Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about the Willamette Valley, we have the answers. Choose a topic to get started.
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is most notably known for its wine, even being recognized by Wine Enthusiast magazine as Wine Region of the Year in 2016. This is a world-class destination for wine, yet there is so much more. The valley is also known for its agricultural regions resulting in fresh, farm-to-table fare, wild wonders with cascading waterfalls, thrilling mountain biking trails, historic covered bridges, quaint small towns and so much more. Start exploring more about the Willamette Valley.
Anytime is a great time to visit the Willamette Valley, so when you travel here depends on what you want to do. If it’s wine, you can plan your trip around four seasons: winter cellar season, spring bud break season, summer al fresco season and fall crush season. Seasonality transforms hiking, biking and waterway trails to new and exciting experiences. Of course, seasonal events might sway your decision, there is always something happening around the Willamette Valley.
Willamette is pronounced will-aaam-ette. Just remember it rhymes with “Dammit” and you’ll be fine.
The Willamette Valley is a four-season playground with typically cool, wet and mild winters and rainy springs with summers and falls that tend to be warm with cool evenings. Start exploring more about the Willamette Valley.
The Willamette Valley stretches nearly 150 miles long and is 60 miles wide. Start exploring more about the Willamette Valley. You could travel the entire length of the valley in about two hours.
Dine & Drink
The Willamette Valley’s rich volcanic soils and steady rainfalls produce fertile farms, where more than 170 crops and organic livestock thrive. So it should come as no surprise that farm-to-table cuisine is a mainstay here. Chefs, many award-winning, often collaborate with passionate growers to serve the freshest cuisine at restaurants, cafes and diners, plus food trails that showcase the region’s bounty. Explore Willamette Valley restaurants and start planning your trip.
Of course! The Willamette Valley is known for more than just wine. The climate is ideal to produce locally-grown hops, barley and produce, too. So naturally the craft beer scene is expanding here with breweries, taprooms, cider houses and distilleries popping up across the valley.
The Willamette Valley grows some spectacular hops, so of course, you’ll find breweries plentiful across the valley. In fact, there are more than 50 breweries here. Add in taprooms, distilleries and cider houses, and you’ve found almost 100 places that serve tasty spirits. Explore the breweries and bars and start planning your trip.
Eugene, Oregon offers beer aficionados 15 breweries to choose from, as well as taprooms and bottleshops.
Eugene, Oregon, offers a wide array of breweries that use high-quality local ingredients to craft award-winning brews.
Corvallis, Oregon, offers locally-made craft beer at six different breweries in or near Corvallis.
Things to Do
Oregon offers some of the best hiking trails in the country. And in Willamette Valley, there are no shortages of places to explore. One of the most popular trails is the Trail of Ten Falls in one of the most popular state parks, Silver Falls State Park. It’s an easy thirty-minute drive from Salem, Oregon features an approximately seven-mile loop of a National Recreation Trail that passes by at least ten waterfalls with five falls over 100 feet in length. Explore more hiking in the Willamette Valley.
Oregon hot springs are found in the Cascade Mountains and in the eastern and southern parts of the state. The Willamette Valley offers many hot springs, including these five hot springs.
Oregon’s diverse landscape, climate and terrain are a dream come true for new and expert mountain bikers. The Willamette Valley offers its fair share of scenic trails, including legendary cross-country trails winding through the Willamette National Forest in Oakridge, Oregon. The city’s “Crown Jewel” is the Alpine Trail, a 15-mile trail that descends 4,500 feet past breathtaking Cascade mountain vistas. Discover even more suggested mountain biking trails.
You’ll find hundreds of miles of trails in and around Salem. Some of the region’s most popular trails include the Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls State Park, flat foot paths around Minto-Brown Island Park, and trails through the scenic Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge.
You don’t have to go far to find great hiking trails in and around Eugene. Right in town, the Spencer’s Butte Trail leads to an overlook with sweeping views of the Willamette Valley. Elsewhere nearby, popular trails include the Mount Pisgah Arboretum (covered in wildflowers every spring) and the expansive Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail System (featuring more than a dozen miles of trails within Eugene city limits).
Marys Peak is the highest peak in the Coast Range and a popular destination in the central Willamette Valley. Marys Peak Trailhead is a 1.3-mile hike ranked as easy and family-friendly that is accessible April 1 through November 30. A Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) is required to park at the summit parking area, which can be purchased on site.
Oregon is a hiker’s paradise, and the Willamette Valley offers some of the best hiking trails in the state. Decide where you want to hike and search for accommodations that are centrally located by your destination of choice. You’ll find charming hideaways, historic hotels and much more when you search for lodging nearby.
You can find some of the best hot springs right here in the Willamette Valley, including these five not-to-miss mineral-rich springs.
Some of the hot springs are closed due to fire damage. Research the hot springs you would like to visit prior to embarking on a trip.
Oregon is a dream come true for cyclists, with bike trails found across the state. The Willamette Valley offers world-class mountain bike trails as well as road and gravel bike riding trails. You’ll find trails for the avid cyclist to challenge athleticism to family-friendly routes that can include covered bridges. When you visit the Willamette Valley, bring your bike (or rent one) and explore our trails, including the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway.
Getting Here
There are two primary airports in the Willamette Valley. To the north, you’ll find the international airport Portland (PDX) and Eugene (EUG) in the south. Start planning your trip to the Willamette Valley.
Alaska Airlines, Travel Oregon, and the Oregon Wine Board who have teamed up to offer the Wine Flies Free program, which allows visitors to check a case of wine for free when flying from certain cities throughout the Pacific Northwest—including Portland and Eugene. So all you need to do is narrow it down to 12 bottles and join the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan —even if you’re in the middle of your trip. Check out this article for more information.
