Pack your bags for an epic girls’ weekend in Portland!
When I told my husband it was my turn to host our annual girls’ weekend in Portland he said, “That should be easy. You spend most of your time hanging out in your yoga pants drinking really good wine.”
To which I replied, “Touché.”
There will certainly be time for a lazy night in our sweats where we gorge ourselves on pizza and potato chips, but I want this weekend to be something special. I want my girlfriends to leave with only the love only a bestie can provide. Plus, my oldest childhood friend is surprising everyone with an appearance from her home of Tampa, Florida!
We’ve had some incredible times together swinging on the tire swing at Stoller Family Estate, hitting the best breweries with BrewCycle Portland - East, or enjoying everything sweet and savory Evoo Canon Beach Cooking. However, I wanted this weekend to be different. I wanted us to spend our time together in the slow lane; catching up, laughing, crying, and making memories that last a lifetime.
After picking the girls up Portland International Airport (PDX) on a Thursday around 2:00 p.m. we headed East on I-84 for about 45 minutes to the Bridge of the Gods where we crossed the majestic Columbia River into Stevenson, WA for an overnight stay Skamania Lodge. Before we checked in, we grabbed a bite downtown from a funky and delicious brewery in the cute town of Stevenson, WA, Walking Man Brewing. Their pizzas, brussels, burgers, and robust tap list are worth the miles. They always have a friendly staff and welcoming, casual atmosphere.
After our little snack (you will see a theme developing), we checked into our hotel for a night of rest and relaxation. I will never tire of the sweeping views of the gorge through the gargantuan windows that frame the river, mountains, and beautiful grounds around us. With a stable of rocking chairs, comfy couches, and a fireplace that is 85’ tall, it’s a lobby that screams relaxation. Skamania is one of those places that makes you feel like you’re frozen in time. It’s so tranquil you almost feel like time goes backwards.
The evening ahead included a mean game of cards in the lobby, wine and more snacks (OMG the mac and cheese is worth the drive) from Cascade Dining Room and is followed by a S'mores Kit sold at the gift shop. Which, by the way, is an amazing little treasure trove filled with gorgeous goods from Pendleton Wool Scouring Mill and beautiful, hand crafted, local jewels. Oh, and the faux fur blankets from Pandemonium Millinery sold in the gift shop will make you never want to leave the fireplace (I bought one for my son years ago and he still uses it every night)! With chocolate in tow we end up outside near several fire pits adorned with Adirondack chairs to toast and roast the evening away. For our final night cap, we grab a few Vizzys, our Skamania Robes (they come with every room) and hit the relaxing outdoor hot tub for some star gazing. Then, we do what we never get to do at home with our kids, husbands, big girl jobs, pets, sports, etc. — sleep!
Friday morning brought a glorious sunrise and dew kissed the fallen leaves. We knew it was going to be a wonderful day. We devoured a cinnamon roll purchased from Zupan’s Marketplace before we left and let the lodge coffee hit our veins. We were ready to check out and get the rest of our adventure started!
We navigated to Panther Creek Falls, a beautiful and complex waterfall in the Gorge about 35 minutes from the hotel. The drive to the trailhead is stunning! The fall foliage made it extra breathtaking! You need to go way past the camp ground though. The sign for the trail is small and easy to miss. The hike is easy with less than a 200 foot gain and is only a ¼ of a mile if you stay on the path. There’s a longer hike to the bottom of the falls if that’s your thing. This was a little hike with a big payoff. The rumbling water falls, scent of the clean, forest air, and the beautiful, lush greenery made it the perfect way to start our day.
After our hike we headed out for a fantastic lunch at Backwoods Brewing. This brewery is only a short 20 minute drive from the falls and has so much to offer. They have a dog friendly, covered patio area and beautiful indoor seating with carved wood tables and chairs. The aroma of house smoked BBQ fills the air. The menu highlights their house specialties like smoky brisket made onsite and pizzas with a vast array of sauces - pesto, house made BBQ sauce, red, Alfredo, etc. They have gluten free and vegan options as well. Their smoked brisket sandwich is excellent and the salty, homemade pretzel sticks with warm queso were the ideal match for a chilly day. We shared a loaded pizza and a quinoa bowl topped with a flavorful citrus vinaigrette. We also tried several of their locally brewed beers and appreciated the tasters. The service was wonderful, as always. I’ve been to backwoods at least a dozen times and it always hits consistently - amazing food, great value, attentive wait staff, and beers that keep me and all my friends and family coming back.
After our adventurous morning, we headed back to Portland and took in one more awe inspiring view of the Gorge over the Bridge of the Gods. As we said goodbye to Skamania County, we were left with permanent imprints of its beauty on our hearts.
In case you didn’t guess, we spent the rest of the evening parked on our sectional watching terrible reality TV, playing board games, and eating Thai take out we ordered from my favorite local spot, Swadatee. The best part is that we enjoyed all these activities in newly purchased sleep dresses by SKIMS. They are the comfiest, best, long sleeved jammies I’ve ever found. We ordered them from my friends at Nordstrom who had them ready for pick up on our way home.
We can act like we’re 13 again right?
We eased into Saturday morning with a big pot of coffee and homemade breakfast. After finding our grounding, we headed out for an afternoon of wine tasting in the rolling hills of the Willamette Valley. Our first stop was Ponzi Vineyards, one of Oregon’s most iconic wineries whose female winemaker, Luisa, is notorious for silky, incredible, wines. I fell in love with Ponzi wines 15 years ago when their tasting room was a small, humble space surrounded by acres of grapes.
Since then the Ponzi sisters and family built a beautiful estate winery located in the hills of the Chehalem Mountains. The tasting room, hospitality building and production facility sit atop a hill and are swallowed in meticulous acres of stunning grape vines. They make a killer Chardonnay and several varieties of Pinot Noir. They are also home to the new American Viticulture Area, the Laurelwood AVA, known for its rich soil that marries beautifully with the grapes planted here. The Ponzi’s have been farming this soil for over 50 years. We opted out of a tasting and each had a glass of amazing wine. From a glass of their sweetest wine, Vino Gelato, to a 2019 Pinot Noir Reserve our pallets were splashed with joy! We enjoyed chatting around their fireplace anchored by four, tastefully appointed velvet chairs. Ponzi is a wonderful winery to visit year round. In the summer their covered patio provides great shade on hot days and their Bocchi Ball courts are a fun addition to any day tasting wine. In winter the chic furnishings and fireplace make tasting indoors somenthing to look forward to every visit.
After Ponzi we visited my favorite winery in the Willamette Valley. Not only is Alloro Vineyards only an 8 minute drive from my house, it’s one of the most beautiful, charming and hospitable. Alloro is an estate winery offering wines made from the 34 acres that hug its tasting room and production facility. Alloro doesn’t source grapes from anywhere else. Everything you taste is from their winery. They focus on showcasing the purity of flavor in their grapes.
The tasting room is a perfect size and very cozy. It doesn’t have an overly modern, industrial, or corporate feel like so many of the other wineries in the valley. When you walk in you feel like you’re in France or Italy visiting family. Their hospitality and service are the best in the business. They are always incredibly friendly and passionate about the wines they serve. They specialize in Chardonnay, Muscat, Pinot Noir, and Reisling. They have also been experimenting with some other varietals which is always refreshing.
The tasting room sits atop a valley that is home to adorable goats and other farm animals throughout the year. It’s such a special place to visit. We ordered every shareable snack on the menu! Their chef, Chris Smith, formerly of the Allison Hotel, has created one of the most scrumptious snack menus in wine country. We ate our way through the charcuterie board, mushroom tart, smoked salmon dip, Marcona almonds, and the piece de resistance, the stracciatella with homemade focaccia bread. When I die, I might just ask my family to smother me in this gooey, hot, cheese surrounded by sundried tomatoes and hazelnuts drizzled in aged balsamic! We tasted our way through their standard flight and enjoyed an additional glass of the Riservata to finish our beautiful afternoon. I always appreciate a winery that treats you like family and Alloro delivers that every single time.
After our day in the Willamette Valley we retired back to the comfort of the house for a quick couch nap. Shortly after, we rallied for dinner at Mason, an intimate, Italian restaurant located in Sherwood’s Oldtown. Mason is a treasure in our small town. Wednesday through Saturday they serve heaping plates of homemade pastas, lasagna baked in a personal size cast iron pan, and many other seasonal specials ranging from salmon to ribeye. I will never know how they turn out so many incredible, heartfelt, and mouth watering dishes from such a tiny kitchen, but they do it time and time again.
The owners, Dax and Lawson, are two of the most generous, fun, and kind people I know. Lawson greets each guest like he’s known you for a lifetime and Dax turns out Italian food that keeps you dreaming about angel hair and shrimp. We paired our dinner with two bottles of incredible Dolcetto recommended by Lawson. He has lots of superpowers, but recommending wines that match your palette and budget has to be top! Oh, they make the best espresso martini ever! It’s worth the drive West - I promise!
This girls weekend in Portland proved to be another one for the books. It was the perfect balance of relaxation and adventure. Though we all live in different cities, there is a heart connection between us that is strengthened through these shared experiences. Time is one of the best gifts we can give each other so getting the opportunity to spend some of it with these women filled my mama heart back up to the brim. Like our city, these friendships have withstood the test of time. They have endured marriages, miles, babies, and businesses. We have grown stronger, not weaker even when distance and distractions lie in our way. Coming to Portland is always good for the soul, but it’s even sweeter spent with people you love so much.