Things to Do in Oregon in March 2022
If you are looking for fun things to do in Oregon, you have come to the right place. Newport is “the coast you remember,” with everything from gigantic aquariums to wax museums to live animal shows. It’s a funky place with off-the-beaten-path attractions and plenty of seafood joints. There are also museums and shops on every corner. You’ll even be able to see sea lions while you’re there.
Prehistoric Gardens
One of the most beloved roadside attractions in Oregon is the Prehistoric Gardens, which opened in 1955. This park features replicas of dinosaurs and a wooded setting. The garden has been featured on the Fox Business Network reality show “Strange Inheritance.” The gardens are located on Highway 101 in Oregon, about halfway between the cities of Port Orford and Gold Beach.
The park’s founder, Ernest Nelson, began building the concrete dinosaurs in 1953 and traveled to the Smithsonian museum in NYC to learn more about dinosaurs and fossils. Nelson built 23 life-sized models over the next 30 years, including the Brachiosaurus, which is 86 feet long and 46 feet high. The gardens are home to the largest dinosaur model in the world, and Nelson’s grandchildren are now managing the attraction.
The Prehistoric Gardens are a great place for families with kids. The shady rainforest-style gardens are filled with giant dinosaur models. The children love to run around and explore the area. The walk through the gardens takes about twenty to thirty minutes, and the children are sure to enjoy the experience.
Visitors can enjoy the Oregon Vortex, a fun roadside attraction, as well as the Prehistoric Gardens. The gardens feature twenty life-size dinosaur sculptures and a rainforest-style setting. The garden is great for families and is one of the best places to visit in Oregon.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm
The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival is an annual event that happens in late March and early May. The festival dates for 2022 have been announced, and it will take place from March 18 to May 1. Admission is free, and the event is open to the public rain or shine. The hours of operation are 9 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 7 pm on weekends. The festival is held at 33814 S. Meridian Rd. in Woodburn, Oregon.
The Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm offers plenty of activities for families, including a farm market, gift shop, kid’s area, rubber duck races, and pony rides. Admission to the festival includes parking, shuttle service, and access to the tulip fields. You can also buy fresh flowers or purchase bulbs for fall planting. Admission is free for children under the age of 12.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Oregon is located on 40 acres of land and is home to an amazing collection of tulips. The tulips are arranged in beautiful patterns in the fields. There are incredible views of the nearby mountains and vineyards. You can also enjoy the festival onsite, including hay rides and special weekend events.
The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival will include demonstrations, wine tasting, and kids activities. The festival also will feature a winery tour. There are also many opportunities for adults to get involved. If you are over 21, you can join a wine tasting or take a balloon ride to see the tulip fields from a different perspective.
Multnomah Falls
During the late fall and early spring, visitors do not need to pay an entrance fee to Multnomah Falls. However, in the summer months, visitors must purchase timed tickets for one-hour visits. Parking is limited and reservations are required. For a safe experience and to avoid queues, consider making a reservation in advance.
Multnomah Falls is one of Oregon’s most popular tourist attractions. During the rainy season, this waterfall is especially beautiful. It’s even more beautiful in the winter when it’s covered with a fresh layer of snow. The best time to visit is before sunrise on a rainy Tuesday morning in March.
Multnomah Falls is a beautiful natural recreation site that is located a few miles east of Portland along the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. The falls formed 15,000 years ago in the Columbia River Gorge. The falls received their name from the native Multnomah tribe, which inhabited the area. The waterfall is sourced from an underground spring that flows year-round. It draws more than 2 million visitors each year.
Multnomah Falls is the second highest continuously flowing waterfall in the United States, just after the 2,425-foot-high Yosemite Falls in California. According to the World Waterfall Database, Multnomah Falls ranks 156th in the world. This includes seasonal falls, as well as those that are only visible during certain seasons. It is an impressive site to visit, and is a popular day trip from Portland.
Portland’s Pearl District
Portland’s Pearl District is a relatively young neighborhood, with the latest incarnation dating from the early 1990s. It’s heavily influenced by the philosophy of New Urbanism, which emphasizes walkability, diversity, and conservation. Whether you’re looking for a traditional, historical neighborhood or a modern, contemporary version, there’s something for you in the Pearl District.
One such event is the Art In The Pearl Fine Arts and Crafts Festival, a juried arts and crafts festival in Portland, Oregon, which is set to feature over 130 emerging artists. Jurors will select the top scoring artists, who will then be exhibited in the festival. During the festival, patrons can meet the artists and learn about their creative process.
Another notable restaurant in the Pearl District is Andina, an authentic Peruvian restaurant that offers fine-dining cuisine in an elegant setting. This restaurant features Latin-inspired live music and traditional Peruvian cuisine. You can also enjoy authentic Thai dishes at Khao San, or Italian fare at Piattino. A Portland-inspired sub shop, Break Bread, is another popular eatery in the Pearl. Sake and sushi are another popular dining option, and if you’re feeling a little peckish, you can enjoy fresh fish at Yama Sushi and Sake Bar. For a dessert, try Cool Moon Ice Cream.
In addition to being a historic landmark, the Pearl District is also home to art galleries and hip cafes. The area was once home to railroads, warehouses, and industrial buildings, but urban renewal changed the area. Today, it is an upscale area of the city, with trendy shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Oregon Chocolate Festival
The Oregon Chocolate Festival is an annual celebration that celebrates the world’s greatest confection. It brings together specialty food vendors and educational presentations to create a one-of-a-kind chocolate experience. There is also a Chocolate Sunday Brunch that features chocolate creations from around the West Coast. Admission is $20 per person, and children under eight are free. Tickets are available online or at the door.
The festival begins Friday and ends Sunday at 11 a.m. Visitors can sample chocolate from vendors such as Amano Artisan Chocolate, Branson’s Chocolates, Cacao Kingdom, Dolcetta Artisan Sweets, Hazelnut Hill, Inspired Leaf Teas, Sharffen Berger Chocolate, Melting Pot Candy, and Pithitude Mugs. There are also demonstrations by mixologist Amber Shannon, a pastry chef, and a chocolate-based cocktail bar. The event also features a “Cacao as Medicine” session at the Elder Apothecary, a venue that has been a longtime favorite for locals and visitors alike.
Chocolate lovers will also have a chance to sample Scharffen Berger’s chocolate bars, which cost as much as $9 a bar. These bars are made with 70% dark chocolate, and are completely unsweetened. The ingredients are sourced from cacao farms and are expensive, so Scharffen Berger’s prices are steep. Deena Branson, owner of Branson’s Chocolate in Ashland, is already preparing for the festival.
Chocolate is made by roasting cacao beans and shelling them with a winnower. The beans are then ground up and ground into a paste. The cacao liquor is then refined and blended with sugar, milk, and other ingredients. In addition to chocolate, there are also chocolate beverages, including chocolate stout.
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley in Oregon is known for its wine, which is produced in several vineyards. This region also boasts of many beautiful outdoor settings. You can enjoy hot air balloon tours, horseback riding, hiking trails, snowshoeing, and fishing in the McKenzie River. A tour through the vineyards is also a great way to get a taste of the region’s unique wines.
The Willamette Valley is sixty miles wide at its widest point and is protected by the Coast Range mountains. It stretches from near Portland to Eugene, and along the Willamette River. It is separated from eastern Oregon by the Cascade Range, which provides protection from the desert-like climate of eastern Oregon. It also boasts a long growing season.
The region is home to several award-winning wineries. For example, the Kimpton Hotel Vintage is a 117-room boutique hotel with a wine-themed design. Each guestroom is named for a different Willamette Valley vintner. The hotel offers guests two bottles of wine when they stay at the property.
Wineries in the Willamette Valley are often categorized by their AVA, or appellation of origin. An AVA is a designation that is defined by federal rules that govern the origin of a wine. A winery can only use the appellation if it complies with all federal and state rules.
