White Water Friday

Join us rafting on the White Salmon river!

Greg's brother Jeff is organizing a rafting trip on the Wild and Scenic White Salmon River on Friday, August 31. Everyone is welcome. The trip is several hours of class III-IV rafting and we'll start around 1pm. The river put-in is about a 20 minute drive from Hood River. We'll use a commercial guide service.

If you're interested in joining us, send Jeff an email at jeff_dotson[at]earthlink.net.

Another Word About Lodging

Hotels in Hood River are beginning to fill up. However, those of you that don't have accomodations don't need to panic yet.

We have a number of rooms reserved at Comfort Suites. Each room has 2 queen beds and a foldout couch and goes for $159 per night. If you are interested in one of these rooms, please shoot us an email. We'll have to let these reserved rooms go on July 15th if no one wants them.

Also, many hotels have blocks of rooms that are being held for other weddings in Hood River during Labor Day weekend. Unreserved rooms are released from these blocks earlier in the summer. For instance, Best Western and the Columbia Gorge Hotel will release extra rooms 30 days before Labor Day weekend (July 31st or so). The Hood River Hotel will release extra rooms 45 days before Labor Day weekend (July 15th or so).

Please let us know if you are having any trouble finding a place to stay.

Worth at least a three-day trip!

The City of Hood River is only an hour and a half drive from the Portland International Airport. It is located in the middle of the Columbia River Gorge, a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range. There are many fun activities in and around Hood River: hiking, sightseeing, mountain biking, windsurfing, shopping, visiting museums, camping, fishing, boating, wildlife watching, birding, rock climbing, wine tasting at the area’s vineyards, and more.



And since you’ve come all the way to Oregon, you might as well drive an hour west from Portland and go to the coast or tour the Willamette Valley vineyards as well!

Book Your Lodging Early!

There are a lot of accomodations to choose from in and around the town of Hood River. However, it is a popular destination, especially during August and September, so it pays to plan early. While there are many cute bed and breakfasts, many of them have only a few rooms.

In town: Staying “downtown” is definitely the most convenient to restaurants, shopping, and the wedding site (which is just a few minutes west of downtown). Here are some good options:

Hood River Hotel: Beautiful historic hotel in downtown Hood River. Many of our guests will be staying here.

Oak Street Hotel Charming hotel on one of the town’s main streets.

Inn at the Gorge B&B: Beautiful Victorian house within easy walking distance of Downtown Hood River.

Columbia Gorge Hotel: Probably the fanciest hotel in Hood River, and only a short drive to downtown and to the wedding site.

Lakecliff Bed and Breakfast: Gorgeous B&B right on the Columbia River. (We almost had the wedding here.) Only a few minutes to downtown and the wedding site.

Villa Columbia Bed and Breakfast: Located in a cute neighborhood within easy walking distance to downtown.

Hood River Bed and Breakfast: Small bed and breakfast just 3 blocks from downtown Hood River.

Gorge View Bed & Breakfast: Small B&B just a few blocks from downtown. Caters to windsurfers.

Best Western Inn: This hotel is located on the shores of the Columbia River, just a few minute drive from downtown.

Comfort Suites: Also a quick drive to downtown.

Vagabond Lodge: Hotel on the outskirts of town.

Out of town: There are a number of great places within a 15-20 minute drive from Hood River. Many of these will be quiet and offer beautiful views, but staying here will involve some more driving.

Mosier House: A Benner family favorite, this quaint B&B is just a 15 minute drive from Hood River in the tiny town of Mosier.

Mt. Hood Hamlet Bed & Breakfast: Located in the town of Parkdale, in the beautiful Hood River Valley, about 20 minutes from Hood River.

Old Parkdale Inn: Located in Parkdale.

Panorama Lodge: Located on a hill right out of town.

Pheasant Valley Orchards B&B: A 10 minute drive from downtown Hood River, located on a working farm and winery.

Sakura Ridge B & B: A 10 minute drive from downtown Hood River, located on a working farm.

Seven Oaks Bed and Breakfast: A 10 minute drive from downtown.

Vineyard View B&B: Located next to a vineyard about 2 miles from downtown.

Joslyn House Bed and Breakfast: Two miles from Hood River, just across the Columbia River in Bingen, WA. (The bridge to Bingen is a toll bridge.)

Vacation House Rentals: Another option, especially if you are thinking of extending your stay longer than just the wedding weekend, is renting a house in Hood River. Below are a few vacation rental websites, which offer anything from apartments to five-bedroom houses in and around Hood River. A good place to look is in the neighborhood a few blocks west of downtown.

Gorge Central

Hood River Vacation Rental

Vacation Rentals/Hood River

The Hood River Chamber of Commerce is also a good source of information about places to stay and things to do in Hood River. Please let us know if you have any questions or are having trouble finding a place to stay.