With so many Mt. Hood Territory restaurants offering easy to-go food options and a growing number of food carts and food pods throughout the area, the only question is: Where to eat? If you're hoping for a bit of color, we have five picnic-perfect picks that will get you outside in the wide open beautiful summer air... maybe even with a light floral scent.
Located at Luscher Farm, a Lake Oswego city park, Rogerson Clematis Garden boasts North America's most comprehensive collection of clematis, with over 1,700 clematis plants in both a greenhouse and outdoor garden space spanning two acres and surrounding an early 1900 farmhouse with plenty of space for picnics. You'll see these blooms year-round.
Want a beautiful garden picnic with the ease of grabbing your food onsite? The good folks at Our Table Cooperative in Sherwood were recently able to reopen their on-farm grocery store after offering online-only options during much of the pandemic. With an inhouse chef and kitchen, they are able to create grab-and-go dishes, perfect to nosh on at one of their picnic tables overlooking their flower garden. Fridays are also "hot food" nights if you'd like something a bit steamier.
While Dahlia Festival dates are still TBD for this year, Swan Island Dahlia Farm in Canby will definitely have their fields and gift shop open from August through September. Pack a picnic for an outing at the largest dahlia grower in the U.S. They offer plenty of picnic tables and free parking all days except Wednesday.
This one acre formal rose garden is located near the entrance to North Clackamas Park in Milwaukie. Sara Hite Memorial Rose Garden's central red brick plaza is surrounded by manicured rose beds at ground level and framed at four corners by raised beds, walkways and low plantings. Roses are typically in bloom April through October, with peak bloom in June. Park benches line the brick plaza, making for lots of welcoming picnic seating, or bring a blanket and spread out on the garden's lawn.
In 2019, the Clackamas County Historical Society completed wildflower plantings along the McLoughlin Promenade, from the entrance near the Museum of the Oregon Territory (MOOT) to Oregon City's Municipal Elevator. This 7.8 acre linear park overlooks downtown Oregon City and Willamette Falls, with park benches and grassy areas along the way. Different wildflowers bloom throughout spring and summer. Right now, poppies are the most noticeable, lighting up the Promenade's entrance near MOOT.
Since MOOT has reopened with limited occupancy, we'd be remiss not to mention that a fun way to picnic here would be to grab food from downtown, visit the Oregon City Municipal Elevator where you can pick up an Oregon City Field Guide thanks to Travel Oregon City, walk the Promenade and picnic, visit MOOT and then use your field guide it to enjoy even more throughout the city!
