Wine and the Fruit Loop

Hood River is not Mount Hood

Hood River is a town, and a river, on the Columbia where the two meet, known for windsurfing; it lies north of the mountain, not on it. The road tours stop there for lunch and then drive south through orchard country toward Mount Hood. The Fruit Loop is that valley: a 35-mile scenic drive through orchards, vineyards, lavender farms and farm stands, per Travel Oregon, most active from April to October, with cherries from mid-June into July and apples from late August to October. The Hood River Fruit Loop page covers it in full.

Waterfalls, Mt Hood, and Wine Day Tour

The listing gives 8 to 8.5 hours, small groups and a private or small-group option, with hotel pickup in downtown Portland from 23 listed hotels. The stops, in order:

• Multnomah Falls, 30 minutes
• Bonneville Fish Hatchery, 30 minutes, with a sturgeon pond
• Hood River, 1 hour for lunch and free time
• a winery, 1 hour of tasting
• Timberline Lodge, 30 minutes
• the return, about 70 minutes

The listing includes the guide, an air-conditioned Sprinter van, hotel pickup and drop-off, bottled water and the Multnomah Falls permit and parking fees in permit season. Wine tasting fees are not included, per the listing; the amount is set at the winery. Guests are asked to bring a passport or ID card for the tasting. Pets are not allowed, and the tour runs in all weather with no reimbursement for inclement weather. Amy from the United States mentions the number of stops, views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson, and the wine; Ariane from Canada calls the day informative and funny. The wine tour close-up has more.

Full Day Gorge Waterfalls & Mt. Hood Tour

The listing gives 8.5 hours in a small group with a naturalist guide. It meets in front of a restaurant at the marina in the South Waterfront Park area of Portland; the exact spot is on the listing. Its highlights are the Historic Columbia River Highway, “the fruit loop” with local produce samples, and historic Timberline Lodge. Snacks and beverages and transport are mentioned. The listing states that the tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments and asks guests to bring weather-appropriate clothing; reserve now, pay later is available. Stop times were not part of the captured listing. James from the United States notes that the tour reached the main spots without a fight for parking. The Fruit Loop tour close-up covers it.

Orchard stops on the other tours

The Mt. Hood Day Tour lists Packer Orchards for 30 minutes after Rowena Crest Viewpoint, and its 1-hour Hood River stop allows lunch, free time, wine tasting or shopping. The Columbia Gorge Waterfalls and Mt. Hood Tour lists 15 minutes in Parkdale on the way to Timberline Lodge. The day tours page sets out both itineraries.

The two days side by side

Farms, wine and the mountain in one day

Both days still end at Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood rather than in the valley, so the farm or winery stop is one part of a longer day. Neither listing describes a hike. The Fruit Loop drive itself is 35 miles, per Travel Oregon, and a visitor driving independently can spend longer at farm stands than a tour stop allows. The things to do page lists more around the mountain.

Check dates for the wine tour

Multnomah Falls, Bonneville Fish Hatchery, Hood River, a winery and 30 minutes at Timberline Lodge, per the listing. Tasting fees are paid separately.

Check dates for the Fruit Loop tour

Eight and a half hours with a naturalist guide, the Historic Columbia River Highway, the Fruit Loop and Timberline Lodge.

Frequently asked questions