Posts Tagged ‘washington county oregon’
August 26th, 2010 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Travel Oregon’s “Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast” runs through November 30th
Each fall, Travel Oregon puts out all of the stops for its “Oregon Bounty” statewide promotion, which highlights unique travel experiences, fall events and the state’s myriad culinary artisans. Last year, the promotion centered on “Cuisinternships,” allowing winners to spend a week shadowing an Oregon culinary expert.
This year, our friends at Travel Oregon have served up their latest creation, the “Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast.”
What on earth is an Oregon Bounty Wanderfeast? It’s a term the folks at Travel Oregon created to describe what it’s like to spend the harvest season following your tastebuds on a quest to procure the best of Oregon’s flavors at their peak. This 10-week promotion features Oregon’s finest epicurean products, from wine and cheese to spirits and nuts, and so many delicacies in between.
You, too, can join in the chase for 10 weeks of foodie bliss. Enter to win your very own Wanderfeast at TravelOregon.com/bounty. You and three friends could be sampling the bounty of Oregon in a four-day/three-night, all-inclusive culinary escape that explores Oregon’s many flavors of fall.
Watch the ”Win an Oregon Wanderfeast” Video
Tags: cheese, contest, fish, food, nuts, Oregon, Portland, Travel Oregon, Washingotn County, washington county oregon, wine
Posted in Food & Drink, Seasonal Fun | No Comments »
August 19th, 2010 by Allison George
Beaverton, Ore.: Hundreds of visitors report sightings of a 12’ tall Sasquatch-like creature sporting a #16 baseball jersey, lurking by the doorway of Big Al’s, a newly-opened entertainment Shangri-La for all ages.
"Greetings and welcome!" said the friendly sasquatch to visitors.
Those same visitors also reported sightings of a 7,000 sq. ft. arcade, bowling alleys, a stadium-style sports bar & grill with 50” and 42” HD Plasma televisions, and a 14’ x 55’ jumbotron linked up to these premiere channels: DirectTV’s NFL Season Ticket, College Football Game Day, Big Ten Network, NBA League Pass, Mega March Madness, MLS Direct Kick, Fox Soccer Channel, and MLB Extra Innings.
Frankly, we’re just not sure we can believe them. Come on, a jumbotron in a sports bar? We wish! Who’s going to believe that?
Big Al’s is now open in Beaverton, at 14950 SW Barrows Road in Progress Ridge Town Square. For more information, visit their new Facebook page
KGW Channel 8 Big Al’s Grand Opening
The Big Al's in Beaverton was specially constructed to fit in big amenities, including a jumbotron and bowling!
Tags: beaverton, beaverton arcade, Family Fun, sports bar beaverton, washington county oregon
Posted in Family Fun, Food & Drink | No Comments »
June 22nd, 2010 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
WCVA's own Allison George navigates the obstacles at Tree to Tree Adventure Park
When I first heard about a new aerial adventure park opening in Washington County, Oregon, my first reaction was, “what is an aerial adventure park”? Now that Tree to Tree Adventure Park is officially open, I now know (as well as many others who have already ventured out to sneak a peek).
Billed as the first adventure park of its kind “west of the Mississippi,” the park consists of four increasingly difficult courses of various tree-top obstacles. Rope swings, tight ropes, tunnels, bridges, and, yes, several zip lines, from tens of feet from the ground await adventurers of all skill levels. (Well, everyone except for me, who chickened out after attempting the training course, which was a mere three feet or so off the ground.)
My explanation doesn’t do this unique park justice, so take a look for yourself at the latest edition of “Grant’s Getaways,” featuring intrepid reporter Grant McOmie, as he visits Tree to Tree Adventure Park. (Video courtesy of our friends at Travel Oregon.)
Tree to Tree Adventure Park is open March-November, from 10 a.m. until two hours before dusk. Adults are $39, per person, and children are $25. It’s situated on property right near the entrance to Hagg Lake in Gaston, Oregon.
More photos from our excursion are here
Tags: aerial adventure, family activities, family friendly, gaston oregon, outdoor, outdoor recreation, park, parks, tree to tree, tree to tree adventure, washington county, washington county oregon
Posted in Family Fun, Nature, Sports | No Comments »
June 1st, 2010 by Allison George
August is jam-packed with more unique events in Washington County than you can shake a stick at! Now, if you still insist on attempting to shake a stick just to prove us wrong, please wear eye protection. Remember, safety first! Speaking of safety, don’t forget your sunscreen before heading out to these can’t-miss events:
It's garlic on parade at the annual Garlic Festival!
North Plains Garlic Festival, North Plains, August 6-8. This 13th Annual Festival celebrates the pungent, tasty goodness known as “Elephant Garlic” with a variety of festivities and entertainment. Remember, “Fun Stinks.“
Tualatin Crawfish Festival, Tualatin, August 13-14. The nation’s oldest crawfish festival celebrates 60 years of the Cambaridae Camburus with a variety of food, entertainment and activities. More info
LPGA Safeway Classic Golf Tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, August 16-22. The 39th annual tournament features 144 of the world’s top women golfers competing for a 1.5 million purse. Last year it drew a record crowd of 87,800 to Pumpkin Ridge(!). The Golf Channel will be there for TV coverage Friday – Sunday, so make sure they get your good side. More from organizers Tournament Golf Foundation
The Reserve in Aloha is the new home of this annual event!
Best of Oregon Food & Wine Festival at the Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club, August 14. You had us at “food.” The second annual festival showcases the best of Oregon’s culinary culture, world class wineries, and food artisans. This year’s program includes a golf tournament a few hours prior to the food and wine festival.
For tickets and information, go here
International Air Show at the Hillsboro Airport, August 20-22. Cue the “Top Gun” soundtrack! The 23rd Annual Air Show is proud to announce the return of the Marine Corp AV-8B Harrier II Demonstration Team, and America’s only civilian jet team, the U.S. Patriots. For tickets and information, go here
Tractors lined-up. Photo courtesy of Shilo Inns.
Banks BBQ & Truck/Tractor Pull, Banks, August 20-22. The City of Banks cooks up its annual festival with down-home charm, featuring a grand parade, truck/tractor pull and demolition derby, drive-in car show, arts and crafts, games and its “famous” BBQ sandwiches. More info
For the June and July 2010 events in Washington County, click here
Tags: Banks Truck/Tractor Pull, Best of Oregon Food Wine Festival, Events, Hillsboro, Hillsboro Air Show, LPGA Safeway Classic, North Plains Garlic Festival, Tualatin Crawfish Festival, washington county oregon, wine tasting
Posted in Events, Family Fun, Food & Drink, Seasonal Fun | 2 Comments »
May 4th, 2010 by Angie Marsh
This year marks the 20th annual “Memorial Day Weekend in Wine Country” and Washington County has more than 20 wineries that will be welcoming visitors for tastings, entertainment and specials.
Visit Washington County’s wine country May 29, 30 and 31 and taste the revered Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris–and much more. This event offers tastings of new (aged) wine releases, as well as a chance to visit numerous wineries that are not regularly open to the public.
This weekend also marks the grand opening of the brand new tasting room at Árdíri Winery and Vineyards in Cornelius.
Most wineries are open these dates from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some charge tasting fees. Participating wineries include:
Please check back for updates, and visit North Willamette Vintners Association for the full scoop on the weekend.
Want to map your route to the wineries? Start with the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route,
a 50-mile driving tour of Washington County’s agricultural – and viticultural – bounty.
Download the map and set out for a wine weekend adventure.
(Note: Because portions include narrow county roads, low bridge overpasses and winding roads, the route is not recommended for tour buses or bicyclists.)
Here are some great lodging packages to help you enjoy the holiday weekend.
Tags: Apolloni Vineyards, Ardiri Winery, Cooper Mountain Vineyards, Elk Cove Vineyards, Memorial Day Weekend wine tasting, Montinore, North Willamette Vintners, Oak Knoll Winery, Plum Hill, Ponzi Vineyards, SakeOne, washington county oregon, wine tasting, Wineries
Posted in Events, Food & Drink, Holiday, Wineries | 1 Comment »
March 23rd, 2010 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Video Series is First of its Kind to be Used to Promote Tourism
With an innovative, bold new Web video campaign, Washington County, Oregon, is now allowing visitors to create their own vacation adventures with an unprecedented series of videos on the popular video sharing website YouTube.
These “Create Your Adventure” videos allow viewers to discover the many gems of Washington County. Adventurers are given the choice of three tracks, which viewers can tailor to their own interests. Each series ends with a scenic drive along the Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour Route, which highlights Washington County’s rolling backcountry roads, farm stands and wineries.
Golf is one of several relaxing pursuits on the Create Your Adventure journey.
Each track offers nine adventures, with a total of 27 possible vacation itineraries:
- Relax: highlighting attractions such as shopping, golf, hiking, a day at the spa, and a night out on the town, among other activities
- Escape: highlighting pursuits such as disc golf, hot air balloon rides, a visit to a farmers’ market and saké tasting, among other activities
- Explore: highlighting outdoorsy attractions, such as bird watching, hiking, biking and kayaking, among other activities
“Washington County truly is a hidden gem,” said Ruthie Reinert, president and CEO of the Washington County Visitors Association (WCVA). “As a destination marketing organization, we saw a need to create a tool that provided a sample of all the ways a visitor can have an authentic travel experience in Washington County.”
Birding is one of the adventures explorers can choose
The videos were modeled after the popular “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, which were popular among school-aged children in the 1980s and ‘90s, and allowed readers to choose what happened next in the story.
“Destinations typically tell you what to do and where to go,” said Martin Stoll, CEO of Portland-based GoSeeTell Network, the production company behind the interactive “Create Your Adventure” videos. “Washington County is letting its visitors choose their own destiny. Visitors drive the story and decide where they’ll go and what they’ll do. It’s an exciting breakthrough in the often pre-packaged tourism marketing industry.”
The interactive video project, which was a joint partnership between the WCVA and the GoSeeTell Network, is the first of its kind in the tourism industry. It uses a YouTube technology, which links multiple video clips with an interactivity button that causes the next video to play. This is the first time this Web video technology is being used for tourism.
Tags: Biking, birding, Create your own Adventure, cycling, escape, explore, Golf, hiking, Interactive videos, kayaking, Nature, Oregon, outdoor, relax, sake, sport, videos, vineyard and valley, washington county, washington county oregon, wine tasting, YouTube
Posted in WCVA News | No Comments »
January 13th, 2010 by Angie Marsh
From wine grapes to winding roads, the WCVA received a whopping 272 entries in our Washington County, Oregon, Vineyard & Valley Scenic Tour Route Photo Contest, which showcase the many features of the tour route.
With so many breathtaking and expertly crafted photos, our panel of judges had a tough job of reviewing, critiquing and selecting winners, which were judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit.
After careful review by the judges (thank you, Citrus), the Grand Prize of $1,000 goes to (insert drumroll here):
“Tiller Curves” by Christopher Pokorny
Additional contest winners in each of the categories are:
* Wine: Including, but not limited to, vineyards, wineries, winemakers and tasting rooms. $500 prizewinner:
“Tualatin Estate” by Cailyn Andreasen
* Agriculture: Including, but not limited to, crops, nurseries, barns, farms, farmstands and livestock. $500 prizewinner:
“Here’s Looking at You” by Sandy Pokorny
* Nature: Including, but not limited to, protected wildlife areas, flora, fauna and vistas. $500 prizewinner:
“Washington County” by Joel Zak
* History: Including, but not limited to, towns, buildings, cemeteries and interpretive markers. $500 prizewinner:
“Grossen” by Christopher Pokorny
All photo entries are housed here on the WCVA website. Photos will also be featured in print and electronic marketing materials produced by Washington County Visitors Association to promote area tourism. Read the contest press release.
Thanks to all who entered photos; you made this a high-caliber photo competition.
Check our website for future photo contests!
Tags: photo contest, Scenic ByWay, Vineyard & Valley Tour Route, washington county oregon
Posted in WCVA News | No Comments »
November 25th, 2009 by Angie Marsh
I set out to sample just what some of the wines and spirits of Washington County taste like, and got sips galore.
One weekend ahead of the Thanksgiving crowd, I began my Saturday jaunt at SakéOne, which a road sign identifies as a “sakéry.” I knew it as the premiere saké brewer in this country, but had never been there. My group was welcomed warmly by several staff members, and soon the warmth of the saké itself seemed to be coursing through my veins. The Momokawa Ruby had the crisp mouthfeel I associate with quality saké, and the Premium Oregon Genshu, or “G Joy” as it’s termed, tasted so good to my group of six that we purchased two bottles. I was then told it is 18 percent alcohol by volume. Phew! That didn’t stop me from sampling a flight of “sakétinis”—the G Nut, Hot White and Blue Diamond—which combined the sake with delicious ingredients such as fresh blueberries and white chocolate syrup. I love my dessert in drink form.
At this point I was grateful for two things: a designated driver and maps plotting the next destinations.
From there we headed to nearby Montinore Estate—driving only briefly on the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route, which I made a note to explore in its entirety through Washington County. Perched on a hill, Montinore has a regal feel with its estate gardens and views stretching across the valley. The tasting room was pleasant, and my group’s consensus was that the best, boldest wine we tried there was the 2007 Graham’s Block 7 Pinot Noir.
Next up was nearby Plum Hill Vineyards, which is new as of February 2009. We were greeted by a friendly dog, who escorted us to the tasting area, where his even friendlier owner gave us generous pours. Turns out that the planting and harvesting of grapes is full of trials and tribulations, and we learned about future plans to space the grapes further apart, which will yield different distinctions in the wines–particularly the aftertaste. We agreed that the Barrel Select Pinot Noir we sampled was just right.
Onward and upward–up a steep climb to Gaston’s nearby Patton Valley Vineyard. The quaint tasting room gave way to wines that are segmented based on their slope on the property—and are anything but quaint. Though the 2007 Patton Valley Pinot Noir is described as a nose of ‘damp forest floor’, it tasted exquisite to me, as did the black cherry-like 2007 West Block Pinot Noir. All hail Oregon Pinot.
Then it was on to our last stop, the bustling Elk Cove Vineyards in Gaston. Truth be told, I have no (legible) notes from Elk Cove. I did take a photo and was told the property is teeming with flowers in the warmer months. I was also able to discern the aroma and flavor of crisp green apple in the 2006 Estate Riesling—my favorite.
Sustainability was also a common theme in my jaunt: Montinore is producing Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine, Patton Valley’s operation was fully certified as sustainable in the 2006 vintage by the organization Low Input Viticulture and Eneology (LIVE), Plum Hill uses sustainable vineyard practices that emphasize flavor over production volume, and Elk Cove uses sustainable agricultural practices on all its vineyards such as hand-harvesting.
There are so many well-crafted sips to savor in the local wine country, I suggest always having a designated driver when you thirst for a wine adventure.
Thanksgiving Wine Weekend is Friday, Nov. 27 through Sunday, Nov. 29, with these and participating wineries offering special hours and tastings.
Tags: Elk Cove Vineyards, Montinore Estate, Patton Valley Vineyard, Plum Hill, SakeOne, sustainable winery, Thanksgiving wine weekend, washington county oregon, wine tasting
Posted in Holiday, Wineries | No Comments »
October 15th, 2009 by Angie Marsh
On a recent crisp fall day, I made a date with Stub. That is, a picturesque cabin at a new (circa 2007) Oregon park in Washington County–L.L. Stub Stewart State Park.
Cabins with a view in the "Mountain Dale Cabin Village"
The online booking process allowed me to view available options for my specified overnight stay, so cabin #1 it was–and just 10 days in advance. I paid online as well, which meant I didn’t have to check in and was e-mailed the code for unlocking my cute lil’ cabin.
I was en route to the Coast, and this proved to be the perfect stopover for the night; a welcome respite from Friday rush-hour traffic on Highway 26, which is just 4 miles from this site. Signage to the park off Highway 47 made for an easy drive to what felt like a remote area, but now boasts 78 camping sites, 23 hike-in primitive campsites, 12 walk-in tent sites, 16 horse camp sites and 15 cabins in the Park.
With shining wood floor, heat and insulated windows, I commented, “This is my kind of cabin!”
The tidy fire pit and nearby water spigot made “roughing it” that much easier as well. The restrooms & showers are centralized, as is the parking–a design that means any of the 15 cabins are great options.
Choosing from the myriad trail options
Hiking paths snake in all directions from the Park, and many are specified for bikes and/or horses. The new Banks-Vernonia State Trail–once a railroad and now a paved, multi-use path–is nearby as well, offering 21 miles of smooth and scenic exploration.
No need for our flashlights when the full moon rose over the Douglas Fir stand adjacent to our cabin, and my daughter (age 3) instructed me to “tiptoe down the moon path.”
Heading to the day-use overlook area
A stop at the Visitor's Center
Tags: banks-vernonia state trail, Family Fun, LL Stub Stewart State Park, oregon cabins, oregon camping, Stub Stewart, washington county oregon
Posted in Biking, Family Fun, Nature | 2 Comments »
October 5th, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Autumn is by far my favorite season: the crisp, cool air; rust-colored leaves falling from the trees; the bright orange and green hues of the pumpkin patches. Indeed, ’tis the season to get out and explore fall in Washington County, Oregon. On Saturday, my family and I hopped into the car and did just that.
First stop was the Beaverton Farmers’ Market, a cornucopia of fall vegetables, colorful gourds, scrumptious apples and pears, and hearty potatoes and onions, all awaiting shoppers who ventured out on the brisk Saturday morning. Free coffee and fruit samples provided us the energy – and warmth – needed to navigate the market.
With our newly acquired produce in hand, we ventured off to our next stop, the Smith Berry Barn in Hillsboro. Each year, I make the pilgrimage to the Smith Berry Barn to stock up on apples, and this year is no exception. I loaded up my basket with freshly picked Macintosh apples, perfect for making caramel apple treats.
On a whim, we decided to head over to Baggenstos Farms in Sherwood, to check out the corn maze. Growing up in the desert, corn mazes were something I had only seen on television, or in scary movies. In reality it was not scary at all. Granted, it was a bright and sunny mid-afternoon. (However, my ever-adventurous daughter suggested we return and try the maze at night.) About a half hour after we entered, we mastered the maze, which, visible from the sky, is carved to look like Abraham Lincoln.
Before we left, we decided to try our hand at pumpkin bowling. This was a blast. We each had three tries to knock down the pins while throwing a ripe, orange pumpkin down the makeshift lane. On my second round, I threw a spare!
After our day in rural Washington County, we were exhausted; but, it was worth it to spend a memorable and fun day with my family. (And, yes, we will be going back to the corn maze … at night.)
So, don’t miss out on this opportunity to make your own autumn memories this October. The Beaverton Farmers Market, as well as the pumpkin patches and corn mazes at farms throughout the county are open through October 31. And don’t miss this year’s Apple Fest at Smith Berry Barn, Oct. 18. For a list of other autumn-inspired events, check out our event calendar.
Tags: apples, Baggenstos Farms, beaverton, Beaverton farmers market, corn mazes, farmers market, farms, Hillsboro, pumpkin patch, pumpkin patches, pumpkins, Sherwood, Smith Berry Barn, washington county, washington county oregon
Posted in Family Fun, Seasonal Fun | No Comments »
