Tag: mt hood village

5 Things to Do in the Mt. Hood Area

If you’re heading to Oregon’s Mt. Hood area in the next month or so, your agenda most likely involves skiing or winter trail hiking. But this area has something to offer any season you visit and we’re taking a look. Of course, your visit here won’t be perfect unless you book one of the amazing accommodations at Mt. Hood Village in Welches – from yurts to cabins, cottages and tiny houses, there are plenty of choices for your glamping getaway here.


1. Winter Activities: How about five different ski areas with 4,500 miles of skiable terrain for the ultimate ski trip? That’s what you’ll find in this region. From the legendary Mt. Hood Ski Bowl to the historic Timberline Lodge, there’s lots of powder to schuss in here. Mt. Hood is also great for sledding, tubing, and snowboarding. Cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails are another option. Trillium Lake has a great trail with views of Mt. Hood and beginner cross-country skiers should definitely check out Mt. Hood Meadows Nordic Center which offers lessons and rentals.

Interior of Anderson Tiny Home at Mt. Hood Tiny House Village
Anderson Tiny Home at Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

2. Timberline Lodge: Speaking of the historic Timberline Lodge, whether you plan to enjoy the snow sports, or not, this is a destination worth a visit. The Lodge was built in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and was dedicated by President Franklin Roosevelt in September of that year. The Lodge is open for public viewing daily and there are several restaurants open to the public. Another fun fact – the exterior shots of The Shining were actually shot here!

3. View Mt. Hood: Of course, this 11,239 foot peak is visible if you just look up, but how about checking out the highest point in Oregon from some of the best viewpoints around? The Timberline Trail at the aforementioned Timberline Lodge is one place to get a great view. Come summer, Elk Meadows is not only a great place to see Mt. Hood, but also a spot to get your fill of the wildflowers that bloom, among them lupines and asters. If you want to take an easy route, drive to Trillium Lake where views of the mountain across the picturesque lake are really incredible.

4. Explore local wineries: While Welches is less than 90 miles from the Oregon wine country known as the Willamette Valley, there are some great wineries to be found right in the area. To learn about the Mt. Hood Wine Trail, which is actually in the northeast corner of the Willamette Valley, and the more than a dozen wineries that can be found along the way, check out mthoodterritory.com/winetrail.

Portland, Oregon at sunset
Portland, Oregon

5. Keep it weird in Portland: Day-trippin’ to Portland is a real possibility when you’re glamping at Mt. Hood Village. Oregon’s largest city is just under 90 miles from the Mt. Hood area and much of the drive can be done via the scenic byway. If you want to make this scenic drive just once during your stay, then consider these must-do’s for a day in Portland: the Portland Japanese Garden, the Portland Rose Garden, Powell’s Books (which spans an entire block), and the historic Pittock Mansion. If you’re hungry, definitely have a cup of coffee from an indie roaster (Portland is one of the top coffee cities in the country according to wallethub.com) and partake in some of the best donuts in the country (for some reason Portland is also known for their donuts). Voodoo Doughnuts, which also offers vegan options, is one hot spot while Blue Star is known for its boutique, and unique, flavors like creme brulee and blueberry bourbon basil.

Mt. Hood Tiny House Village
Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

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5 Things to Do In Portland

Rip City, Stumptown, City of Roses, Bridgetown, Portlandia. Whatever you want to call Portland, which does in fact carry the nicknames mentioned here for a variety of reasons, Oregon’s largest city is a great one to visit for many reasons. While exploring the area, stay in a tiny house, cabin, or yurt at Mt. Hood Village to get the best of both worlds: a little bit of nature while keeping Portland weird. Here are five things to do while visiting the area:

  1. As green as Portland is (it was named the third greenest city in 2021 in a Wallethub study), spending lots of your own personal “green” doesn’t have to be first and foremost here. There are so many things to do in Portland that are free, and we mean absolute zero cost to enjoy these things. The Saturday Market featuring 350 artisans is free (what you buy is up to you); browsing through the books at Powell’s City of Books, considered the world’s largest independent book store, is free (again, avid readers may have a different outcome); Elk Rock Gardens, a hidden gem of a botanical garden, is free; and access to Forest Park, Portland’s 5200-acre urban forest, is absolutely free and visitors can hike, bike, or simply stroll along the trails to see wildlife and beautiful greenery.
  2. Eat, drink and be weird! Another slogan associated with the city is “Keep Portland Weird” which came about when a blog compared Austin and Portland to see which city was “weirder.” One of the reasons Portland took top billing was the Voodoo Doughnut shop, which after opening in 2003 wedged between two nightclubs, quickly became the hippest spot to enjoy sweet treats. To enjoy a Voodoo Bubble (a donut topped with a piece of Double Bubble gum) or a chocolate-iced Voodoo Doll, visit the original in Old Town, or the second Portland location on Davis Street. Of course, coffee and doughnuts go together, so consider a tour with Third Wave Coffee Tours, which offers a variety of tours to taste Portland’s coffee offerings and are said to have had a following all their own long before that other Pacific Northwest based coffee place! For tour info, visit thirdwavecoffeetours.com.
Hiking around Portland
  1. Portland outdoor adventure has several options from on the waters to in the mountains. Consider a kayak ride on the Willamette River that takes you through the downtown area with great skyline views. Take a trip to Sauvie Island (about 30 minutes outside the city) which has several trails for hiking and biking as well as Sauvie Island Farms (sauvieislandfarms.com) which offers u-pick opportunities for seasonal fruits and veggies. Don’t miss Multnomah Falls, Oregon’s tallest waterfall, located along the historic Columbia River Highway. Several viewing platforms are available along the route and the falls can also be seen via a moderate hike.
  2. Eating and Drinking – Part Two: A visit to Portland must include a stop in the city’s Pearl District, home to breweries, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, art galleries, and shops. The galleries host First Thursdays on the first Thursday of each month where art galleries stay open late and live music and other entertainment are often featured. Wine tours of the nearby Willamette wineries are an option (check out willamettewines.com) and City Brew Tours have options for tours to taste some of the Pacific Northwest’s finest beers (citybrewtours.com). For foodie options, consider checking out many of the “food carts” in the city, especially The Cart Blocks in Ankeny Square. Just south of the Pearl District is 1927 S’mores, a gourmet s’mores shop that will have you falling in love with this campfire taste treat. Appropriately themed like a cabin, visitors can choose from s’mores flavors such as coco raspberry, moose tracks, whiskey salted caramel, seasonal options, and more, including the classic chocolate and marshmallow combo.
  3. Whatever the nickname you prefer, to find out the history of Portland, visit some of these interesting museums that tell the story of the area – the World Forestry Center, located in Washington Park; the Oregon Rail Heritage Center; the Oregon Maritime Museum, housed in an historic steam-powered tug on the Willamette River and the Oregon Historical Society Museum, home to the Portland Penny which was flipped in 1845 to determine the city’s name – it was Portland or Boston!
Cabin at Mt. Hood Village Resort
Cabin at Mt. Hood Village Resort

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June is Great Outdoors Month

Cabins at Yosemite Lakes Campground in Groveland, CA

In 1998, President Bill Clinton declared that seven days in the month of June should be set aside to “celebrate our relationship with nature.” That concept resonated so soundly with Americans that successive administrations morphed those seven days into a whole month of celebrating and communing with nature.

June is upon us again and we probably all feel the need to get outside and commune! So, whether you hike, bike, fish, boat or just plain sit in it, get outside, breath the air, and become one with nature.

June in the great outdoors can include:

Mt. Hood Tiny House Village in Welches, OR

Hiking: Hiking doesn’t really require much equipment or any particular level of skill – just some strong legs and lungs, and you’ve got it. Trails abound around the country and we’ve found a few you places you might like to hike. Yosemite National Park has 800 miles of trails to choose from and the scenery is unparalleled! Enjoy the alpine hikes of Mt. Hood, Oregon’s 11,240-foot volcano – two popular hikes are the Tamanawas Falls Trail and the Old Salmon River Trail. Then, relax after a long day on the trails in one of our yurt accommodations at Yosemite Lakes Campground (CA) or Mt. Hood Village (OR).

Cottages in Palm Springs RV Resort in Palm Desert, CA

Biking: Take a seat and use pedal power to enjoy the great outdoors on a bike ride. Some great rides could include the 13-mile city-wide tour of Palm Springs, California, which gives you an idea what the town is all about. Or, pedal around Maine’s Acadia National Park on the 45 miles of carriage roads or the 27-mile Park Loop Road. Add to the fun of your great outdoors experience with a stay in a cute cottage at Narrows Too (ME) or Palm Springs RV Resort (CA).

Cabins at Tranquil Timbers in Sturgeon Bay, WI

Fishing: Reel in the big one during Great Outdoors Month.  Try your luck with some deep-sea fishing in the Florida Keys or see what’s biting in the waters of Wisconsin’s Door County. Our cozy cabins at Tranquil Timbers (WI) or a colorful cottage or tiny house in the Keys can serve as your “fishing lodge” while you write your big fish story!

Fishing at Pacific City in Cloverdale, OR

Taking in the View: Sometimes it’s enough to just be outdoors to enjoy the view, the fresh air, and the magic of nature. Take in the sunsets from Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf; feel the effects of the healing vortexes in Sedona’s Red Rock State Park; enjoy the charm of Leavenworth, Washington, a quaint-as-can-be Bavarian-styled village or marvel at Haystack Rock, nature’s sea stack creation that rises 235 from the Pacific Ocean at Cannon Beach, Oregon. You can also enjoy the view from our cozy cabins in Santa Barbara (Rancho Oso) or Oregon (Pacific City), or from our adorable tiny homes in Leavenworth, Washington, or Sedona’s Verde Valley Resort.

Leavenworth Tiny House Village in Leavenworth, WA

Camping: Of course, there is no better way to enjoy the great outdoors than with a good camping trip. Writer Alice Walker said, “In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.” Find your perfection and stay with us in one of our Petite Retreats. If you want mountains, we’ve got you covered with locations near Seattle, Maine’s Acadia National Park, beautiful Mt. Hood, and the Adirondacks. If you want seashore, we’ve got you covered with locations in Santa Barbara, the Oregon coast, New Hampshire, and Florida. And if your “perfect” is just gathering friends and family in the great outdoors, we’ve definitely got you covered there!

Summer Cabin Fun

Cabin at South Jetty, Florence, OR

There’s something about a rustic cabin that brings you closer to nature, along with evoking memories of carefree summer camp days gone by. Make it a summer you won’t forget, and experience the joys of nature, by planning a stay in a Petite Retreat cabin.

Enjoy an island getaway in Bar Harbor which is located on Mt. Desert Island in Maine. Both Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort (in Bar Harbor) and Narrows Too Camping Resort (in nearby Trenton) offer summer cabins perfect for your island stay. Both offer wooded locations with views of the oceans, plenty of amenities and are family and pet-friendly. Both camping resorts are close to all that the Bar Harbor area has to offer, including the harbor towns and Acadia National Park.

Narrows Too Camping Resort, Trenton, ME

Acadia National Park offers 47,000 acres of woodland wonderland to explore from hikes and climbs to rocky beachfronts. This park is also home to Cadillac Mountain, the tallest mountain on the East Coast.  The park offers guided hikes, cruises, and nature programs including birding and creature “meet and greets.” Visit nps.gov/acad for more information.

The town of Bar Harbor offers shopping and dining as well as events on the “Village Green” which serves as the gathering place in the center of town. Summer weeknight concerts are offered free each Monday and Thursday evening from 8 to 9 p.m.  There are also several museums that feature the history of the area including the Great Harbor Maritime Museum and Mount Desert Oceanarium. Ocean cruise options include whale-watching, island tours and a chance to learn about the life of a lobsterman on the Lulu Lobsterboat Ride. Speaking of lobster, don’t miss a lobster meal at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, an authentic oceanfront lobster pound.

On the Pacific Coast, Oregon offers multiple cabin retreats, including Seaside RV Resort, South Jetty RV Resort, and Mt. Hood Village RV Resort.

Mt. Hood’s location provides the perfect opportunity for a mountain getaway and the chance to explore Mt. Hood National Forest. Spend the day hiking the trails that include Tamanawas Falls, a five-mile loop along the Hood River complete with waterfall views or the longer Timothy Lake trail that covers 13 miles and offers plenty of swimming spots along the way to cool off! Spend the day fishing or taking in one of several birding trails to see the migratory birds that make their home in the forest.  Nearby Portland offers big city fun including the Portland Art Museum (current exhibits include Art from the 1980s, running through August 18) and the Oregon Zoo, which features a set of summer concerts (oregonzoo.org).

Mt. Hood forest trail

Enjoy a cabin stay at Seaside RV Resort and enjoy the town of Seaside’s picturesque 1.5 mile oceanfront Promenade via bicycle or a long stroll.  Or get up close and personal and feed the seals at the Seaside Aquarium, also located along the Promenade. Roll into town the weekend of September 6-9 and enjoy the Seaside Wheels and Waves Car Show, Oregon’s premier auto show that showcases cars dating from pre-1965.

Wherever you choose to stay, Petite Retreats has cabins for you! Find out more at petiteretreats.com.