Oregon was the first state in the nation to make Labor Day an official holiday. Therefore, Labor Day weekend plans are fully embraced here in the Tualatin Valley. Let the unofficial end of summer be your official introduction to all that the Tualatin Valley offers.
Friday: TopGolf
Whether you are coming straight from out-of-town, a Portland trip, or connecting your time in the Tualatin Valley with an Oregon Coast excursion, swing into the weekend—literally—with a club at Topgolf, located in Hillsboro. Topgolf is a golfer’s dream driving range while still managing to be a welcoming atmosphere to someone who has never swung a club. Order a cocktail, enough appetizers to make a meal and swing the night away.
Saturday: A day on Oregon’s Country Roads
Charming downtown Sherwood is chock-full of independent cafes and stores. These are the people that embody the spirit of Labor Day. To meet some more Oregon makers, head to the downtown Sherwood Saturday Market and pick up Oregon-made jewelry, soap and snacks.
Sherwood is one of the starting points for the 60-mile stretch of the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route. Brimming with wineries, farms, and picture perfect views, stop wherever the wind pulls you. We’ve laid out a few fun stops:
If you’re hungry for lunch, take your time at the South Store Café. Their house made currant-speckled chicken salad is a perfect summer bite.
Across the street from the café, find Smith Berry Farm for a leisurely perusal of its plants and specialty herbs. If you have room in your belly, then don’t miss out on a milkshakes made with fresh-picked fruit. You are on vacation after all…
Let the afternoon fade at Ponzi Vineyard’s Sherwood winery. Looking over the Chehalem Mountains, you’ll be comforted that the summer’s end brings harvest season into view.
Don’t let your chichi afternoon at the winery stop you from making your next stop a casual pizzeria. Midway Firehouse Pizza is in the heart of the northern Willamette Valley, serving up pizzas that are loaded up with all the best toppings. The Hook and Ladder pizza comes with sausage, candied walnuts, sliced apples and feta. We bet you haven’t tried a pizza combo like that.
Sunday: Art Markets & Whiskey
Your Labor Day weekend plans must include stellar brunch plans. Otherwise, what’s the point of a good weekend getaway? Make all your brunch dreams come true at Café Murrayhill. Situated on a pond, you’ll have an idyllic view while munching happily on the huevos rancheros, buttermilk pancakes or omelets.
Monday: Labor Day Run and Picnic
After a weekend of decadence, repent for your culinary sins with a leisurely 5k or 10k run (if that’s your sort of thing). The Greenway Trail Trial ambles along the Fanno Creek Trail, where resident hawks and herons will cheer you on–in their own sort of way–from the sidelines.
Post-run, indulge in a lazy afternoon. Nothing beats an old-timey Labor Day picnic. There are plenty of spaces to spread out the checkered blanket for a leisurely afternoon of snacking and basking under the sun. For provisions, we suggest made-from-scratch Oyatsupan pastries.