Weekend Getaway in the Willamette Valley
We had a "long weekend" getaway planned and decided we didn't want to spend most of it driving, so we chose a location about 45 minutes from home and left after work last Friday. We headed to an airbnb in Beaverton/Hillsboro area of Oregon (I got teased a bit for this..."you're going to Beaverton...it's just outside of Portland and for most of us not really where you would think to go"). However, it turned out to be a great location and I've often told my hubby we could probably stay in areas of Portland we have never been and see things we've never seen despite living 30 minutes away for the last 32 years.
Our airbnb was hosted by an 80 year old gentleman who is a widow. He was super kind and met us when we arrived, showing us various things in the airbnb. He's lived on the property for 44 years. The airbnb sat above a garage space and seems like it was used for gatherings with friends and family and they probably stayed there when visiting. Complete with a "game room" pool table, it was a well cared for space with many antique and hand made items. The location was about 10 minutes out of the city limits but from that point on it was all farmland. We have driven through and past many of the areas on our way to the beach but never really explored. Well, we explored this time. It's also an area that we can easily do a day trip to.
Our host Steven was in the process of decorating his property with Christmas lights. You can see an old Youtube video here.
Where we ate: We didn't eat out a lot on this trip, but there are plenty of options. We hit the grocery store to stock up on things to pack for snacks and things to have for breakfast or if we chose to not eat dinner out.
On Friday we arrived around 5:45, unloaded, then headed to dinner. We ate at Komo Sushi in Sherwood. We didn't get anything "raw"..not quite there yet, but what we did have was really good. They have a great selection on their menu.
Handels Ice cream was another stop and it was good but my hubby didn't think it was all that amazing.
The South Store Cafe was located a short drive from our Airbnb and by the packed building gave signs that it was a great choice. We stopped here Saturday morning. I grabbed a coffee and we share a few pastries. All of them were REALLy good!
Harvest Fresh Grocery and Deli was located in historic McMinnville they specialize in organic and all natural food along with having a full deli and catering services. We had salads here and enjoyed browsing the shelves.
Insomnia Coffee located just 10 minutes from our airbnb is where I headed on Sunday morning. I had a maple, pumpkin spiced chai with 2 shots of espresso. We also visited here Monday before heading out of town and shared a pastry...both the chai and the pastries were awesome.
Carlton Bakery in downtown Carlton. While Carlton might pretty much be a one street town, this bakery was upscale and so good. Since I had just had a coffee I didn't get one, though it was tempting. With a french vibe, we did try a few pastries and some savory puffs. This area knows how to do pastries well! They also sold a variety of other items, both sweet and savory, with breakfast and lunch options that all sounded amazing.
Chapters Book and coffee shop in historic Newberg. They also serve ice cream. Great coffee and a neat spot to sit and visit or look at books. I browsed the shelves while sipping my coffee.
Durant Farms in Dayton Oregon is the place to visit in November. Probably all year, but after the October harvest of Olives, they celebrate all month of November with Olio Nuovo. They do both olive oil and wine tasting throughout the year but during the festival they bring in local vendors to provide food and desserts that feature their olive oil. We sampled pizza and a soup flight. They were both good, the pizza my favorite. The soup flight was a great idea, but the soup wasn't hot enough and a bit too salty. We also sampled some Salt & Straw Ice cream while there.
What we did: There is quite a bit to do in this area. If you love wine, there is NOT a shortage of tasting rooms to visit. The Willamette Valley has more than 700 wineries and over 800 vineyards. Within in 20 miles of the town of McMinnville you can visit around 250 wineries! We are not wine drinkers, so we didn't do this, but it's worth the trip.
I mostly had one main goal visiting this area, and that was seeing the downtown areas of McMinnville and Newberg and possibly a few other towns, like Carlton. The weather wasn't the best for outdoor activities like hiking and with it getting dark earlier it cut the days short. This was meant to be a more relaxed trip and we spent our late afternoon/evenings in, watching movies, playing a few games, reading. I caught up on some blog commenting.
Two Farm stands/shops a short drive from our Airbnb were Smith Berry Barn, and Oregon Heritage Farm.
Historic downtown McMinnville is definitely a must see! Pretty sure we didn't see everything but that's okay, it's an easy day trip to visit again. If you love vintage stores, there are a few that are worth stopping at. Vintage on Third and McMinnville Antique Mall were two I stopped at, though I think there are a few more in the vicinity. A few other shops worth noting were, Third Street Books, The Merri Artist, La Bella Casa (which has an awesome tea and chocolate shop in the basement), and a cute toy store.
Located in Sherwood, Oregon, I talked my hubby into stopping at Ungers Trading Post which is a row of old buildings that look like they belong in the old west. Transformed into an antique lovers dream. There is SO MUCH to look at.
Take time to stop in downtown Carlton. I mentioned above the Carlton Bakery but other shops worth visiting are Rough Cut Soaps and Sundries, and their was a little shop that sold local artisan items as well (I don't remember the name and can't find it online).
On our stop in Newberg, since it was Sunday, quite a few shops were closed. We did stop at the coffee shop and bookstore I mentioned above, but there were quite a few other shops that would be worth visiting, just check the hours.
Another fun place to stop especially if you like rocks and gems is the C & H Family Jewels Rock and Lapidary...it's located on Blanchard Lane in Dayton, Oregon. We've always passed it and decided to stop.
Probably the highlight of our Sunday was stopping at Durant at Red Ridge Farms. Growing both grapes and olives, this place was dreamy. They harvest their olives in October and the month of November is set aside for celebration. Called Olio Nuovo it brings together local artisans to sell their wares, as well as wine and olive oil tasting. Their gift shop is incredible and they also have a nursery. You can purchase tickets for a 7 course meal (we didn't do this) and tour the olive oil process. There is also a cabin available to rent. There is a mile long trail that winds you through the vineyard, past a herd of sheep, along the olive grove and through the woods. That was a nice walk. It rained shortly after we headed back to the airbnb.
Definitely a trip worth taking and even moreso if you are a wine lover.
Kirstin
That sounds like a lovely and relaxing weekend.
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