Oneonta Gorge Hike and a visit to Hood River

The ultimate guide to 24 hours in Hood River, Oregon for the foodie and adventure seeker. 

Columbia River in Hood River Oregon

Last month I had the opportunity to return to Portland, Oregon to attend Indulge, a food blogging conference. In addition to attending the one-day conference, my photographer Raul and I headed to town a day early so that we could attend a food photography workshop led by Matt Armendariz and his hilarious and equally talented food stylist husband, Adam.

Matt Food Photography Workshop

It’s amazing how much more you learn in an intimate, hands-on session than a large traditional conference workshop.

Oyster Group Dinner - The Lemon Bowl

Our time with Matt and Adam was not only invaluable but they are both just a complete blast to hang out with on a personal level! If you love oysters as much as I do, be sure to add Olympia Oysters to your PDX restaurant bucket list.

Portland Waterfront - The Lemon Bowl

During our stay in Portland, we stayed at the modern and newly renovated Marriott Waterfront right on the river. The views are breathtaking and we loved starting our day with a walk along the river path.

Lauren and Liz Flowers - The Lemon Bowl

The best part? My babe of a roommate, Lauren. When it comes to blogging friends, they don’t get any more genuine, hilarious or down to earth than this girl.

Portland Marriott Waterfront - M Club Lounge

We also had the opportunity to experience the newly remodeled and expanded M Club Lounge. Offering 24 hour access, a complimentary hot breakfast, unlimited Starbucks coffee and many other amenities, I can’t recommend this amenity enough the next time you’re visiting Portland.

Nate Katie and Liz at Full Sail Brewery in Hood River Oregon

After spending just 24 hours in PDX during last year’s visit, I was determined to make the trip out to Hood River this time around so that we could visit my cousin Nate and his wife Katie. If you’re not familiar, Hood River is located just 45 minutes east of Portland.

Dog River Coffee in Hood River Oregon

Not only are they highly active in the local community but they also opened one of the very first coffee shops located in downtown Hood River: Dog River Coffee.

Dog River Coffee - The Lemon Bowl

Brewing Stumptown coffee, you won’t want to miss Dog River Coffee during your next visit to Hood River, Oregon. Be sure to tell owners Nate and Katie that Liz sent you!

Bridge in Oneonta Gorge in Hood River

After fueling up on caffeine, we decided to hike Oneonta Gorge & Waterfall. While it’s not the longest hike (just 2.7 miles), it is by far one of the most breathtaking locations on this earth and much less busy than neighboring Multnomah Falls.

Raul Walking Through Water in Hood River

The coolest part was hiking through water that was literally up to our waists at some points.

Katie and Liz Walking Through Oneonta Gorge

No literally, it was the coolest. I was freezing. Hey, it was April. But I manned up.

Liz Hiking Oneonta Gorge in Hood River

And I’m so glad I did because it was truly one of the most magical experiences of my life.

Katie Hiking Through Gorge

It’s not every day you get to experience natural beauty this close up and personal. A huge thank you to Nate and Katie for taking us!

Beers at Full Sail Brewery in Hood River

If you’re looking for great food and beer in Hood River, I must also recommend Full Sail Brewing Company. With beautiful views of Washington State just past the Columbia River, you should definitely check it out.

Syncline Winery in Hood River Oregon

Is wine more your style? Then be sure to head across the river to Washington to check out Syncline Wine. Nate and Katie are friends with the owners who treated us to an al fresco tasting.

Liz Lounging at Winery in Hood River

Raul captured this photo of me calling home to say goodnight to the boys who were three hours ahead in eastern time. The hammock in the background pretty much says it all.

Sunset in Hood River

Have you ever visited Hood River before? What spots did I miss? What do I need to check out next time? I’d love to hear from you.

Before you go, take a look at some of these other sites that talk about Hood River and Oneonta Gorge:

Disclosure: The Portland Marriott Waterfront hosted me during my stay. Travel Oregon also hosted our overnight stay in Hood River.

More Wanderlust Travel awaits!

18 thoughts on “Oneonta Gorge Hike and a visit to Hood River”

  1. Nice write up! Looks like you have the beverage selections down, BUT DID YOU NOT EAT THAT DAY? lol

    Any recommendations for food in the Gorge?

  2. We totally published sister posts this week! :) The Hood River area is definitely on my list for the next time that I visit Portland. I did Willamette Valley during last year’s Indulge Conference & was blown away by all the natural beauty there. But it looks like Hood River is just as breathtaking.

  3. I have visited this area and its beautiful! I have had the luck of visiting Portland many times and other spots in the state, but I am about to spend 6 weeks there, 2.5 in central Oregon and the rest on the coast with a day or two in Portland. I cannot wait – its an amazing region with great food, wine, beer and people with nature everywhere!

    1. Oh Kristen you must!! Believe me, I LOVE Portland but Hood River pretty much stole the show. It is so incredibly breathtaking – feels like you’re walking through a movie scene. xoxo

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