Downtown Hood River is all dressed up … have you got somewhere to go? Of course you do — HERE, anytime during the coming holiday season, but most definitely on the evening of Friday, Nov. 30, when the city kicks off its Hood River Holidays celebration with the annual parade and tree lighting ceremony. Parade starts at 6 p.m. along Oak Avenue, and winds up at Overlook Park for tree lighting and caroling and full-on fun. Be here!
Cornerstone Cuisine server Ashley Heck displays the oversize vodka bottle that some Hood River Hotel guests recently left behind after checking out. Why would they do that — it wasn’t even empty? Ashley plans to take the bottle home and use it for … something. But if the people who left it are reading this, and want it back, just give us a call at 541-386-1900 and we can arrange it.
On the cusp of Thanksgiving, we remind you about the imminent launch of the annual Hood River Holidays festival.
It kicks off with a parade and tree lighting the evening of Friday, Nov. 30. Join the fun, take advantage of free on-street parking after 4 p.m., catch the parade at 6 p.m. and tree lighting at Overlook Park, south end of 2nd Street, immediatley afterward.
The festivities continue through Dec. 24. Check out all the details at the Chamber of Commerce web site.
Hood River is getting all festive for the holidays. Lights are going up on the trees and businesses downtown. And holiday shoppers are scouting out opportunities for novelty and economy. Such as?
Funny you should ask. If you like hand-crafted goodies, the Last Chance Holiday Bazaar on Dec. 8-9 will definitely provide the un-BigBox shopping experience. Nothing from China here.
As always, the bazaar is staged at the Hood River County Fairgrounds in Odell, not quite 8 miles south of Hood River off Oregon 35.
The bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days in the community building, 3020 Wy’east Road, and will offer shoppers a “last chance” before the holidays to find one-of-a-kind gifts, holiday decorating ideas, specialty foods, artwork, scented products, and much more.
More than 40 booths will feature the work of crafters, jewelry makers, bakers, soft good makers, soap makers, photographers, and other creative people.
Parking and admission are free.
Call the fairgrounds at 541-354-2865 for information, or check the website.
It’s almost soon gonna be here pretty quickly maybe if it only would dump ski season.
And when the snow flies and piles up on Mt. Hood, you’ll want to hit the hill. Have we got a deal for you.
First, we’ve extended our winter room special through February. To refresh your memory, any available room — including suites — is yours for $100. That represents a savings of up to $69 off normal rates.
To sweeten the buffet, the Hood River Hotel is offering its River View Rooms for just $89 during the month of December.
That’s a savings of $25 to $35 (weekday vs. weekend).
Then, add discounted lift tickets at Mt. Hood Meadows. Through the end of the year (with one exception, noted below), adults ski for $50 instead of the normal $74, and juniors pay just $40 compared to the normal $46.
During the week of Dec. 26-31 — and on all weekends in January and February — adults will pay $70 (a savings of $19), and juniors will still pay $40.
Call 541-386-1900 to reserve your room and ski getaway now!
Want to get away from your urban sprawl and suburban banality, but fearful that if you do, you’ll leave the party behind?
Oh, ye of little faith. Hood River loves to party. Small doesn’t mean dull.
In fact, one of the biggest and best local soirees of the season is coming up this weekend. It’s the annual Gala Hood River Christmas Project Fashion Show, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, at (ahem) one of the other fine lodging establishments in Hood River.
Interested? You should be. Entry is just $20, and it helps fund Christmas giving for underprivileged local families. Have fun. Do good. Get details at its facebook page.
Can you believe it, Thanksgiving is just nine days off (at this writing, anyway)? Wow, where did the … cranberries go?
Two helpful hints: Always make and consume more gravy, and try some great Gorge wines.
Members of the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Association are popping their corks and rolling out the red carpets (or white carpets, for those of you who prefer a nice chard or pinot gris) the weekend of Nov. 23-25.
As part of the open house weekend, wineries will be offering huge discounts, food pairings, new releases and assorted other fun things to do, taste and learn.
To learn more about member wineries, and learn what they’ve got in store, just go to the association web site.
The Columbia Gorge Winegrowing Region (AVA) is located just one hour east of the Portland/Vancouver area. Wineries on both sides of the Columbia River — in Washington and Oregon — lie beside, atop and in between some of the most spectacular geography on the planet.
All these pockets of productivity thrive in a range of microclimates, which support “a world of wines in 40 miles”, including grape varieties as diverse as Albariño to Zinfandel. Local winemakers make the most of their fruit, too.
Doubt us? Just check out the list of rave reviews (and 90+ point ratings) and top-tier awards from major wine competitions. Here are links, too, to recent stories about not just one but two emerging Gorge wineries.
You heard it here first: the Hood River Hotel is the perfect solution for people who like to ski, but aren’t sure when or how much they can get away to do it.
If you’re a ski bum or unemployed and addicted to turns, you’ll probably want to get a season pass.
For the rest of us, a visit to the Hood River Hotel — right downtown, close to shopping and great restaurants — is the perfect way to unwind after a day on the hill — at discount prices.
Yep, in partnership with Mt. Hood Meadows, the Hotel is again offering discounted single-day lift tickets. For most of the ski season, adult tickets will be available for $50 (compared to $74 normal), and junior tickets will be offered for $40 (compared to $46 at the mountain).
Meadows has a second level of pricing this year. Tickets are a bit more during what it calls “peak season” — the week of Dec. 26-31, and every Saturday and Sunday in January and February. On those dates, adult tix are $70 (compared to $89 retail). There is no change in discount pricing for junior tickets.
So, obviously, mid-week getaways rock the pocketbook during “peak season.” Early and late season sliders can score any time. Call 800-386-1859 to reserve your room.
You’ve been meaning to get out to the Maryhill Museum all summer, but life has been too busy?
Well, no excuses accepted. It’s fall. It’s wet. You don’t really have to mow the lawn, when you could trip out to the museum and take in its marvelous show of David Hockney etchings.
Why are we telling you this, now? Because it’s a great show, and because you’ve got just two weeks to engage. It ends Nov. 15.
Maryhill is just 40 minutes east of Hood River. Hood River is just 40 minutes west of Maryhill, so when you’re sated on art — and, perhaps, the wines of nearby tasting rooms such as Maryhill Winery, Cascade Cliffs, Jacob Williams, Syncline, Cor, Memaloose and Domaine Pouillon — you can retreat to your room at the Hood River Hotel.
And, have we got a deal for you during November. Any room or suite is just $100 for two people during the month. And that includes a voucher good for $10 off the cost of breakfast at our Cornerstone Cuisine restaurant. Reserve now.
