Fun Things to Do in Hood River, Oregon

Located in close proximity to the mighty Columbia River and surrounded by fruit groves and vineyards, Hood River is one of our favourite tiny Oregon towns. Located close tooting within the Hood River Valley, that is hotter and brighter compared to the coast while making it a better setting for outdoor activities.

Many attractions are found in Hood River where Mountain Hood, Mountain Adams, an elegant main street and sandy river shores await the tourists.

Since we live only two hours away in Bend, Oregon, we never seem to get tired of visiting this charming little town. Here’s the ultimate guide to things to do in Hood River that includes insiders tips and little-known gems that would make your trip unusual.

Top Things To Do In Hood River

If you’re seeking for the absolute finest things to do in Hood River, Oregon, here are our top recommendations:

• Drive the Hood River Fruit Loop

• Take in the sights at Panorama Point

• Check out Hood River’s brewery scene

• Try (or watch!) kiteboarding

• Visit Hood River wineries

Keep reading for more extensive information on each of these activities and more suggestions of interesting things to do in Hood River.

1. Drive The Hood River Fruit Loop

Driving the cheekily-named Fruit Loop is by far one of the coolest things to do in Hood River!

It’s a 35-mile gorgeous trip through the country, past roughly 30 of the region’s wineries, farms, orchards, vegetable markets, breweries, cideries, and flower fields. There are also a few coffee shops, rural stores, and antique stores dotted in.

Make it a day vacation and construct your own self-guided tour by selecting on a number of destinations. We recommend hitting a variety, including a winery or two (or three — no judgment here!), a brewery or cidery, and many fruit stalls.

The Fruit Loop is open all year, but many of the establishments in the area are summer-only, as the produce they sell is, as well. For the most current information on operations and other events, follow the Hood River Fruit Loop on Facebook.

2. Take In The Vistas From Panorama Point

Whether you have only a few hours in town or you’re staying for a long weekend, taking out the magnificent views from Panorama Point certainly needs to be on your list of things to do in Hood River!

This incredibly accessible sight carries a big impact, as you can drive right up to it and it’s only around 10 minutes from downtown.

Once there, enjoy panoramic (as the name says!) views of the Hood River Valley, ranging from Mount Hood to Mount Adams and encompassing all the lovely fruit orchards in between. On bright days, you may even see Mount Saint Helens!

If you plan your visit just so, you’ll catch magnificent color from the fruit trees flowering in the spring (the entire valley is bathed in a gorgeous pink tint!) or richly-colored fall leaves in September. To be clear, though, it’s always a wonderful time to walk out to Panorama Point – even in the winter, the vistas are amazing.

Panorama Point is really built up like a little park, with toilets, picnic tables, and lots of parking. There are also a few interpretive markers highlighting the agricultural history of Hood River. Note that the gate closes nightly at 6:00 pm.

3. Check Out Hood River’s Brewing Scene

Hood River is indisputably connected with wineries and cideries, but one of its hidden beauties is the rising beer sector. Several craft breweries have sprouted up in the last several years, making Hood River an even more fantastic location. Now, beer fans like us can have their proverbial cake and eat it, too (or should it be “and drink it, too”?!).

As a bonus, several Hood River breweries are situated along the Fruit Loop, so you can kill two birds with one stone and tick both items off your list. Double bonus: most of Hood River’s breweries offer beautiful vistas and wonderful cuisine too!

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4. Try (Or Watch!) Kiteboarding

Hood River was acknowledged as the Windsurfing Capital of the World and therefore it cannot be a secret that the area is also famous for kiteboarding.

The area around the Columbia River Gorge consists of many mountains making a valley which is rather deep and narrow and there is always wind blowing. More importantly however, these breezes are steady as opposed to bold – ideal for wind-based activities such as kiteboarding.

Add in the postcard-perfect landscape, a plethora of other outdoor activity, and the laid-back local culture, and it’s no surprise that extreme athletes come to Hood River.

Kiteboarding isn’t exactly the sort of activity that you simply walk up and do one day, so you’ll need to prepare ahead if you genuinely want to try it yourself. Hood River offers many kiteboarding schools (yeah, really a thing!) like Gorge Kite, so you may take lessons before attempting it on your own.

If sitting securely on land and merely watching others attempt kiteboarding is more your pace, that’s another excellent thing to do in Hood River. On nice, sunny days, drive to the river with some picnic items and set up for a couple of hours. You won’t believe how many courageous individuals are out on the lake (and in the sky!) when the weather is great!

5. Visit Hood River Wines

In case you haven’t worked it out by now, visiting the vineyards in Hood River is one of the greatest things to do here. With over 80 vineyards and almost 40 wineries, there’s truly one to fit every taste, style, and price – and virtually all of them offer spectacular vistas and outdoor sitting spaces, to well.

Why are there so many wineries in this little town? We’re pleased you asked!

Unlike the coast region, the climate at Hood River is relatively much drier and warmer in addition to possessing remarkably fertile soil. All that has something to do with Hood River’s rather peculiar setting – having Columbia River on the one side and Cascade Range on the other! That is also the best regime for grape agriculture and wine production as well as it has been all along.

Thanks to Hood River’s relatively compact size, it’s easy enough to visit two or three wineries in a single visit. We particularly love going on a hike or driving the Fruit Loop, then stopping for a glass of vino and some light food at a number of our favorite wineries.

Stave & Stone is our hands-down favorite winery and we never skip a visit when we’re thinking about things to do in Hood River! It’s positioned right on the Fruit Loop and boasts ahh-mazing views of Mount Hood and the mountains rolling out in every direction.