The Willamette Valley, also known as Oregon Wine Country, is home to more than 700 wineries and tasting rooms pouring some of our world-famous wines. And our culinary scene is driven almost entirely by the four seasons—where the menu at your favorite eatery might change from visit to visit to reflect whatever’s fresh that day.
Taken together, it represents much of what makes the Willamette Valley so special. But we also understand it’s a lot to navigate for someone new to the area. Where do you start, after all, if you want to visit a few wineries or forage for truffles—a regional specialty?
You’ll find plenty of knowledgeable guides and passionate experts ready to help you make the most of your next trip with guided tours around the Willamette Valley. They’ll plan your day of wine tasting, take you into forests rich with native plants, and show you the best of the region along the way. Here’s why a guided tour in the Willamette Valley might be just what you need to make the most of your upcoming adventure.
There are plenty of good reasons to take a guided tour in the Willamette Valley. Here are a few:
Planning: Let someone else do the planning (and, in many cases, driving). Local outfitters and tour guides know the region well, stay up to date on what’s new and exciting, and can put together a trip that showcases the best of the region.
Customization: In many cases, especially with winery tours, your guide might inquire about what you want from your trip—and use that to craft an idyllic experience suited to your taste.
Behind-the-Scenes Access: Guides frequently partner with local businesses to offer small-group winery tours, private lunches, and other activities exclusively to tour guests.
What sets a guided outing apart from traveling on your own? Here’s what the guided experience might look like on your next trip to the Willamette Valley.
Transportation: In many cases, the outfitter will pick you up from your hotel or vacation rental—and provide comfortable transportation for the duration of your tour. Occasionally, the driver will have water and snacks on hand in case you need a pick-me-up between stops.
Insight and Knowledge: Your guide will share their insider knowledge and provide valuable context for enjoying your day’s tour—perhaps by discussing the history of the Willamette Valley wine scene, talking about why truffles grow so easily here, and explaining how mushrooms get used in a variety of dishes.
Recommendations: Looking for wineries to visit after your tour? Trying to plan the perfect dinner? Want to get in a quick hike before heading home tomorrow? Don’t be shy about asking your friendly guide for recommendations; they know the area, after all, and are generally happy to share local favorites.
We couldn’t begin to list every last guided tour in the Willamette Valley, but here are a few suggestions from our partners and collaborators to inspire your next getaway.
Truffle Hunting: Oregon truffles are a regional delicacy that grow in winter, and Black Tie Tours takes you on a guided outing to find your own truffles. The fun includes a foraging overview, tips for storing truffles, and suggestions for incorporating the flavorful fungi into your next meal. Black Tie Tours’ Bougie Truffle Tromp, meanwhile, includes all of the aforementioned fun—as well as a private lunch and wine tasting.
Mushroom Foraging: In fall and spring, mushrooms grow in rainy forests across the Willamette Valley. Join First Nature Tours for a mushroom foraging experience that shows how to harvest and care for wild mushrooms—followed by a chef-led cooking demonstration (featuring dishes cooked with mushrooms that you foraged) and a multi-course, forest-to-table meal alongside wines from local vintners.
Wine Tasting and Insiders Lunch: Join First Nature Tours for an introduction to the Willamette Valley wine scene. The heart of the tour is a pair of visits to heralded wineries that showcase the bounty of the region—where you'll enjoy a variety of wines, savor pastoral vineyard views, and indulge in a gourmet lunch.
This two-day, waterfall-and-wine-themed trip with First Nature Tours includes stops at some of the Willamette Valley's most scenic waterfalls, farm-to-table food experiences, a luxurious overnight stay in Eugene, and wine tasting at one of the region's most celebrated wineries. Transportation, behind-the-scenes experiences, and insight from an experienced guide are included in the private tour.
Plan a custom outing to local wineries with help from the friendly team at Crush Wine Tours. Design your own tour by sharing your preferred vehicle, the number of group members, the wineries you'd like to visit, and how much time you have to spend—and Crush will map out a guided outing suited to your preferences.
For the Love of Scenic Wine Tours offers a handful of tours that explore various wine-growing regions within the Willamette Valley—as well as a custom tour with a unique itinerary.
