Oregon Multisport & Wine Adventure

DAY 1

We'll meet you in Portland after lunch and travel east into the Hood River Valley. On the way, we stop for a quick peek at one of Oregon’s biggest attractions: the 620-foot high Multnomah Falls. From there, we begin our exploration of the wines of the Columbia Gorge AVA (American Viticultural Area) with a vineyard walk and tasting at one of the many great local wineries. Afterward, we can choose to explore the cute downtown of Hood River, or take in some more wines at the tasting room of Naked Wines (yes, this place is as fun as it sounds - full of double entendres!) before checking into our river view rooms overlooking the mighty Columbia River.

DAY 2

Enjoy a scenic breakfast on the hotel restaurant’s deck this morning, overlooking the bustling Columbia River. After that, get your hiking duds on! Destination: the historic Timberline Lodge at the base of the impressive snow-capped Mt. Hood. Choose from a casual stroll with a ranger, a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail along the base of the mountain, or a strenuous uphill hike to the Silcox Hut (and then back down). Or, if you want to soak in the mountain atmosphere, simply enjoy a leisurely lunch in the Lodge and then ride the chairlift up and watch the summer skiers having fun in the sun. After lunch, we shuttle south and into the heart of Oregon Wine Country: the large Willamette Valley AVA. We spend our afternoon in the small sub-AVA of Eola-Amity Hills, which is unique because of the breeze that arrives from the Pacific Ocean through the Van Duzer Pass, the lowest point in Oregon’s Coast Range. Late in the afternoon on warm summer days, the Van Duzer winds bring cool marine air to the ripening grapes, giving complexity, balance, and finesse to the wines. We walk a couple of miles through the vines of contiguous vineyards such as Bethel Heights, Cristom, Temperance Hill, and St. Innocent, tasting along the way. Amongst the vines, we’ll share the history of the region and the wines that come from this beautiful region. And if you want to purchase wine at our stops, no problem! Our van will pick up any bottles you buy. As the day winds down, we’ll travel to the town of Salem, and our hotel for the evening.  Tonight, we'll enjoy a delicious dinner at DaVinci’s. They, of course, have an excellent wine list!

DAY 3

Today while the air is still cool and with the early morning sun shining on the colorful vines, we will head north by bicycle on one of the best cycling routes in the country into the heart of the Willamette Valley.  When the Willamette Valley AVA was first authorized in 1984, its geographic description included some 3.3 million acres! Twenty-plus years later, winemakers and wine growers succeeded in creating six sub-regions within the Willamette Valley, to better describe micro climates proven over the years to be distinctly suited for the growing of wine grapes. Natural boundaries and the Willamette River create the 100-mile long, 60-mile wide Willamette Valley, home to more than 200 Oregon wineries and many wine shops. Coolest of Oregon’s wine regions, this elongated, V-shaped valley is bordered to the north by the Columbia River, to the south by the Calapooya Mountains (south of Eugene), to the east by the Cascade Mountain foothills, and to the west by Oregon’s Coast Range. A few hours later, we will end our ride at Champoeg State Park, refreshed, and certainly ready for a delicious lunch in the town of Dundee. We heartily recommend the tasty fare at the Red Hills Market!  After lunch, the folks at Red Ridge Farms will welcome us, and we will spend the afternoon exploring their beautiful estate by foot, sipping their wines and learning about the olive oil they produce, and how to properly taste it! This afternoon’s vineyard walks across the Dundee Hills AVA will take us several miles across swaying terroir. Afterward, we head further south into the Southern Willamette Valley’s vineyard-strewn hills and on the town of Eugene, our cozy hotel, and a casual dinner, perhaps with Oregon’s “other” famous beverage (beer).

DAY 4

After a yummy breakfast in our hotel, we enjoy a brisk two-hour hike up and down the iconic Spencer Butte.  All that hiking will build your appetite and our lunch and tasting at Oregon’s largest winery – King Estate  –  will not disappoint.  You may want to sneak in a catnap in the sun before our guided tour.  We spend the evening at our darling hotel with a wine-pairing dinner in their fine restaurant. Your guides will try to convince you to go out afterward and explore this hip college town with them.

DAY 5

This morning you can choose to have a leisurely morning, perhaps sleeping in, before enjoying breakfast. Otherwise, we will do as the natives love to do by biking as many of the dozens of miles of bike trails and lanes in and around Eugene you desire. We turn you loose armed with maps and a variety of mileage choices for a fun bike ride along Eugene’s river paths. We’ll get you back in time to shower and pack up before getting you to the airport or Amtrak station for an afternoon flight or train back to Portland.