It’s finally spring and time for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival! Now that you have seen one of Oregon's most beautiful sights for yourself, it’s time to explore the surrounding area. The Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm sits near some other great activities. Here are a few things to do in the area.
Don't let the small size fool you, there is plenty to do in the town of Molalla. From visiting heritage sites to farm fun to outdoor adventures, this area has it all. Downtown features shops and even an escape room. Haven't had a chance to see why escape rooms have become so popular? Escape Molalla is your chance to get that firsthand experience. Open Friday–Sunday, your group are in a themed room and given a set amount of time to find all the necessary clues. Currently they feature western and sasquatch themed rooms.
When you’re ready to grab some grub head to the Molalla River Brewing Company. Enjoy a pint of craft beer while pairing it with food from the food carts on site. They even offer an 18 hole mini golf course and grass play field area for the kids to enjoy as well.
Head out to Alpacas at Marquam Hill Ranch to hang out with some adorable alpacas. At Out In The Garden Nursery you’ll find unique plants specifically grown for their ability to grow in our climate and for their beauty.
There's also a world of adventure just outside of town. Molalla sits at the edge of the Molalla River Recreation Corridor, a wealth of hiking, biking, horse trails and water play.
Bonus tip: If you come back to the area in summer, the Molalla Train Park is a mandatory place to visit if you have young kids. The visit may be for them, but chances are you'll have a blast, too, as you ride around the scenic grounds aboard H-scale model trains.
There are a number of wineries located near Wooden Shoe. In fact, you don't even have to leave to visit the first, Wooden Shoe Vineyards. They offer several varieties that are less common in Oregon, like albarino and marechal foch. Of course you'll find Oregon's most well known variety too, pinot noir.
Next door to Wooden Shoe is Hanson Vineyards. They grow nine varieties of grapes at their vineyard, leading to large selection of red and white wines including pinot noir, riesling and Gamay noir. With a 'hands-on' style, they like to think that the role a grape grower plays is as important as that of winemaker.
Just down the road is St. Josef's Winery which is open Fridays through Sundays throughout the festival and offers live music on Sundays. They are pioneers in the state's wine scene, as owner Josef is one of the first wine growers in Oregon.
Whiskey Hill Winery is next door to St. Josef’s and also offers tastings Fridays through Sundays. Their intimate tasting room affords wine lovers the chance to speak with the winemaker himself as they try pinot noirs, syrahs, leon millot and other varieties.
You can also head to the Pete’s Mountain area in West Linn where several wineries have opened here in the past decade, each with its own style and philosophy on creating wines. And make sure to sign up for the Mt. Hood Territory Wine Trail for exclusive discounts and prizes.
If you want to see even more flowers, consider heading out to one of our springtime trails to see wildflowers. Enjoy fields of electric blue and purple at the Camassia Nature Preserve in West Linn or head to Graham Oaks Nature Park in Wilsonville to see meadow checkermallow, Pacific bleeding hearts and trillium. The park is also a wetland mecca for birds.
If you’re heading up Mt. Hood make sure to stop into Wildwood Recreation Site in Welches for ADA-accessible boardwalks that offer views of the lesser thought about wildflower, Western skunk cabbage. With their distinctive smell and alien pod looks, they seem out of this world.
Canby is home to local celebrities, err…"cowlebrities" at TMK Creamery. Visitors get to meet the cows and see how the cheese is made first-hand. And if delicious cheese wasn't enough of an incentive they recently opened up an onsite distillery making vodka from whey leftover from the cheese-making process called Cowcohol.
Speaking of TMK Creamery, you can try their cheese on local sandwiches and burgers at Wayward Sandwiches in downtown Canby. Wayward is just one of many great food options downtown.
Hop aboard the Canby Ferry to feel like you’re riding on a time machine. In the early days, ferries were about the only reliable way to cross the Willamette River. Now only three remain operating on the river.
If the festival inspired you to try to recreate the beauty you just saw on canvas, then head over to Art-O-Maddic. Part gallery, part art supply store and part art class studio, you'll find all sorts of stunning works of art from local artists for further inspiration, plus the supplies and classes to give it a go yourself.
Triskelee Farm, outside of West Linn, has an impressive selection of animals. From farm favorites like goats and horses to more unique cuties like ostriches, and not to mention adorable alpacas.
Located outside of Oregon City, the Oregon Donkey Sanctuary is a farm that rescues and rehabilitates donkeys while giving them a wonderful home. Learn more about these misunderstood creatures, and perhaps make a new friend or two.
Fir Point Farms is known for their country store with homemade pastries, including amazing cinnamon rolls, plus their apple cider donuts are legendary. But on top of that, they have tree-climbing pygmy goats. As if that weren't enough, their resident bunnies are pretty darn adorable too.
View more places to see cute animals here.
Raining on the way home? Ready to explore an indoor activity? There are so many options in Mt. Hood Territory.
Newly remodeled in summer 2019, Bullwinkle’s Entertainment in Wilsonville features more than 10 attractions including go-karts, laser tag, miniature golf and bowling. It also has a restaurant and bar.
The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City is an interactive museum that is filled with educational and interactive exhibits that feature the Oregon Trail journey, Indigenous life, Black pioneers and more. Guests can view the new film “Oregon’s First People” made in partnership with the
Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde, and take part in interactive exhibits like candle dipping, rag doll making and packing a wagon.
The Kitchen at Middleground Farms is a recreational cooking school located on a family hobby farm in Wilsonville. They offer cooking classes for all ages including classes designed for kids so the whole family can participate.
