into Portland for a long weekend. Tom and I were excited to host our first guests in the new house. Saturday was low key, with a morning walk to Mt. Tabor, lunch at Breakside Brewery and dinner at home--finished with vegan birthday cake from Sweetpea Baking Company.
Aunt Judy joined us at the Woodburn Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival on Sunday, excited to stroll through the colorful tulip fields. It is always a gamble to appropriately time this event based on amount in bloom and weather, but we lucked out with a sunny day, just one week shy of full bloom.
We spent the afternoon wine tasting in the Willamette Valley. Lange Estate is a family-owned winery in Dundee. The property features panoramic views of the sustainably farmed vineyards, surrounding valleys and Mt. Hood.
Just a few minutes away, Hollaran Vineyard focuses on small production, sustainably farmed wines that represent the unique characteristics of their vineyards.
We stayed overnight at nearby Hotel Oregon. On McMinnville's main street, the historic building has been restored by the McMenamin brothers since its beginnings in 1905. Some of the eclectic pubs were closed due to the pandemic, but we enjoyed dinner on the rooftop bar, overlooking the beautiful rolling hills. A trip to Oregon is not complete without a visit to one of the unique McMenamins establishments!
After breakfast on Monday, we drove to the scenic Columbia River Gorge. Wahclella Falls is an easy 2.5-mile out-and-back trail that leads to an impressive cascade.
Aunt Judy treated us to a night at Skamania Lodge. Situated in the heart of the Gorge, the resort is surrounded by hiking trails, craft breweries and wineries. The lodge includes its own trails, zip line, heated pool and outdoor hot tub. It also features "luxury treehouses," which I bookmarked for a future trip! Dinner at Red Bluff Tap House in small town Stevenson.
On Tuesday morning, we soaked in the views from the Adirondack chairs before heading east to Rowena Plateau Overlook. This easy 2-mile hike features a marvelous wildflower display set against the Columbia River.
An unfortunately timed haze set in just as we arrived to Panorama Point to see the view of Mt. Hood amongst the fruit tree blossoms. We did, however, meet a delightful group of older women on a girls trip from Utah. Before driving back to Portland, we grabbed beers at Double Mountain Brewery in Hood River (#33 on my Oregon Brewery List).
It was, at times, overwhelming to have my family in town--especially following an intensive self-work retreat--but I am grateful for our time together. The Bear Family always has a fun time. Cheers to the next reunion!
The temperatures soared after my family left. The greenery around town quickly filled in and the blooms really took off, reminding me of why I fell in love with Portland almost three years ago.
On my 29th birthday, I cleared my schedule and went on a solo adventure--just like old times. Little Red and I set out towards the coast for one of my favorite local hikes. Saddle Mountain is a steep but short trek with spectacular views stretching from the Pacific Ocean to Mt. Hood.
I drove the rest of the way to the coast, stopping at Cannon Beach, which was surprisingly not windy. After about an hour, I flipped it around to make it home in time for dinner with Tom.
Birthdays are the perfect opportunity to take a personal day, and to be reminded of how much you mean to others. Everyone important in my life showed up, making me feel appreciated and loved... a perfect birthday.
