When you think of the state of Oregon in the USA, what comes to mind? You might think of farm-to-table food, Pinot noir wine, and heavily forested nature. You can find all of this and more in the town of Wilsonville. Martin and I packed up our Jeep and took Julian on his first out-of-state road trip for a weekend in Wilsonville. Here’s everything we did during our weekend adventure!

Where is Wilsonville?

Part of the Portland metro, Wilsonville is 20 minutes south of Portland, and 30 minutes north of Salem, the capital of Oregon. Thus, Wilsonville has become a desirable place to live for those needing to commute to Portland or Salem. It is also a good base for travelers who want to explore the region and stay in a small town.

Accommodations in Wilsonville

The Hilton Garden Inn is one of the newest hotels in Wilsonville. Conveniently located near the I-5 freeway, the hotel has spacious guest rooms. Our favorite feature was the smart TV (perfect for watching Netflix or YouTube!), and the built-in USB plugs near the beds. There’s also an on-site restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, an indoor pool, and a huge outdoor space with a half basketball court and fireplace. We took advantage of the Park Way Grille restaurant and enjoyed breakfast outside. The eggs benedict and steak and eggs were a great way to start the day, and the crispy potatoes were some of the best we’ve ever had.

Day 1 Activities

Go winetasting at Lady Hill Winery.

Did you know that the state of Oregon ranks 4th in the USA for wine production? Indeed, the Oregon wine industry has been going strong since 1840. Today, we’re visiting the family-owned Lady Hill Winery. Located adjacent to Champoeg State Park, this winery was established on 5th generation family farmland. A variety of wines are produced here including Willamette Valley staples, Pinot noir and Pinot gris, as well as warm climate Rhone, Bordeaux, and Super Tuscan-style wines.

Besides making wine on-site, Lady Hill Winery also has a giant indoor hall for wine tasting and entertaining. Specifically, the hall was engineered with acoustics in mind and was built to host live music. On weekends, the winery often hosts live music performances for guests. Outside, you’ll find more places to sit in the sun, take in the views, and sample wines. As a bonus, the winery is very family-friendly, and all ages are welcome.

Eat lunch and ice cream at the Historic Butteville Store.

A five-minute drive away from Lady Hill Winery, the Historic Butteville Store is a great stop for lunch or dessert. The store originally dates back to 1863, and over the years, it’s gone through a variety of iterations. Currently, it is owned and operated by Oregon Parks and Recreation, and it slings sandwiches and ice cream to visitors. Inside, its walls are full of relics from the past, and there’s even a library. Outside, you’ll find places to sit and a big lawn with cornhole.

The food menu is small but tasty. There are 5 sandwiches to choose from and even more dessert options including soft-serve sundaes and made-in-house ice cream. We highly recommend the JJ Ryan ham and aged cheddar sandwich, and the root beer ice cream.

Explore Wilsonville’s local parks.

There are 15 public parks in Wilsonville. Well distributed throughout the neighborhoods, the parks offer an array of amenities and varied terrain. The first park we visited was Graham Oaks Nature Park. This 250-acre park has over 3 miles of trails including the paved Tonquin Trail, which was perfect for walking with our baby stroller. We also meandered down Coyote Way and the Legacy Creek Trail, both of which got off the paved path and led into the woodlands for a more forest-like experience.

We ended our first day at Boones Ferry Park. This 7-acre park is located on the Willamette River. Unfortunately, views of the river are rather restricted while on the trail, but the trail ends at the foot of the river.

Enjoy outdoor dining at Middleground Farms.

To top off a full day of adventuring in Wilsonville, we enjoyed a farm-to-table dinner at the Kitchen at Middleground Farms. Originally a cooking school, this farm began offering weekend pre-fixed dinners as a result of the pandemic. There are limited seatings and dinners only happen during the summer, but if you’re lucky to get a table, you’ll enjoy the best seasonal produce that the region has to offer. The menu changes often, but here’s what we had:

Day 2

After a restful night’s sleep during which we AND our baby slept peacefully all night, our last day in Wilsonville kicked off with breakfast delivered to our hotel by dear friends who live in Portland. We caught up with our friends while lounging in the Hilton Garden Inn’s outdoor space, and then we were off on our last adventures.

Feed some animals at Frog Pond Farm.

Since our trip coincided with the first day of fall, it felt only appropriate to visit a pumpkin patch. Frog Pond Farm is family-run and it offers a variety of activities depending on the season. From late September through October, the pumpkin patch is open, as well as over 20 different family-friendly games including giant hamster rolls, a maze, and tennis ball slingshots. In November and December, the farm hosts holiday experiences including Santa visits. And year-round, the farm is home to 80 animals including alpaca, llamas, camels, emus, goats, pigs, sheep, tortoises, and more. Guests are invited to stop by and feed the animals. Entrance fees apply, and hours of operation vary.

Grab a snack at Lux Sucre Desserts.

Next, we did a scenic drive to the Charbonneau neighborhood of Wilsonville and stopped for a coffee and sweet treat at Lux Sucre Desserts. This tiny, charming bakery is full of character and Instagram-worthy treats including macarons, cookies, muffins, and bars. Our favorites included the coconut butterscotch blondie, marionberry crumble, and snickerdoodle cookie.

Meet miniature donkeys at Tollen Farm.

Our last activity was a visit to the historic Tollen Farm. Located near the new Villebois community, current owner Tonie Tollen acquired the farm in 1979. One of the first, if not the very first, houses in Wilsonville is located on the property. Tollen keeps an eclectic antique shop and an organic garden on the premises, and also raises a variety of animals including horses, sheep, and the stars of the show — miniature donkeys. If you’ve never met a miniature donkey before, you’ll be in for a treat. These stout, adorable animals are very sociable (after all, they live in pairs) and act more like big dogs than donkeys. When you visit the farm, you’re able to get up close and personal with the donkeys. Visits are by appointment only, so give Tonie a call to stop by.

In Conclusion

Our weekend trip to Wilsonville flew by and as always, we wished for more time to explore everything that the town has to offer. While there is plenty to see as a visitor, we marveled at the overall livability of the Wilsonville community. Considering the exemplary neighborhoods and amenities at a reasonable cost of living with close proximity to Portland and Salem, it’s easy to see why people are moving to Wilsonville at such a high rate. So whether you’re planning to come to Wilsonville for a few days or years, we hope this mini travel guide helps you out. Thanks for reading!