If you are able to visit our community and the Columbia River Gorge here are a few suggestions:
1) Hood River Downtown: Drive and park on State street between 2nd and
6th where there is usually plenty of parking. Walk through the Library
grounds to Oak street and tour the store fronts and restaurants that line
Oak, Cascade between 1st and 7th street. Some favorite places are:
Lake Taco at it's new location on Oak street, The Ruddy Duck, Doug's Sporting
Goods, Short Supply Sporting Goods, Discover and Mountain View Bikes,
Double Mountain Brewery, Evoke Winery, Celilo and 3 Rivers restaurants,
Sushi Okalani (featuring Liz Jex's husband Randall as the head sushi chef)
and Dog River, Doppio and Grounds coffee houses. If open, check out Mike's
Ice Cream right next to the Ruddy Duck. Explore the art galleries and
the Columbia Center for the Arts on 3rd and Cascade just across from the
Elk's club, and some of the cool murals, too.
2) Hood River Waterfront: Cross over the 2nd street freeway overpass to
the Columbia River and walk along the waterfront art walk from the Tofurky
factory opposite Ferment Brewery
down the to Hook and view Well's Island, looking west. Walk back past
the swimming beach, playground and Pfriem brewery and gastropub, Solstice
Pizza and Stoked Coffee roasters. Take a walk along the waterfront trail
from the Tofurky Factory westard towards the Hook and Wells Island. Then
turn around and walk back past the event site and the Nichols Boat landing.
The access road continues further east to the Sandbar. If you have brought
your four legged friend, take them out and walk along the "peninsula"
that starts at the end of the gravel road across the Columbia River. When
the water level is low, you can almost walk all the way across to the
State of Washington.
3) The Heights, Hospital and One Community Health: Head out of downtown and and either walk up the 2nd street steps to May Street and turn right, or get in your car and travel south up 9th street past the Children's Park, or go west on Oak street and turn left, up 13th street. You will pass by the Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital at 12th and May where you can park after turning left on May and parking at 12th and May in the parking structure. The "Heights" has businesses along 12th and 13th street just south and above the hospital. Some of our favorites are: The Hood River Taqueria and El Puerto de Angeles for great Mexican food and brews at Volcanic Bottle Shoppe and the Height's Cider house for local ciders. There is a great pet supply store just across the street from our favorite bakery in town, Pine Street Bakery. Check-out more local restaurants at https://www.gorgeinthegorge.com/. Pictured below are the Children's Park, our beloved Lake Taco, & Hood River and Milwaukie Residents at Volcanic Bottle Shoppe.
If you want to visit One Community Health or the Hospital, please enter at the main entrance and follow any posted guidelines/restrictions. In most cases, we are not able to give people individual tours of the clinical areas at this time, but feel free to walk around the buildings and see the new artwork and open areas.
4) Trails: There are just too many trails for walking, running and biking. If you want to explore here are some of our favorites: Hiking and Running: Indian Creek Trails, the Whoopdee, The Pipeline trail, Tamanawas Falls and Punchbowl Falls a little way up the valley. Mountain biking favorites include the world-famous Post Canyon Trails, Binn's Hill and the Whoopdee. Pictured below are Mount Adams and Mt. St. Helen's from the Whoopdee and Punchbowl falls near Dee.
