Category Archives: Oregon Experience

culinary tourism

No other experience brings you that sense of home as waking up to the warm and comforting aromas of breakfast. Imagine these drifting up the stairwells and down the halls.  Coffee, many times locally roasted, freshly brewed and sweet and savory delights hot out of the oven.  You know that something wonderful awaits your arrival at the breakfast table. You may be surprised with fresh scones and homemade jams, gnocchi with fresh herbs, a 3” high savory custard, or perhaps a French crepe, an Italian fritatta, or a Spanish Tortilla. No matter the experience, you can be assured that the Innkeepers of The Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild take slow food very seriously.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild Innkeepers include farmers, winemakers, fruit growers, and ranchers. Your culinary travel experience will differ depending the region of Oregon you are visiting. Whether we serve locally grown produce, fresh farm eggs and cheese, sustainably raised meats or the wine your host may serve in the afternoon, we regard ourselves stewards of the land.

There are countless Food, Wine and Beer Festivals to celebrate Oregon’s Bounty in every corner of our fine state.  Regional orchard and farm loop offers you as visitors to the Northwest the chance to take a culinary vacation through the rural landscape, the coast and the urban areas. By staying with our member innkeepers, you will have an insider guide to the foods and beverages of the region.

Get to know our State like a local; stay with one of our nearly 100 hosts and experience romantic getaways, historic treasures, and tucked away rustic retreats.  Whether your trip is for a quiet escape to a quaint rural or coastal town, taking in Oregon Geotourism, for a World Class City experience, or for a new spin on business travel, you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance by staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Victorian Christmas Faire

Victorian Christmas Faire and High Tea at the Prospect Hotel

Victorian Christmas Faire and High Tea, hosted by Prospect Historic Hotel, Saturday and Sunday December 8th and 9th from 11am to 3pm. The proprietors invite Christmas and Victorian artists to display their wares in rooms decorated in period specific themes.  Join this fun and unusual event for a day at the Prospect Hotel! Guests are welcome to “get into the era” by wearing Victorian or Christmas finery.

Each of the rooms in this Nationally Registered Historic Hotel is decorated in period specific themes. Christmas and Victorian themes abound.

The High Tea will be offered throughout the day in the Historic Hotel Dinner House. Take this opportunity for a day out to enjoy the Prospect Hotel all ‘Dressed Up’ for Christmas, to relax in high fashion while partaking in some of Karen’s delicious homemade tasties, and to find just the right gift for Christmas!  Be it for someone else or just for yourself!

Local craft and art vendors will have their own Historic Hotel Room decorated displaying their wares. Join this fun and unusual event for a day at the Prospect Historic Hotel! Guests are welcome to “get into the era” by wearing Victorian or Christmas finery.

Reservations are HIGHLY suggested for the High Tea!
Live musical entertainment all day. This promises to be a fun event!

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Oregon Mural Trail

The videos of Travel Oregon’s Oregon, Only Slightly Exaggerated reveal whimsical scenes of enchanting forests, vineyards, rivers, mountains and more, and share with you that magical feeling of being in Oregon.

Now the captivating artwork is coming to the real world, proudly hand-painted on walls in Oregon where the illustrations represent the destinations.   Let the Oregon Mural Trail inspire you to get outside and experience the wonders of each community.  Take photos of the murals and use the hashtag #OregonIsMagic in social posts to share the love.  And while you’re there, visit the landmarks and businesses that make these towns just so magical.

The featured mural was dedicated yesterday in The Dalles,Oregon. A historic city on the sunny eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge, The Dalles is fortunate to have easy access to rivers, hiking trails and scenic drives.

Lodging options in the Columbia River Gorge, the inns of the Mt Hood and The Gorge region

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

5 Reasons We Love Geocaching in Oregon

Geocaching in Oregon is nothing new as the game started here.  On May 3 this game, once known as the “Great American GPS Stash Hunt’, celebrates it’s 17th birthday with now over 3 million hides world wide.  A little history lesson here, the full version can be read on the Geocaching.com website where I pulled this information.

  1. You’ll find that discovery, exploration and adventure still exist in the real-world. It gets you out and about!
  2.  It’s a great way to stay healthy while having fun
  3.  Many of our innkeepers are cachers so you’ll experience new places from a local
  4.  Discover places you never knew existed
  5. You can learn fun facts about Planet Earth

And 5 reasons to Geocache as the Seasons change

  1. Trails are less traveled
  2. There may be more affordable travel options
  3. Enjoy the View: As the seasons transition temperatures can vary and lead to some stunning landscapes
  4. The changing weather means that you may have a sneak peek of summer sunshine in spring, or could indulge in ski or snowshoe caching in autumn!
  5.  A chance to get some lower elevation caches

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Central and Eastern Oregon Museums

Central and Eastern Oregon Museums Worth making the trip

The Central and Eastern Oregon museums will take you back in time. A glimpse into an ever changing Oregon, it’s indigenous people, hearty immigrants, and hard working cattlemen.

Tamástslikt Cultural Institute where the history, culture and hospitality of the people who have lived on this land for more than 10,000 years comes alive.  More than just a museum, Tamastslikt celebrates the traditions of Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Tribes.

High Desert Museum, in Bend, Oregon, is nationally acclaimed and is dedicated to broadening the understanding of the High Desert’s wildlife, culture, art and natural resources.

At daily shows and demonstrations, wildlife experts will help you learn about the Museum’s more than 100 wildlife creatures — from porcupines, golden eagles and owls, to bats, lizards, snakes and spiders.   In the Birds of Prey Center you will have a rare opportunity to get a close-up look at some of nature’s fiercest predators – owls, hawks and eagles.

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site in John Day, Oregon, is a must-see for anyone with an interest in Oregon history. This structure was built as a trading post on The Dalles Military Road in the mid-1800’s. Chinese businessman Lung On and herbal doctor Ing Hay worked out of this building. Dr. Hay administered care to the Chinese gold-mine workers, pioneers, and others from the John Day area and beyond by using traditional Chinese remedies. Built to preserve the legacy of the Chinese workforce in Oregon, the museum contains artifacts and displays that share some of the trials of everyday life of these people.

They walked for 2,000 miles…men, women, and children by the tens of thousands. The story of this journey comes alive today through the life-size exhibits at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, Baker City.  The museum offers living history demonstrations, interpretive programs, exhibits, multi-media presentations, special events, and more than four miles of interpretive trails. Let the innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild share their knowledge of these unique museums and many other natural attractions in the beautiful and vast expanse of Eastern Oregon.

These are but a few of the many historical museum located in Central and Eastern Oregon.  Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Wilson Ranches Retreat

Wheeler County Central Oregon Events and Wilson Ranches Retreat

Wheeler County Events and Wilson Ranches Retreat for true Pioneer hospitality!  At the ranch enjoy scenic horseback rides, cattle drives, hiking and 4X4 sunset ranch tours on a 9,000 acre working cattle ranch. Close to the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, bass fishing, river rafting, and golfing.

Wilson Ranches Retreat can be your home base when visiting Central Oregon and attending Wheeler County Events.

Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival (July 6,7 & 8, 2018)
The Wheeler County Bluegrass Festival has grown steadily over its history and is noted for its pleasant rural atmosphere. The Festival takes place in the old pioneer town of Fossil in front of the beautiful brick courthouse, now over 100 years old.

Fossil Cruz-In (July 7, 2018)
Bring your lawn chairs, relax and enjoy the car show and live music. Entries begin at 9:30am and close at 11:30am. Awards at approximately 3:30pm. $15 pre-registration; $20 day of show.

Wheeler County Fair and Rodeo (August 8-12, 2018)
A traditional small town, county fair complete with 4-H livestock exhibits, a parade, NPRA rodeo action, live music, and a whole lot of family friendly fun.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway

Oregon Outback Scenic Byway ~ A View into Oregon’s Past and Dynamic High Desert Scenery

Oregon Outback Scenic BywayRecently we took a road trip on one of Oregon’s 26 Scenic Byways, Oregon Outback Scenic Byway.  This byway takes you through a slice of the Great Basin, an isolated diverse landscape, where lush green forests of the Oregon Cascades are replaced by sagebrush and stunning rock formations.

See striking evidence of mysterious rock formations left behind by volcanoes at Fort Rock.  The Abert Rim is a 30-mile-long fault escarpment, one of the nation’s longest and most continuous fault escarpment that rises more than 2,000 feet above the Byway.

Take a few minutes to stop at Picture Rock Pass, named for ancient Indian petroglyph-decorated rocks that are within walking distance of the highway.  I discovered these while seeking Geocache GC18MWG ‘Between Basins’.  Yes, I am a cacher and, as everywhere in Oregon,  there are plenty for you to hunt for.  Don’t miss Lakeview Geyser Earthcache GC23CK7, the Old Perpetual Geyser.

Picture Rock Pass offers panoramic views of the lakes and forests. Stunning Winter Rim divides forest and desert and as the Geocache ‘Between Basins’ suggests, ancient lake basins.  The Paisley Caves, discovered in the cliffs above the Great Basin, have revealed fossils and evidence of human habitation as long as 14,000 years ago.

We also took advantage of a soak in the mineral baths of Summer Lake Hot Springs.  You won’t want to miss that.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Wilson Ranches Retreat

Welcome, Partner, to Wilson Ranches Retreat

At Wilson Ranches Retreat, your hosts, Phil and Nancy Wilson, are fifth generation Oregonians, whose families homesteaded in Wheeler and Gilliam Counties over 100 years ago.  A 9,000 acre working cattle and dude ranch takes you off the beaten track to a rustic hideout, located in the beautiful Butte Creek Valley three miles West of Fossil, Oregon off Highway 19.

Although the ranch has been running for over 100 years the Wilson’s opened the farmhouse to B&B guests 15 years ago.  Breakfast with the Wilson’s is about much more than just good food and nourishment, it is truly a unique dining experience.   Phil and Nancy sit down with the guests and share about ranch life, local history, and the funny and serious sides of rural living. Whatever the topic at the breakfast table, expect the conversation to be intelligent, informed and often humorous. You are likely to have a large helping of fun and laughter with Phil’s stories

Let your inner Cowboy or Cowgirl out!  Visit Wilson Ranches Retreat for an authentic Ranch experience.  Not the riding type?  Not a problem.  Sit under the cottonwoods, sipping lemonade while the rest of your party is out ‘working’! But you might want to join in. There may be an inner cowhand you’ve never even met!

This incredible, secluded scenic Oregon Lodging Ranch with spectacular sunsets and brilliant star-studded nights will captivate you.  Enjoy horseback riding in a geologically and historically rich area with a magnificent view of the Cascade Mountain Range or a quiet hike to view the wildlife and diverse flora and fauna on Wilson Ranches Dude Ranch. Wheeler County is home of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument and has the richest find of prehistoric fossils in the world.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Oregon Truffle

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Oregon Truffle Festival happens over three weekends in January

Oregon Truffle Festival is right around the corner..  The Joriad Truffle Dog Championship in Eugene and surrounding area followed by the Joriad Awards Gala at the Hilton Eugene.  At the qualifying events in Eugene on January 25, spectators are welcomed to cheer for teams of hunters

January 26 – 28th, Eugene hosts the Oregon Truffle Festival.  There are several options for guests in Eugene, The Epicurious, the Gourmand, The Truffle Growers All-Adventure.  There will be Truffle Dog Training, a Grand Truffle Dinner and the Eugene Fresh Truffle Marketplace.

Then, February 16 – 18th, events come to Yamhill County.   The Black and White Dinner series held a four highly regarded Yamhill Valley restaurants, present a prix fixe menu featuring Oregon black and white truffles at their seasonal peak.  The Oregon Truffle Marketplace, February 18,  will have cooking classes, chef demos, wine tasting, artisan food samples, fresh Oregon truffles for sale and a truffle dog demonstration.

You’ll want to make your reservations early at an Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member inns in the Willamette Valley.

Thanks to Chehalem Ridge Bed and Breakfast for passing on this information and the enticing photo from the Oregon Truffle Festival website.

Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild is ready to share Oregon with you: it’s environment, culture, and heritage. Combine gracious hospitality with ambiance at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.

Feller House

The Aurora Colony in Marion County, Oregon

The Aurora Colony in Marion County, Oregon, just south of Portland. Peacefully established in the mid-1800’s and located near the Oregon Wine Country, Aurora has a rich past and charming atmosphere.  It was founded as a religious commune in 1856 by Dr. William Keil who named it after his daughter.  The secret is out on this quaint village known as ‘Oregon’s antique capital’.

The 1860 farmhouse that is now the Feller House Bed and Breakfast is located in a beautiful country setting, minutes from Aurora.  Enjoy time away at this historic inn, built on Oregon’s famous French Prairie where hops became a cash crop in the 1860’s and still are today.  Conveniently located near the I-5 interstate and half way between Salem and Portland, you’ll find a warm and inviting atmosphere, two delightful guest rooms, a wholesome breakfast, and personal attention awaits you at the Feller House.

Old Aurora Colony Museum
The centerpiece of this National Historic District formed in 1974, their missions is to promote interactive lifelong learning by inspiring curiosity about the heritage of the Aurora Colony (1856-1883).  Visit the five-building complex of the 1862 Ox Barn, 1875 Steinbach Cabin, Summer Kitchen, 1864 Kraus House, and Tie Shed reproduction.  All furnished as they would have been during the colonial period.  Artifacts include furniture, tools, music instruments, clothing, textiles, spinning wheels, photos, samplers, quilts, and much more.  Learn the story of this German communal society and their travel from Missouri to the Oregon Territory to find a new Eden.

Aurora Colony Days, August 12, 13, 14

Aurora is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year and the Annual Aurora Colony Days promises to be a great family event.  Events scheduled are the Annual Art Show and Sale all three days,  a 1K Kid Fun Run/5k Run/Walk and pancake breakfast, Celebration in the Park concerts, family friendly beer garden, Antique and Vintage Street Fair on Saturday with many vendors displaying their wares for sale, and a chance to visit the Old Aurora Colony Museum and learn about the rich history of the town.

The innkeepers of the Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild are ready to share Oregon, its environment, culture, and heritage with you.  Get to know our State like a local. Whether you’re looking for a quiet escape, a world class city experience, or a new spin on business travel,  you can be assured of combining gracious hospitality with ambiance when staying at an inspected and approved Oregon Bed and Breakfast Guild member Inn.