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A special section presented by Willamette Week and participating partners.
This summer, we’re inviting you to have an unforgettable experience. That could be chasing an adrenaline high, or simply finding the best way to relax and enjoy the heat. Whatever you’re looking for, the Oregon Adventure Hot List can quench your thirst for the perfect warm weather escapade(s). If you’re looking for close-to-home excitement or dreaming of journeying to vaguely distant lands, this new special section has something for you to do this summer.
Pay a visit to a state-of-the-art winery and learn about sustainable winemaking.
Opens in new windowECHOLANDS WINERY | 3281 MILL CREEK ROAD, WALLA WALLA, WASH. | ECHOLANDSWINERY.COM
Pro Tip: Escape the crowds in July and August, the hottest part ofthe summer. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the Tasting Room are UV protected and the space is air conditioned to offer you the view of sitting outside, without the sunburn! June and September offer the best weather for enjoying a glass of wine on the patio in the sun.
Echolands Winery focuses on sustainable winemaking practices and regen-erative farming. With over 350 acres, Echolands is home to more than just wine, but a herd of goats, sheep, a worm farm for water filtration, and acres of dry-farmed wheat fields. Echolands wines are made with precision, but still embrace a sense of fun and curiosity. Offering a zero-proof flight on its main tasting menu as well, Echolands welcome all tasters. The Echolands team is serious about what they do, but not serious about who they are. Bring your curiosity!
Escape to an intimate glamping hideaway on the rugged Oregon Coast, near Pacific City.
Opens in new windowTWO CAPES LOOKOUT | 7000 FLOYD AVE., CLOVERDALE |TWOCAPESLOOKOUT.COM
Vibes: Chill, relaxing, memorable and adventurous.
Pro Tip: Visit all summer, days on the coast are amazing in July and August.
Two Capes Lookout is a NEW, immersive, year-round Glamping retreat, featuring 15 Geodesic Domes and 4 Mirror Cabins. Straddling lush green forests and cliffside ocean views, the trees literally meet the sea on this stunning 58-acre property, where guests can enjoy the quiet beauty of sleeping under the stars—without sacrificing convenience or comfort. Nestled between Cape Kiwanda and Cape Lookout, this serene wilderness feels miles from anywhere, yet is mere minutes from Pacific City and less than two hours from Portland. Use code “hotlist25” for a 15% discount on stays through Aug 28th 2025.
Enjoy a little slice of heaven in Walla Walla.
Opens in new windowFAT DUCK INN BED AND BREAKFAST |527 CATHERINE ST., WALLA WALLA, WASH. | FATDUCKINN.COM
Vibes: Not your grandma’s Bed and Breakfast, with a made-to-orderbreakfast included every morning of your stay, at your convenience. Walkable, with shopping, tasting rooms and world class restaurants await. Relaxing, with a beautiful patio that pairs well with a glass of wine.
Pro Tip: Anyone that mentions this ad will receive 10% off Rack rates.**Not valid on Event weekends
This 1928 Craftsman is nestled among Walla Walla’s historic homes, pro-viding a scenic short walk to downtown shops, restaurants, and wineries. Here, guests can enjoy an assortment of wonderful amenities, including made-to-order breakfasts and a beautiful garden patio, and every afternoon the home is filled with the smells of fresh-baked cookies. Hosts Tim and Kim have extensive knowledge of the wineries, restaurants and places to visit. In fact, the inn’s motto is: Come as guests, leave as friends.
Explore the corners of Portland’s five inner districts without a car.
Opens in new windowBIKETOWN | PORTLAND | BIKETOWNPDX.COM
Vibes: Explorative, chill, good for sightseeing.
Pro Tip: Get off the beaten path and see what’s happening inPortland’s vibrant neighborhoods. Then do it again. Bikes get you to all of the best spots in person. Use the code BIKETOWN25WW. to unlock your first ride on a Biketown ebike or scooter for free.
Ride the bridges, enjoy the river, and explore the corners of Portland’s five inner districts on Biketown e-bikes and/or scooters. These three loop rides can start from either side of the river (check the Biketown or Lyft app for your closest stations) and take you as near or far as you want to go. While you can start a ride from almost anywhere in Portland, these rides use the SW Salmon & Waterfront Park and the SE Clay & Water St. stations as starting points. Ride clockwise from either to enjoy these three bridge loops by bike: Steel Bridge to Hawthorne Bridge (3 miles); cool floating path! Steel Bridge to Tilikum Bridge (5 miles); Portland’s only car-free bridge! Steel Bridge to Sellwood Bridge (12 miles); Oaks Amusement Park and river access galore. Spin off along the way to visit the Ladd’s Addition rose gardens, South Waterfront, Old Town/Chinatown, and Convention Center/Arena district.
Journey to a Bavarian village in the heart of Oregon’shop-growing region.
Opens in new windowMT. ANGEL OKTOBERFEST | 5 N GARFIELD ST., MOUNT ANGEL | OKTOBERFEST.ORG
Vibes: Traditional Bavaria complete with lederhosen and dirndls. Then the band starts yodeling a rock song...
Pro Tip: Prefer less people? Friday morning is your bestbet. Want to eat and drink with friends all night? Saturday is the night for you. Need to watch wiener dogs run? Visit on Sunday.
Mt. Angel Oktoberfest celebrates its 60th Celebration in 2025. This festival brings 350,000-plus visitors to the area every September. This is the Northwest’s oldest and best-loved folk festival celebrating the fruits of harvest, with a focus on hops! German-style biers, Northwest craft brew favorites, lots of wine, and a bit of cider and seltzer are served in six Biergartens, each showcasing different favorites. There is something for everyone at the Mt. Angel Oktoberfest, including: world-class entertainment, arts and crafts, dachshund dog races, and over 45 nonprofit food booths serving the best Bavarian and local treats. Each day begins with a traditional Webertanz performed by local schoolchildren, and performances by folk dancers throughout the day. Camping and RV sites are available!
Skip town for a coastal getaway that is engaging and educational.
Opens in new windowCOLUMBIA RIVER MARITIME MUSEUM | 1792 MARINE DRIVE, ASTORIA | CRMM.ORG
Vibes: Adventurous, immersive, history-rich, hands-on, interactive, nostalgic, thrilling and family-friendly.
Pro Tip: Visit anytime between 9:30 am to 5 pm.Whether you are a “museum person” or not, whether you like maritime stuff or not, you will love the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria offers experiences for visitors of all ages. Through interactive exhibits and hands-on displays, guests can ex-plore the dramatic history of the Columbia River, including daring Coast Guard rescues, the challenges of navigating the Columbia River Bar, and tales of shipwrecks in the infamous Graveyard of the Pacific. Step aboard historic ves-sels, pilot a tugboat, and try forecasting the weather. Discover the elegance of steamship travel and the vital role of the Columbia River Bar pilots. Additional attractions include a 3D theater, a tour of a historic lightship, and a model boat pond. Climb aboard a floating lighthouse, see Coast Guard rescues, learn about the maritime culture of Indigenous Northwest peoples, and understand why the mighty Columbia River Bar is called the Graveyard of the Pacific. It’s a full day of maritime adventure in one unforgettable location.
Catch the most expansive and comprehensive new play festival in the region.
Opens in new windowTHEATRE 33 AT WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY | 900 STATE ST., SALEM | THEATRE33.ORG
Vibes: Dynamic, creative, fun, exciting, unique, one of a kind.Pro Tip: The festival opens July 29 and closes Aug. 10,but three staged readings will preview July 11, 12 and 13 at Portland State University. This gives playwrights an additional opportunity to develop their plays before they are remounted at the full festival in Salem! Theatre 33 at Willamette University presents the Destination Summer Festival: nine performances of six plays by Oregon and Northwest playwrights, per-formed in a rotating repertory in two theaters each week. This is the 12th itera-tion of the festival, featuring three full professional productions, which include: a fantastical musical tale of love and loss set in Astoria and on the treacherous Columbia Bar; Geraldine’s comic and touching journey as she struggles with dementia and two disparate daughters; and mystery abounds when coincidences merge into something much bigger. Also, three staged readings feature a biracial couples’ comedic journey over four decades; a turn-of-the-century come-dic melodrama, as Agatha outwits her misogynistic rivals dancing backward in heels; and a West Virginia coal mine in 1977 is an unforgiving work environment for a black woman. Celebrate regional playwrights and become part of the creative process!
Spend some time where the fun never ends.
Opens in new windowOAKS AMUSEMENT PARK | 7805 SE OAKS PARK WAY, PORTLAND | OAKSPARK.COM
Vibes: SUMMER! Oaks Park is THE classic warm weather experience.Pro Tip: Oaks Park is offering weekday deals Tuesday-Friday from June 17-August 29, 2025. Oaks Park also offers group discounts and reservable picnic areas. And, the 2025 season is Oaks Park’s 120th year in operation and they’ll be celebrating with specials and events all year long!
Oaks Park has been “where the fun never ends” since 1905 and is among America’s oldest continuously operating amusement parks. “The Oaks” first opened its gates to eager visitors on May 30, 1905, to boost ridership on the area’s emerging interurban transportation system. Arriving via streetcar, visi-tors to the park were thrilled by exotic animals, nightly fireworks, a bathhouse, death-defying amusement rides, and that latest of inventions, electric lights! Oaks Park is proud to have offered the community safe, wholesome, family fun for 120 years. Today, when visitors walk through the gates, they are delighted by a uniquely Portland blend of modern thrills and turn-of-the-century charm on a midway that has delighted generations of Northwesterners. Visit this summer for rides for all ages, roller skating in America’s oldest roller rink, mini golf with spectacular views of the Willamette River, classic carnival games with one-of-a-kind prizes, and more!
Relax and heal, reflect or connect at the perfect off-grid sanctuary.
Opens in new windowBREITENBUSH HOT SPRINGS | 53000 BREITENBUSH ROAD, DETROIT | BREITENBUSH.COM
Vibes: Sacred, serene, and a little bit wild.
Pro Tip: Late June through early September is the best time to visit.Book early—summer weekends often sell out.
Tucked deep in Willamette National Forest, Breitenbush Hot Springs is accessible by a wind-ing mountain road and surrounded by towering trees and river mist. The experience starts the moment you arrive—no cell service, no Wi-Fi, just geothermal steam rising from forest pools and the sound of nature all around. Guests soak in clothing-optional hot springs, nourish them-selves with organic vegetarian meals, and unwind in daily wellness offerings ranging from yoga to meditation. Whether you come for a workshop, a solo retreat, or a quiet getaway with friends, Breitenbush meditation. Whether you come for a workshop, a solo retreat, or a quiet getaway with friends, Breitenbush.
