Willamette Valley Oregon Tourism

Willamette Valley Oregon Tourism on OregonBeautiful.com. Oregon Willamette Valley Tourism Region - your Willamette Valley Oregon Travel Guide to Vacations, Attractions and Events

Swan Island Dahlias - Canby, Oregon

 Swan Island Dahlias - Canby, Oregon

If you missed the tulip festival you can perhaps make the Dahlias Show at the Swan Island Dahlias, the largest Dahlia grower in America.  This family owned business began in 1927 and now grows over 40 acres featuring over 350 varieties of dahlias!  They plant over 30,000 seedlings each year and hybridize their own new varieties.  It takes about 4 years to introduce a new seedling for sale.  Each season they introduce anywhere from 5 to 15 new varieties.

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Canby Ferry - Canby, Oregon

 

Canby Ferry - Canby, Oregon

Have you ever taken a ferry across a river?  There is a new Canby Ferry, known as the M.J. Lee, just like its predecessors, which carry vehicles across the Willamette River but north of Canby.  The ferry is an electric powered ferry which runs between 6:45 a.m. and 9:15 p.m. daily.  The fees are reasonable such as motorcycles pay 50 cents per trip, cars and pickups are $1.25, and larger vehicles are $2.50 and up per trip. 

There has been a ferry traversing the river between Canby and the Stafford area near Wilsonville since 1914.

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Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm Tour - Woodburn, Oregon

 

Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm Tour - Woodburn, Oregon

Is there anything as lovely as a full garden of tulips in full bloom?  The Iverson Family of Woodburn have been growing tulips in the area for 32 years with the last 21 being open to the public with their Tulip Festivals.  The first 11 years the tulips were shared with only a few friends and relatives.

With the love of tulips being so widespread the Iverson’s invite you to come and walk through their fields and get the feel for what a whole lot of tulips look like!

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Pacific Hazelnut Candy Factory Tour - Aurora, Oregon

 

Pacific Hazelnut Candy Factory Tour - Aurora, Oregon

If you are someone that loves candy and you are a fan of nuts then this tour will be something you certainly shouldn’t miss!

Located in Aurora this factory grew out of the desire to provide quality candy with the hazelnuts that are grown in the area.  The first hazelnut (filbert) tree was planted in Scottsburg, Oregon around 1857.  Then in 1876 David Genot, a Frenchman, ordered seeds from France that he planted and raised these first 50 plants in a hedgerow in the old country tradition.

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Aurora National Historic District, The Old Aurora Colony Museum - Aurora, Oregon

 

Aurora National Historic District, The Old Aurora Colony Museum - Aurora, Oregon

This community was founded in 1856 with the leadership stating that “Every man and woman must be a brother or sister to every other man or women in our family under the father hood of God – EVERYDAY.”

The community is an outgrowth of the settlement of Bethel, Missouri which was settled by Keil and his followers.  He bought the land known as George White donation land claim on the Pudding River, a good location to travel to Oregon City along the route that would eventually become the Territorial Highway.  The area already had a saw and grist mill which came from the previous owner.

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Oregon Train Trips

As a child, I often dreamed of going somewhere on a train. Pretty much anywhere really; as long as I got to ride that cool locomotive. What is it about children and trains? We always adore them when we're young. Unfortunately, I think the classic appeal of train trips has gone out the window.

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