Heading to Hood River for the weekend and wondering what you should do? Here are some ideas we are just going to throw out there……
Play in the Snow
In less than an hour you can be hopping on a chairlift at Mt. Hood Meadows or Cooper Spur Mountain Resort. Mt. Hood Meadows has 1,700 vertical feet of terrain for skiers and boarders of all levels, as well as groomed Nordic trails, while family-friendly Cooper Spur Resort offers tubing and beginner-friendly lift-accessed slopes. Other nearby sledding options include Little John Sno-Park and White River Sno-Park.
Through April, Mt. Hood Meadows, Hood River County Chamber of Commerce and local lodging partners are offering the Ski Hood deal. Stay with a participating Hood River lodging partner and access deep discounts of lift tickets and lesson packages — plus, there are no blackout or restricted dates.
Go See Bald Eagles in Lyle, WA
During the winter months, bald eagles gather along the Columbia River tributaries where they feast on spawning and dying salmon. One of the best places for eagle viewing is in the lower Klickitat River canyon. A couple of ways to see them are to hike the short Balfour Loop Trail – an easy, 3/4 mile loop with views overlooking both the Klickitat and Columbia Rivers or hike along the Klickitat River Trail – a rails – to – trail hike that follows the first 31 miles of an old railroad corridor that once linked the towns of Lyle and Goldendale. The trail follows along the Klickitat River and eagles can often be spotted in the first few miles.
Go Snowshoeing
Rent snowshoes at 2nd Wind Sports or Doug’s Hood River and head up Highway 35 where there are many options for snowshoeing fun. Take the Tilly Jane Trail or Cloud Cap Road to the Tilly Jane A-Frame or Cloud Cap. Both trails offer spectacular views of Mount Hood and on a clear days, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, and Mount Rainier. Other options include Pocket Creek, White River West Sno-Park and the Tamanawas Falls Trail.
Try a Crossfit, Yoga or Barre Class
Not into the winter outdoor activities? No problem! Hood River has numerous active indoor options too. If Crossfit is your thing, check out Crossfit Hood River and Crossfit Viento. Both have drop-in options for visitors. Looking for something a little less intense? Flow Yoga offers a variety of yoga classes including Power Flow, Restorative and Aeriel Flow or try a hot yoga class at Pure Yoga. Classes at Hood River Barre combine innovative strength and resistance training, cardio, and stretching into a full-body workout.
Drink Beer
Thirsty after all your adventures? Grab your designated driver and head over to the Washington side of the river to Everybody’s Brewing in White Salmon, then head back to Hood River to visit Hood River’s original brewery Full Sail Brewing, as well as Double Mountain Brewery and Pfriem Family Brewers. Want to venture out a bit? Check out Thunder Island Brewing in Cascade Locks, Solera Brewing in Parkdale, Freebridge Brewing in The Dalles, Backwoods Brewing in Carson and Walking Man Brewery in Stevenson. Stay for a weekend and visit them all or visit a couple then stop at Sixth Street Bistro where you can taste several local beers on tap while enjoying one of our nightly dinner specials!
Eat!
This February is the inaugural Hood River County Foodie February – a month-long celebration of the area’s outstanding dining scene that gives visitors and locals alike the chance to support local restaurants and discover some of the best food and menus in the region! Throughout the month, restaurants will be offering Foodie February specials and menus. At Sixth Street Bistro we’ll be doing 2Fer Tuesday all month long. Read all about our winter Tuesday tradition here.
Hope to see you soon!