Back when I was a kid growing up in Arlington, road trips were spontaneous.
| Water Street Inn 421 N. Water St., Silverton 866-873-3344 www.thewaterstreetinn.com $125-$165 includes breakfast
Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center 426 S. Water St., Silverton www.silvertonchamber.org The Oregon Garden 879 W.Main St., Silverton 877-674-2733 www.oregongarden.org Cooley’s Iris Gardens 11553 Silverton Road NE, Silverton 503-873-5463 www.cooleysgardens.com Havenhill Lavender 582 Drift Creek Road, Silverton 503-873-0396 www.havenhilllavender.com Pheasant Valley Vineyard &Winery 3890 Acree Drive, Hood River 866-357-9463 www.pheasantvalleywinery.com $105-$140 for guest rooms in the house. Cottage rates vary. Hood River Chamber of Commerce &Visitors Center 405 Portway Ave., Hood River 800-366-3530 www.hoodriver.org |
The family members would pile into our 1950s Ford Ranch Wagon and we’d hit the blue highways. These weren’t lengthy weekend outings, just simple Sunday drives.
My dad’s goal was pure and simple: Find the best hard ice cream.
In May, I was in the mood for my kind of road trip: two nights, two towns and fewer than 600 miles of driving. Oregon was the destination of choice, and Silverton and Hood River our chosen towns.
Silverton
Silverton is 250 miles south of Everett, about a five-hour drive. Touted as “Oregon’s Garden City,” it is the home of the Oregon Garden and gateway to Silver Falls State Park.
The city of 7,500 celebrated its 150th birthday last year, and the historic downtown is lined with hanging baskets, art galleries, antique shops, restaurants and watering holes.
We checked into the Water Street Inn, which innkeeper Sheila Rosborough runs with her son Rob and his wife, Laurie.
Originally the Hotel Wolfard, the 1890s hostelry was also a bordello at one time.
“Everyone in Silverton has lived here,” said Rosborough with a laugh.
There are five elegant rooms in the B&B, all with private baths. A memorable breakfast is served in the dining room at 9 a.m.
The downtown area is just blocks away. I went for an early-morning walk and picked up a latte at Silver Creek Coffee House (111 N. Water).
This is also a good time to tour the town’s murals. The project started in 1992 and today there are nearly a dozen dotting the walls of Silverton. You can pick up a map at the Silverton Chamber of Commerce. My favorite is “The Adventures of Bobbie” (South Water at Lewis), honoring “Bobbie the Wonder Dog,” who allegedly traveled more than 2,800 miles in six months to return home to Silverton.
With temperatures predicted in the 90s, we headed out the next morning after breakfast to the Oregon Garden (879 W. Main), two miles away.
Established in 1997, the 80 acres of botanical gardens boast thousands of plants and trees in 20 garden settings. There are water features, garden art, wetlands and a kids’ garden.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Gordon House is the only house in Oregon designed by the legendary architect.
Walk the grounds or take the tram for an extra $2. Other gardens nearby are Cooley’s Iris Gardens and Havenhill Lavender Farm.
Hood River
Hood River is about 100 miles northeast of Silverton. Having been there before, I knew where my first stop would be: Full Sail Brewing Co. (506 Columbia).
There we enjoyed a late lunch of salmon burgers and salad, accompanied by a couple of pale ales, on the outdoor deck. And that view of the Columbia River.
This hip and outdoorsy town is a hub for skiers in the winter and windsurfers, bikers, kayakers and paragliders in the warmer seasons. But with the temperature soaring, our idea of recreation was driving to Pheasant Valley Vineyard &Winery. There Scott and Gail Hagee have operated a B&B for the past four years, just south of the Hood River Airport with a stunning view of Mount Hood.
We stayed in the cottage. This former chicken coop, which Gail Hagee refers to as the “Coop-de-Ville,” has two bedrooms, living room, kitchen and an outdoor patio with a barbecue area.
The main house features three guest rooms, two living rooms and an expansive porch.
The Hagees are modern day farmers, transplants from Seal Beach, Calif., where Scott Hagee, a former lifeguard, owned a nursery.
The couple produced pears and apples on their 40 acres in the Hood River Valley for the first few years, eventually switching to organic pears and apples.
In 1996, they planted 135 grape vines, and today their 2,000 case winery yields award-winning wines with winemaker Rich Cushman at the helm.
They are a member of the year-old Columbia Gorge Appellation, which includes 15 wineries and one cider house.
Today, Pheasant Valley Vineyard and Winery has an inviting tasting room and hosts free wine tastings. At the centerpiece is a 1908 bar, which Scott says “came around the Horn” and was the soda fountain at Barclay’s Pharmacy in downtown Hood River for many years.
Mustard-colored walls and a stone fireplace, along with original art, are the perfect backdrop for afternoon vino. Scott offered us both whites and reds, my favorites being the 2003 Chardonnay and the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. Their signature pear wine is delicious.
Now, I wonder where I can find a decent ice cream cone?
Sue Frause is a Whidbey Island freelance writer and photographer. She may be contacted at skfrause@whidbey.com.
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