Road Trip: Spring Trip To Wilsonville
By Guest Author: Matt Wastradowski
Article At A Glance
- Graham Oaks Nature Park offers three miles of walking trails, diverse ecosystems and ample opportunities for spying local wildlife.
- Enjoy a taste of the Pacific Northwest at Parkway Grille Bar & Restaurant, whose regionally inspired dishes feature locally sourced ingredients from nearby farms.
- Popular day trips and activities around Wilsonville include cooking classes through The Kitchen at Middleground Farms, baby animal tours at Triskelee Farm and wine tasting on the patio at Pete’s Mountain Vineyard.
Where the southern edge of the Portland metro area gives way to the farmland of the Willamette Valley, the city of Wilsonville never feels more alive than in spring.
It’s a fun city to visit all year long, but there’s something magical about spring — when baby animals are born at local farms, wineries reopen after their winter slumber, stores stock fresh produce at the start of peak growing season and colorful blooms appear alongside local trails.
That’s what makes spring a perfect time to plan your next getaway. For a little inspiration, here’s a guide to spending a magical weekend in Wilsonville, complete with suggestions for overnight stays, appetizing eateries and fun activities that showcase the spirit of the region.
Day 1: Arrive In Wilsonville
Welcome to Wilsonville. Whether you’ve been on the road for 20 minutes or two hours, chances are good you’ll want to stretch your legs. Start with a walk through Graham Oaks Nature Park. The 250-acre park hosts three miles of mostly flat walking trails, some of which are paved and wheelchair-accessible, that head through open meadows, restored oak savannas and a conifer forest. Keep an eye out for squirrels, bluebirds and other species of wildlife that call the park's diverse ecosystems home.
Following your walk, take a breather and freshen up after checking into your weekend stay. Families and groups love Our Sweet Retreat, a rental home that sits just outside downtown and encompasses a renovated farmhouse, spacious backyard, detached studio and retro-inspired camping trailer. Learn more about an overnight stay at Our Sweet Retreat.
If you'd rather a hotel stay, spend your weekend at the comfortable Hilton Garden Inn Wilsonville Portland. The stylish, pet-friendly hotel delivers all the amenities you'd hope for in a Hilton hotel: plush bedding, an expansive fitness center, an indoor pool and high-definition televisions with streaming options available.
If you’re staying at the Hilton, you won’t have to go far for tonight’s suggested dinner. At the on-site Parkway Grille Bar & Restaurant, chef Justin Webb leans on relationships with local growers to craft a seasonally driven, Pacific Northwest-inspired food menu that changes often to reflect what's fresh. Depending on when you visit, dinner selections might include grilled ribeye with seasonal vegetables, cedar plank salmon and a smash burger topped with fig jam and Oregon blue cheese.
Day 2: Choose Your Wilsonville Adventure
There’s so much happening around Wilsonville, I couldn’t make just a few one-size-fits-all recommendations. Rather, I'm offering a variety of suggestions for travelers from all walks of life. The fun ranges from foodie-focused cooking classes to family-friendly farm tours and some of the Willamette Valley’s top wineries.
Sharpen your skills with a cooking class at The Kitchen at Middleground Farms. The Kitchen resides on a 17-acre farm, with experiences that range from seasonally inspired classes (such as soup and stew workshops in winter) to globetrotting offerings (including one course that dives into Indian spices). Most of the ingredients come from the on-site farm or are sourced from nearby producers whenever possible.
A number of farms around Wilsonville welcome families with fun, hands-on activities. Not far from town, Triskelee Farm offers a baby-animal tour throughout the year that includes visits with ostriches, chickens, baby alpacas and goats — each of which can be fed by tour guests. Elsewhere, Frog Pond Farm is open between May and December, offering the chance to visit and feed more than 80 animals (including llamas), play in an on-site playground and have fun with more than a dozen yard games. Back in town, Bullwinkle's Wilsonville delivers a full day of fun with go-karts, mini golf, arcade games, laser tag, a zip line and other exciting activities.
Just east of Wilsonville, Molalla River State Park sits at the confluence of three rivers and provides an off-leash play area for your furry friends, plentiful fishing, short hiking trails and opportunities to spy great blue herons (the park hosts one of the region’s largest rookeries). In Wilsonville proper, Memorial Park sits along the Willamette River and hosts outdoor activities suited to the whole family — including the city's only skate park, sport courts, an off-leash dog area, playground equipment and a number of short paths (some of which are paved and wheelchair-accessible).
Wilsonville sits at the northern edge of the Willamette Valley, one of the most prolific grape-growing regions in the world, and is surrounded by a number of outstanding wineries and tasting rooms. Tumwater Vineyard pours estate-grown pinot noir, chardonnay and other wines on a sun-kissed patio next to an on-site pond. Terra Vina Wines is a family owned and operated business with a vineyard on Parrett Mountain just outside of Wilsonville. They are known for their big reds and their environmentally conscious and natural farming approach. And Pete’s Mountain Vineyard shares its local wines in a wood-paneled tasting room — and on a wide-open patio that overlooks the foothills of Mt. Hood. Find additional ideas with our guide to wineries in Mt. Hood Territory.
Where To Eat In Wilsonville
After a day of fun and frolic, return to Wilsonville for dinner — and let your appetite guide your choices. The quirky, family-friendly Wilsonville Old Church & Pub resides in a renovated church that dates back to 1911; the local outpost from the regional McMenamins chain dishes hearty pizzas, burgers and other pub grub (such as salmon tacos and fish-and-chips). KOi Fusion, meanwhile, lives up to its name with a number of dishes that blend Korean and Mexican influences — like tacos stuffed with bulgogi beef and rice adorned with Korean seasonings. For something slightly more upscale, Dar Essalam specializes in lamb, couscous and other dishes that draw influences from Morocco and Mediterranean countries.
Day 3: Have a Little More Fun Before Heading Home
Not ready to head home yet? Fortunately, you don’t have to.
Start with a stop at the vibrant Lux Sucre Bakery + Cafe, whose colorful dining room provides the perfect backdrop for savoring creative pastries, waffles, breakfast sandwiches and four varieties of mimosa.
Afterward, pick up a few goodies for back home. Swing by Our Table Cooperative, where a farm store sells items that are grown in, and sourced exclusively from, Oregon. The selection changes with each season but typically includes fresh produce, meats from nearby farms, fresh-cut bouquets of organic flowers and other goodies that celebrate the flavors of Wilsonville and the Willamette Valley.
Matt Wastradowski loves the Pacific Northwest more than any rational human should — and has written extensively about the region's best craft beer, natural beauty, fascinating history, dynamic culinary scene and outdoor attractions for the likes of Outside, Portland Monthly, AAA's Via magazine and Northwest Travel & Life.
Since 2018, he's also authored three Oregon-centric guidebooks for Moon Travel Guides — one on scenic hikes, one on the Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood and a general guidebook to the Beaver State's top sites.
