I did this day trip from Portland kind of last minute without a ton of advance planning so first I’m going to fill you in on exactly how we spent the day and then I’ll give you some tips on what I would do in hindsight.
It’s one of the biggest, most magnificent falls in the area and therefore one of the most popular. Millions of people come to see these falls every year…and for good reason!
Don’t miss the drive up to the Vista House for…you guessed it…views! Built in 1917, the Vista Point was built as a memorial to the Oregon pioneers and later served as a comfort station to travelers along the Columbia River Highway.
The waterfall corridor officially ends before you reach the town of Cascade Locks, but you’ll want to stop and see Bridge of the Gods.
We drove on to Hood River where we stumbled onto the Columbia Gorge Hotel. Built in the 1920s, this place hosted everyone from Columbia Gorge Highway travelers to movie stars.
There’s still quite a bit of scenic road past Hood River (through Mosier), but by the time you come into The Dalles the “scenic byway” has officially ended.