If you’re only knowledge of a “fruit loop” involves the cereal by the same name, it’s time to change that. The Hood River Fruit Loop is one of our favorite summertime attractions in the Columbia River Gorge. The Hood River Fruit Loop is more than just a scenic way to see part of the Columbia River Gorge area, too – it’s also a delicious way to dive into the local agricultural scene in the Hood River Area.
While the Willamette Valley to the south of Portland is well-known as wine country, the area east of Portland near Hood River is better known as fruit country. This part of the state is the largest fruit-growing region of the state, with more than 30% of the nation’s winter pears grown here, along with plenty of delicious apples, berries, peaches, cherries, and more.
There are few finer moments in life than biting into some farm-fresh fruit in the heat of a summer day, but that’s exactly what you can expect while driving along the Hood River Fruit Loop. The only thing that can make this scenic and delicious adventure worth it is a stay at our Hood River cabins. Book your getaway at our luxury cabins in Washington State.
Drive the Hood River Fruit Loop
Though you can easily spend an entire day on the Hood River Fruit Loop, in reality, the scenic loop near Hood River is only about 35 miles long. We can assure you that the scenery along this stretch of road is just as delicious as the fruit. To get a taste of what awaits, don’t miss a stop at Panorama Point, just south of Hood River. The entire valley can be seen here, including its 15,000 acres of orchards and vineyards.
As you venture further onto the Hood River Fruit Loop, you’ll find nearly 30 different farms, fruit stands, and even a few wineries, breweries, and cideries just waiting to be discovered. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of day, which you can decide based on this friendly self-guided map of the Hood River Fruit Loop. We recommend a minimum of 4-5 hours to do this drive, though you can easily break this up into more than one day, depending on how many stops (including wine tastings!) you want to enjoy.
Of course, we certainly have a few favorite destinations along the Hood River Fruit Loop. Five great ways to enjoy your time on this scenic route include the following:
- A popular place to do a little shopping on the Hood River Fruit Loop is the Apple Valley Country Store & Bakery. They’ve become well known for their huckleberry milkshakes, but they also have a great selection of fresh fruit as well as fresh and frozen pies.
- If you’re looking for a great lunch spot on the Hood River Fruit Loop, it’s hard to beat Apple Valley BBQ.
- If you’re looking to add some wine tasting to your adventure on the Hood River Fruit Loop, don’t miss the Marchesi Vineyards & Winery.
- If a brewery is more what you’re after, Solera Brewery is a great choice.
- There are plenty of great fruit stands as you make your way along the Hood River Fruit Loop – and we encourage you to stop at and support as many as you can. However, one of our favorites is Draper Girls Country Farm. You can pick fruit straight from their orchards – it doesn’t get much more fresh than that!
Unwind at our Hood River Cabins
However much or little time you dedicate to driving the Hood River Fruit Loop, we have no doubt you’ll love every second of this part of your stay in the Columbia River Gorge. When it’s time to unwind for the afternoon, our luxury Hood River cabins will be waiting. Put your feet up and enjoy a delicious glass of wine on your cabin porch, or unwind at one of the scenic locations around our property.
We’ve collaborated with some of our closest friends at Bear Creek Vineyards to produce Friendship Wine, a sensational and versatile Pinot Gris. We encourage you to buy a bottle of this wine or book our Friendship Wine Package during your stay to enjoy this limited-production bottle – something that’s best done surrounded by the unprecedented beauty of our luxury Hood River Cabins.
When it’s time for dinner, there’s a delicious brewery just across the street or plenty of great nearby restaurants in Stevenson, WA, not to mention even more fantastic Hood River Restaurants just across the river. With so many great things on offer this summer, we’d love nothing more than to share a slice of our personal heaven with you. Book your cabin getaway with us today!
