5 Things to Do in Hood River in March

March is great month to visit Hood River. Here are five options for enjoying the Gorge in the spring.

1. Visit the Waterfalls: Spring is an amazing time to visit the waterfalls in the Gorge. There are 77 waterfalls on the Oregon side of the river, many visible from the road and many easy to hike to any time of year.


2. Go Winetasting: Did you know there are more than 40 wineries in the Columbia Gorge? The unique climate here allows us to grow over 140 varietals—everything from Syrah to Zinfandel, Merlot to Chardonnay, and Pinot to Tempranillo. In downtown Hood River, we have 7 tasting rooms all within a six-block radius.


3. Visit WAAAM on Second Saturday: Every second Saturday, the Western Antique Air & Auto Museum flies their antique planes and drives their antique cars (you can even ride in a car with them). This is one of the best family events anywhere around.


4. Attend a lecture: River Light: 25 Years of Kayaking Wild Rivers. Outside Magazine photographer and National Geographic Explorer, Charlie Munsey, invites you to an evening at the Columbia Gorge Art Center exploring the evolution of kayaking wild rivers through visually stunning imagery and the stories behind them.


5. Join in on Friday Flower Frenzy: The 2013 Flower Frenzy challenge deepens your connection to the Gorge as you learn to identify many of the more than 800 wildflowers that bloom in the region, including 15 species found nowhere else in the world!

Don’t forget to enter our Enjoy Hood River Like a Local” Contest: The winner gets to go stand-up paddleboarding, stay the beautiful Hood River Inn, visit the WAAAM museum, go to a free movie and eat pizza, and receive a $25 gas card.

Winter in The Hood Like a Local

David Cobb, Owner D. M. Cobb Photography
“In winter, I like snowshoeing to places like Tamanawas Falls or up near Mt. Hood for some great winter scenery to photograph. In January, I head out to Catherine Creek to catch the first grass widow wildflowers that start to bloom in the Gorge. A hike up the ridge at Coyote Wall is also a fun way to spend an afternoon on a sunny day in winter.

To get the day started, I love to start at Nora’s Table for their amazing breakfast. And for warming up after a day outside, you can’t beat the relaxed winter atmosphere at Doppio Coffee downtown.”

Steve Gates, Owner Big Winds Hood River
“As a hardcore skier, winter is my favorite season in Hood River—with Mt Hood Meadows just 35 minutes away. Indoor tennis here in the Hood is another favorite for me.

And with my fellow staffers at Big Winds, we love winter stand-up paddle boarding too—with a bit of trial and error last winter and getting the right clothing dialed in, we have figured out how to enjoy beautiful paddles in snow showers, on clear winter days, and in the fog—truly spectacular. You gotta try it!”

Jenny & Muir Cohen, Owners Waucoma Bookstore
“We love dining out during winter here in HR. “Two for Tuesdays” at 6th Street Bistro is a favorite for us—the menu selections are always great. And speaking of good food, the monthly Full Sail Brewmaster Dinners are amazing.

We are also big fans of weekday skiing at Meadows. Locals love the weekdays up on Mt Hood.

Of course, we love reading during winter—and it’s a time when locals like to come in and take their time browsing at the store.”

David Barringer, Owner Naked Winery
“Winter in Hood River is terrific. I’m big on both alpine and cross-country skiing up on Mt. Hood.

Then after being outside in the snow, I love wine (from Naked Winery of course) and snacks while sitting around the fire.

It’s also a great time to catch up on movies at Andrew’s Theater and then grab a light dinner while we’re downtown.

And believe it or not, I still go running, hiking, and camping (yes, snow camping!) because being around a fire with s’mores seems even better when there’s snow everywhere.”

Chef Ben Stenn, Celilo Restaurant & Bar
“First, I like to visit my farmers—the ones who supply our restaurant with fresh, local foods all year long. A drive along the Fruit Loop and into the Upper Valley is a pleasure in winter and not to be missed—snow on the orchards, gorgeous winter skies, and a peek at the mountain if you’re lucky.

Picking and cooking winter vegetables is also a favorite winter pastime. This is the time of year you can get some great local hearty winter vegetables that make for wonderful wintertime dishes.

And, of course, I like cooking great winter recipes for our guests at the Celilo. There’s a relaxed pace in downtown Hood River in the winter that sets the season apart.

Michelle McGrath, Co-Director Gorge Grown
“Once winter hits, all I can think about is cross-country skiing with friends –friends I don't always get to see in the summer because they are too busy being farmers or avid gardeners!

There may not be a farmers' market to attend in the Gorge during the winter (yet!), but if you get to know your farmer you'll have access to local seasonal food year round. Following our local farmers on Facebook is a great way to find out about what delicious food they have for your table during the chillier months.

The colder months are when local food enterprises in Hood River get innovative—the local restaurants also explore fantastic cold-weather varietals in the winter like leeks, onions, potatoes, squash, greens and mushrooms—and then pair that with a local wine from Stoltz Vineyards or craft beer from Pfriem Family Brewers. Hungry yet?”

Remember to enter to win a Hood River Weekend Getaway. Click here to enter and to read the contest rules and regulations.

The Holidays in Hood River

Holiday time in Hood River is really quite magical—that’s why it’s known as the Holiday Town of Oregon. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, the festive lighting of downtown creates a wonderful holiday atmosphere. You know—that cozy, small-town feeling that makes the holidays so special.

Fall in Beautiful Hood River

When I talk to people around town about the seasons here in Hood River, so many of them tell me they like fall the best. The crisp nights and sunny fall days, the changing light on the landscape, the beautiful sunsets—so many things make fall special here in the Columbia River Gorge. And then there’s the harvest—apples, pears, nectarines, peaches, grapes, chestnuts—the bounty from this agriculturally rich area is simply amazing.

September in Hood River

September in Hood River is the time of year when we get that perfect summer weather combo of warm days and cool nights, as we ease into fall. Everyone seems to want to be out on the water right now. From where I’m sitting, I can see kiteboarders and windsurfers, people sailing and stand-up paddleboarding, some kayakers, a wave runner, and three fishing boats. It’s truly paradise.

Greetings from Hood River!

July, 2012

It’s summertime and the Hood River waterfront is teeming with activity—windsurfing, kiteboarding, fishing, sailing, stand-up paddleboarding, whitewater rafting, kayaking—our river playground is in full swing. This is the time of year when that popular Gorge wind makes Hood River such a mecca for water sports enthusiasts. Of course, we love our land sports too, like biking, hiking, horseback riding, skateboarding, golf—the list goes on and on.

 

Let’s Do Some Speed Marketing!

I have now had the pleasure of doing Speed Marketing with close to 100 Chamber members.

Speed Marketing is a free Chamber member benefit we started offering earlier this year—and the results have been extremely positive—and fun!

Here’s how it works:

One or two days a month the Chamber offers 30-minute speed marketing sessions to members on a first-come, first-served basis. When you sign up, you are given a specific time for your meeting, along with an easy-to-complete questionnaire that is designed to help you think about what areas of marketing you might want to discuss to get the most out of your session for your business.

Before we meet, I too do some research on your business to better understand what you do, to check your online presence with web, social media, etc. (With over 25 years spent marketing a wide variety of businesses, I like to help you narrow down your marketing tasks so you can focus on what will truly help your business—and what you can actually do within your busy schedule.)

When we meet, I like to start with general thoughts and impressions I have about your business and to find out where you think you could use the most assistance. This always leads to a brainstorming of ideas and specific tasks that will help you move forward with marketing. These lively discussions are always so energizing and I love working with members to develop concrete marketing steps that will help propel your business forward.

Here is a just a sample of the things you might walk away with after your Speed Marketing session:

• Specific information on free services or products that will benefit you


• Member business names and introductions for partnering


• Media connections and contact information


• Promotional ideas


• Website and social media improvements and tasks


• Guerrilla marketing tactics


• Educational opportunities

What I love about these sessions is that I get to spend one-on-one time with members, learn more about their businesses, and connect members with other members who are natural partners. It’s a win-win situation and something I hope will be taken advantage of by all of you.

Kerry Cobb
Executive Director
Hood River County Chamber of Commerce