Via Oregon - September/October 2021 - 22

WEEKENDER
Tualatin River National
Wildlife Refuge.
Tualatin
Valley, Ore.
Oregon's Tualatin Valley
stretches out of the northwest
corner of the more
famous Willamette Valley
near Portland. But in these
fertile lands you'll find dozens
of lively communities,
rich wildlife refuges, and
scores of restaurants, wineries,
and breweries that add
up to an awesome fall escape.
EATS
●
More than 30 wineries
(plus two new AVAs) and
dozens of breweries now
grace the valley, including
SakéOne in Forest Grove,
one of the nation's largest
kuras, or sake breweries. In
Tualatin, Ancestry Brewing
●
↘ Fall in this fertile basin boasts
fruitful farmers' markets, sightings
of migrating geese, and a oneof-a-kind
pumpkin regatta.
serves tasty Bowery-style
Reubens and sip-worthy
raspberry sour beers.
Hungry after a day of
exploration, but not sure
what you're craving?
Restaurant Row along SW
First Street in Old Town
Beaverton is actually a few
blocks' worth of eclectic
eateries, some featuring
common outdoor seating
areas with gas fire pits.
Head to the Family Café
where an Iraqi family whips
up savory lamb wraps and
giant fava bean plates alongside
pineapple smoothies,
Turkish coffees, and Arab
teas served in gorgeous
22 VIA | SEPTEMBER+OCTOBER 2021
glass-and-gold cups that
could be straight out of
Baghdad.
SIGHTS AND EVENTS
●
With so many farms and
vineyards scattered across
the valley you can find a
farmers' market just about
any day of the week. Head
to Forest Grove on the first
Wednesday of every month;
to Aloha on Thursdays; to
Cornelius on Fridays; and to
Cedar Mill, Hillsboro, or
Beaverton-the largest of
the markets-on Saturdays.
Farmers in the Northwest
take particular pride in
growing giant vegetables,
and some get put to surprising
use come fall, when fullsize
humans dress up in
costumes and paddle giant,
floating hollowed-out pumpkins
around Tualatin's Lake
of the Commons during
the West Coast Pumpkin
Regatta on Oct. 16.
For a more historic celebration,
downtown
Sherwood hosts its annual
Robin Hood Festival Sept.
24 and 25 this year, with
Renaissance-style costumes,
knight fights, and
live music.
●
If you had in mind something
a little more low-key,
download a free brochure
●
IAN SHIVE/USFWS/TANDEM STOCK
Via Oregon - September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Via Oregon - September/October 2021
