Maryhill Museum is smart, striking, and unlike anything else in the region. It's what happens when…read morecuration meets conviction. It doesn't beg for attention. It always earns it. From Rodin to royal archives to Pacific Northwest grit, the collection balances intellect & instinct with unsettling precision. The current light exhibit is not a display. It's an argument. Controlled, deliberate, & designed to reframe what you thought light was for. Nothing here is passive. Every piece is representative of a decision. Perched above the Columbia River like it knows exactly what it is, Maryhill doesn't need to shout. It speaks clearly. And that is far rarer. If you're looking for art that makes you think and helps you grow, this isn't a detour. This is a destination.

Wonderful, unique exhibits! Very friendly, helpful staff. Loved the fashion designer collections…read moreand the back-stories of them. Since the museum has such a wonderful exhibit of chess sets the gift shop should perhaps make an investments and stock a couple of chess sets that are interesting.

This is a beautifully curated museum. HIGHLY recommend and the price is completely reasonable…read more Learned so much from and to be near priceless pieces of history is beyond! I will never look at a neon sign (or argon) the same.

My boyfriend really wanted to see this place. We watched a short film about how these lights are…read moremade. I learned a few new things from this overall experience. We had a short tour too from Susan which was nice. These folks are passionate about what they do which helped a lot. Cool signs and history and we're likely to be back with friends. Good to support places like this one. Nice big historic building and ballroom. Very cool to visit!

We love going to the small museums that dot the landscape across the country. Sometimes they're…read moreweird, but they're always fun and informative. This museum is definitely small, but the entrance payment of $5 each was well worth it. It took a little over an hour to go through it but it was a dive back in time to the present. A reminder of life well lived. The Indians, the farmers, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Mexicans all played a part in what Hood River county has become and all had a little representation in this small gem of a museum. The staff was friendly and informative and helped make this trip down memory lane a pleasure.

I found this hidden gem while walking along the river path from my hotel. Stopped in for a very…read morepleasant couple of hours and could have spent longer. It's a well-curated museum. When I visited, it had a fascinating temporary exhibit on laundry. You wouldn't think pioneer-and-beyond laundry to be an interesting subject, but the exhibit led you through a progression of machines, and a history of the people who had laundry services for the town, that made the early days of Hood River really come to life. The permanent exhibits were also well done. This is not just a small-town, slap a few pictures and descriptions on pasteboard kind of museum. Check it out!

Five stars ++! The Goldendale Observatory is an experience…read morethat's not to be missed! While this is a place for everyone; older children, particularly teens will truly benefit from visiting. The Rangers are passionate about the Observatory and it shows! Troy is a font of information, he delivers his wisdom with enthusiasm and a bit humor. He and Laura work in tandem to ensure a positive and fulfilling experience. NOTE: You will be walking and climbing ladders to use the telescopes = wear sensible shoes. Bring a water bottle, a snack and a warm jacket, as it can get cold. Enjoy, enjoy!

I'm so glad we came on such a perfect evening! I was a little worried the visibility would be poor…read moresince it had rained the night before, but everything worked out beautifully. I had actually been planning this trip for months to line it up with the Perseids meteor shower, so the timing couldn't have been better. Troy was amazing--so knowledgeable and engaging. He even asked the group if anyone had requests, and when I asked to see a nebula, he absolutely delivered, finding us the Ring Nebula! He put on such a fascinating show! The highlight, of course, was seeing the night sky in all its glory: the Milky Way, the Hercules cluster, the Ring Nebula as previously mentioned, the Double Double system, a few meteors, and even Saturn! What an absolute treat. And just as we were leaving we caught the stunning Autumn star - Fomalhaut! One of my personal favorites! I'd definitely come back. Yes, it's a long drive, but totally worth it. They also keep their website updated with upcoming events, moon phases, and even hourly visibility forecasts, which is super helpful for planning. One tip: bring a jacket--it gets chilly out there! We also learned that, unfortunately, due to government budget cuts, Troy is the only official employee left, which means the winter season will be more limited. So definitely keep an eye on their website calendar if you're planning a visit.

Nice little Festival in a tiny River town called Bingen, Washington. If you ever wanted everything…read moreHuckleberry this is a good place to go! Held every year in September. Picked up bunch of Huckleberry stuff here when we went, Pie, shakes, fudge..... Also got a couple other things as well. I would highly recommend this little Festival but that being said, not much else to do in this town!

We attended the 2018 Huckleberry Festival with our daughter-in-law who has recently moved to the…read morearea with my son. We had never been to the Columbia River Gorge, and wanted to experience the beautiful scenery & anything else, such as festivals in the area. We had a good time, and the local folks were very friendly. My husband bought a large slice of huckleberry pie with homemade huckleberry ice cream. It was delicious! Another booth was selling huckleberry jam, and I inquired if they had sugar-free jam, and the lady checked, and handed me two jars that are fruit sweetened. I bought both of them & brought them home to Oklahoma to enjoy. As the label suggests, "An exceptional treat , the best berries in the world from the Pacific Northwest". Bingen is a small town, but they put on a fun festival. If there was more products featuring or made from huckleberries, I'm sure they would sell well, especially sugar-free items. I bought the last t-shirt available, and it is so cute, I have worn it several times. Enjoyed this festival!!

Excellent family museum featuring artifacts from the Pacific Northwest. The Hutson family homestead…read morein Parkdale and share their beloved antiques and historical pieces from the area in this cute little museum. $1.00 admission fee or free if you ride the train. Can't ask for a better deal than that! We had a great time learning about the area and people who lived there.

Great pit stop. Got there about an hour before closing and able to hang out and take our time…read more Bought a couple of things from the Little gift shop. It was really nice out and had some beautiful photos taken. It's been a couple of weeks and we still have some lavender up in the house. The white lavender was beautiful to bring home! I had no idea there were so many colors of lavender.

I didn't know what this fairgrounds is all about. It's in the middle of farming community, and it…read morehas a lot of things to offer, when they have a fair. The 'garages' are on concrete, and a big corner ceiling heater blows hot air to the building. When the big garage door open, it brings a lot of cold 'freezing' air to some of the customers/vendors inside. Many of the vendors have Washington license plates, and the Interstate Bridge is 16 minutes or so from the fair. Some of the vendors drive as far as Happy Valley, or Hillsboro to Hood River. There's plenty of parking in the fields. The customers can walk from one building to the next, to shop with their families, and back again when they decided what they want. People can bring their dogs on a baby buggy or on a leash. This is a place for families to gather & shop and eat or listen to music (inside a garage).

Great little County Fair nestled between the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood…read more To the East - there is the Park Stage area with Godfrey the Magician, A Walk on the Wild Side's animals on display, dancers, singers, and pony rides. There is a Community Hall with crafts and food items on display. To the North - in the gym area there are drawings and photographs on display. There is also the football field/main stage area where a huge concert is held on Saturday of the fair. To the West - there are food booths, vendor booths, games, and carnival rides. Beyond that are the animals brought for display and sale by local residents. To the South - parking in the fields. Between the Park Stage area and the carnival rides are the floral exhibit building and the 4H craft exhibit building. Love this Fair and the fairgrounds it is held on. The people running it are friendly and helpful. It's great to see so many families spending quality time together at the fair. Many of the food vendors are local families with food establishments in the area.