There is so much to do in Portland and spring offers the perfect excuse to get out and enjoy the spring flowers and great hiking weather. Road trip, anyone?
Family Friendly: Woodburn Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
Just a short 45 minute drive out of Portland, you’ll find 40 acres of gorgeous tulip fields at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival in Woodburn, Ore. Family-friendly weekend activities include pony rides, a zip line, climbing wall, archery tag, paintball and even hot air balloon rides. To make it a full day adventure, pack up the family bikes and map out a ride in and around Woodburn before the festival.
Trip Planner
- Directions: Located 45 minutes south of Portland at 33814 South Meridian Road in Woodburn.
- Extras: The festival ends in May. Some activities like the pony rides and zip line have an additional cost. Check the field report before you go to see which flowers are in bloom and any activities happening on the day you go.
Bring out the Bikes: Willamette River Loop Trail
After months of hiding your bike indoors during the rainy winter, spring sunshine offers the perfect time to grease up those gears and get back into summer biking form. For those willing to break a sweat, the Willamette River Loop Trail begins in South Portland and takes you on a mostly-flat, 30 mile ride with great views of the river.
If 30 miles sounds like too much to handle, check out this list of the top nine rides around Portland, with routes available for all skill levels.
Trip Planner
- Directions: This ride begins and ends at the Salmon Street Springs Fountain at 1000 Southwest Naito Parkway in Portland. Also, be sure to download this detailed map of the ride with turn by turn directions from the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Hitting the Trail: Warrior Point Hike on Sauvie Island
Leave the city behind and get lost in nature with a 7 mile out and back hike on the Warrior Point Trail on Sauvie Island. You’ll explore the state wildlife refuge while hiking mostly on the riverfront beach as you make your way towards a small and particularly photogenic lighthouse.
Trip Planner
- Directions: You’ll find the trailhead 40 minutes from Portland. Hop on Highway 30 west from Portland to the Sauvie Island Bridge. Turn right and go over the bridge (it becomes Sauvie Island Road). If you don’t have an ODFW permit, stop at the Cracker Barrel store to pick one up. Continue on Sauvie Island road for two more miles, then turn right onto Reeder Road. Continue on Reeder Road 12 more miles to the trailhead at the road’s end.
- Passes: You’ll need an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) permit. Snag one at one of several Sauvie Island locations listed on the Warrior Point Trailhead page.
Happy weekend adventuring!
Tags: Active Adventure, biking, hiking, outdoor adventures
