Andi Prewitt

The Owners of Sugarpine Drive-In Have Purchased the Former Shirley’s Tippy Canoe Property

More than a year after beloved restaurant Shirley’s Tippy Canoe was ravaged by fire, the Troutdale property—which over the decades had become a Gorge landmark in its own right—will be revived after all.The husband-and-wife team who opened Sugarpine Drive-In in 2018, also on the banks of the Sandy River about 2 miles to the north, closed on the 1.5-acre site earlier this month, as was first reported by The Oregonian. Emily Cafazzo and Ryan Domingo plan to bring the restaurant back to its 1930s roadhouse roots following a ground-up rebuild that will include indoor and outdoor seating. Rehabilitating the business is part of the couple’s overall goal to reestablish the Historic Columbia River Highway as a culinary destination.

Hopworks Is Celebrating Its 13th Anniversary and Earth Day With New Menu Items and an Interior Refresh

It’s certainly fitting that Hopworks, the first Certified B Corporation brewery in the Pacific Northwest, celebrates its anniversary on Earth Day. Now, that brewery will double-down on its mission of sustainability by introducing an assortment of locally sourced dishes and murals that reflect its values for the upcoming milestone. To mark its 13th year in business on April 22, Hopworks’ executive chef Erin Connell has reworked the menu so that there are now fresh appetizers, salads, bowls and sandwiches to accompany some of the longtime favorites. New items include nachos made with the brewery’s Juicy Bear IPA-braised pork piled high on a mound of house-fried corn tortilla chips doused in cheese as well as a black bean burger topped with guacamole and crispy jalapenos.

Limited Camping Reopens at Fire-Damaged Detroit Lake State Recreation Area

Starting today, you can now stay overnight at the Detroit Lake State Recreation Area, which has been closed since last September’s devastating wildfire. The Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department reopened reservations at some campsites for up to six months in advance. Loops F and G are the first to welcome back visitors, with the former even offering proximity to one of the site’s boat moorings.

Crosby Hop Farm’s Outdoor Beer Garden Will Reopen This Month

TopWire Hop Project is scheduled to resume operations on Friday, April 30 in Woodburn, about 30 miles south of Portland, and continue service four days a week through October. That means customers will have the opportunity to watch the entire growing season, as bines use the surrounding trellises to climb clockwise, eventually reaching a height of 18 feet. Harvest typically begins in late summer and wraps up in the fall.

Some Group Overnight and Day-Use Areas Will Reopen at Oregon State Parks This Spring

If you’ve been envisioning a summer filled with group picnics or camping trips, Oregon State Parks just made it a bit easier to make those plans. Today, the agency announced that it will reopen overnight and day-use areas for large parties at some of its properties. You can start booking reservations on April 15 for stays beginning May 1 and beyond. Some of the more popular locations include one group camp and all three day-use areas at Silver Falls State Park southeast of Salem, picnic shelters along the coast at Cape Lookout and Fort Stevens State Parks, and three group camps at Wallowa Lake. You can view a full list on the Oregon State Parks website.

Kachka Lavka Has Reopened In-Person Shopping and Debuted an Outdoor Cafe

For the first time in more than a year, Kachka Lavka is welcoming customers back inside for their shopping needs, while also introducing a new outdoor café. The grocery and deli that chef and co-owner Bonnie Morales opened in the mezzanine of Kachka in late 2019 had been offering curbside pickup since the lockdown last spring due to the pandemic. But starting last Friday, Lavka began allowing one party at a time into its market to browse and then pick out everything from housemade breads, charcuterie, cured fish and general merchandise.

Oregon City Brewing Is Adding a Year-Round Beer Garden and Food Cart Pod

Oregon City Brewing is one of those businesses that has started to convert even more of its property into an al fresco taproom. The brewery actually purchased three gravel parking lots surrounding the original location on Washington Street three years ago, not knowing how crucial that space would become during the pandemic. Last year, they converted half of it into temporary outdoor seating and leased the other portion to Coney Island Tavern.

Oaks Park Will Resume Operations This Month After Losing an Entire Season in 2020

After remaining dark for the entirety of the 2020 amusement park season for the first time in its history, Oaks Park is ready to fire up the Ferris wheel.

The Ape Caves in Mount St. Helens Will Reopen to the Public in May

North America’s third-largest lava tube, just 70 miles outside of Portland, is preparing to reopen to the public. Ape Cave, which is about a 20-minute drive north of Cougar, Wash., will welcome back visitors beginning on May 18. The attraction has been closed since last spring in response to the pandemic.

New Team Beers Will Debut at Providence Park When Fans Return for Matches This Month

As soccer fans prepare to head back into Providence Park to watch the Timbers and Thorns in person once again, they will also find a couple of new team beers waiting for them at the concession stands. When the Thorns play their home opener first on April 9, Pelican Brewing is introducing its beer made in collaboration with the team called the Side Tackle Hazy IPA. Meanwhile, the Timbers will also be getting their own beer courtesy of Widmer Brothers, a longstanding partner with the men’s Major League Soccer team. Debuting for the 2021 season is ‘Til I Die IPA, a classic West Coast take on the style.

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