That Oregon Life · Stories & discoveries
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is a region in Western Oregon known for its fertile soil, stunning scenery, and world-renowned wine production. The valley’s cool climate and rich soils make it an ideal place to grow grapes, particularly Pinot Noir, which is considered one of the finest wines in the world. The region is also home to a thriving farm-to-table food scene, with local chefs incorporating fresh ingredients from the valley’s farms and orchards into their dishes. Visitors to the Willamette Valley can enjoy wine tastings, farm tours, and outdoor activities like hiking and cycling. The area’s picturesque small towns, including McMinnville and Newberg, offer charming accommodations, quaint shops, and a welcoming community.
More Willamette Valley stories
Keep exploring
Willamette Valley
This Tiny Oregon Pizza Spot Serves Honey-Kissed Crust You’ll Actually Fight Someone Over
There are two kinds of pizza eaters in this world. The first happily eats every last bite, crust included. The second works their way around the pie and leaves behind a sad little ring of abandoned…
This Wildly Fun Oregon Fall Tradition Sends Costumed Racers Across a Lake Inside Giant Pumpkins
There are normal fall festivals. You know the type. Apple cider. Corn mazes. Hayrides. Maybe somebody puts on a flannel shirt and spends twenty minutes choosing a pumpkin that somehow costs more than lunch. And then…
Best Pumpkin Patches in Oregon for 2026: Dates, Prices & Map
Compare Oregon's best pumpkin patches for 2026, including Portland and every region. See dates, prices, mazes, dog rules, U-pick details and a map.
This Oregon Restaurant Serves Comfort Food With a Front-Row Seat to the Creek
Mac’s Place brings comfort food, live music, and a creekside deck to downtown Silverton. Here’s how to make it part of an easy Oregon day trip.
Dolly Parton Once Wrote A Song About Eugene, Oregon, And The Story Is Beautiful
Long before Dolly Parton became one of the most recognizable voices in American music, she arrived in Eugene as a young country singer who was tired, homesick and struggling to make it through the road. It…
Yelawolf Is Coming To Eugene, And This Is One Fall Concert You Really Shouldn’t Skip
If your October calendar currently consists of pumpkin patches, football, and wondering why Oregon suddenly decided it was winter at 7 a.m., we have something considerably louder to add to the schedule. Yelawolf is coming to…
This Unassuming Oregon Rock Shop Is Basically a Gateway Drug to Rock Collecting
Wine gets most of the attention in this part of the Willamette Valley, but there's another kind of treasure to be found here. Instead of pinot noir, this place deals in things that are millions of…