8 Kid Friendly Wineries in Hood River

Hood River is a wine lovers dream come true. Sure, they are known as the windsurfing capital of America, but they happen to also be home to some of the best wine in the state of Oregon.

Hood River is just an hour east of Portland and on your way out there, you will be treated to epic views of the scenic Columbia Gorge River. If you decide to stop along the way, there are a number of excellent waterfall hikes. Once you arrive one of the best things to do in Hood River is visiting a few wineries. 

If you have kids like me, you need the winery to be kid-friendly. I’ve found myself in the area a few times now and each time I’ve managed to find one or two more wineries that won’t bore your children to tears. 

8 Kid-Friendly Wineries in Hood River

After lots of “research”, I’ve found the most kid-friendly wineries in Hood River. How do I decide if a winery is kid-friendly? There are a few things I factor in. I look for places that have games, a playground, or something else that will keep kids happy. Happy wine tasting!

Stave & Stone Winery at the Vineyard

Stave & Stone Winery at the Vineyard

This place is extremely family-friendly, but to be perfectly honest their wine is not great. It’s not the wine you go for though, well it is, but not the whole reason. The main reason is it’s super kid-friendly and the food is good. There’s a massive lawn where kids can play corn hole and other lawn games while parents do a wine tasting! I recommend not doing a tasting here instead, pick out your favorite type of wine and having a glass with food.

The kids playing lawn games at Stave & Stone Winery at the Vineyard.

Stave & Stone Winery at the Vineyard is located at:

3827 Fletcher Dr.
Hood River, OR. 97031
541-946-3750
staveandstone.com

March:  Thurs-Mon  11-6
April – October 11:00-7:00
November – March 11:00-6:00

On the way out to Stave and Stone stop at the old lavender farm. It’s located at 3801 Straight Hill Rd, Hood River, OR 97031. The new lavender farm is next door to Stave and Stone.

Wy’East Vineyards

Playing Bocce Ball at Wy’East Vineyards

Wy’East is another winery I happen to think is super kid-friendly because they offer bocce ball. They have two bocce ball courts and instructions, so even if you’ve never played you can figure it out! I didn’t do a full tasting here, but the one wine I tried was good. 

Wy’East is located at 3189 Hwy. 35, Hood River. 

April 6–late October: Daily 11–5 daily or so. You may want to call ahead to make sure they are open, 541-386-1277.

November and December, early Spring: Saturday and Sunday noon to 5.

Grateful Vineyards

The views at Grateful Vineyards are epic.

They have pizza, a cow the kids can visit, and a playground. Plus, there’s plenty of room to roam around and tables for playing games. You just have to bring a game with you. I don’t recall much about the wine, but I do remember their cider. They offer both!

Located at 6670 Trout Creek Ridge Road, Mount Hood, Oregon

Open Sunday – Thursday 11 AM – 6 PM, Friday -Saturday 11 AM – 7 PM. 

Cathedral Ridge Winery

Currently, Cathedral Ridge Winery has no games of any sort for kids to play but look at their space. They’ve got lots of tables and green space for running around. Kids can hang out on the lawn while you do your tasting. I recommend bringing a few games with you like Otrio or Uno. A tasting here costs $15. 

Wines you should try:

• 2016 Riesling
• 2016 Dampier Pinot Noir RSV
• 2015 Malbec Reserve

Cathedral Ridge Winery is located at 4200 Post Canyon Dr, Hood River, OR 97031. 

Hood Crest Winery

I have mixed feelings about Hood Crest Winery, but there’s no denying that it’s super kid-friendly. They’ve got a sandbox for younger kids to play in, a little play kitchen, and tiny kid-size chairs. They also serve food. If you order food you must also order wine, but you are at a winery, so of course, you are getting wine. The only downside here is the staff is a tad rude. They have live music sometimes. 

Hood Crest Winery is located at 1908 Orchard Road, Hood River, OR 97031.

Phone: 541-716-0140

Open Daily: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

Marchesi Vineyards

In my opinion, Marchesi Vineyards has the best wine in Hood River, based on the handful of places I have visited. They do not have games or any other things for kids to do, but they have two porch swings that I think kids would enjoy. They have blankets for you to use as well. They will do your tasting out on the porch, so it’s easy to sit with kids playing a game and relaxing while you are here. A tasting here costs $15 and a small charcuterie board costs $12. 

Wines you should try:

• Ciaplot
• Tempranillo

AniChe Cellars

I have yet to make it out to AniChe Cellars. Both times I’ve tried they were closed. You will need to make sure they are open before visiting. This winery is not in Hood River, it’s right across the river in Washington. I happen to know it’s kid-friendly because 2 Travel Dads told me! In fact, they wrote about it too. You can read their review of AniChe Cellars to make a more informed decision. According to them, they have bubbles and hula hoops for kids. Plus, they serve snacks. 

Gorge White House

I ask a local where to go and she directed us to the Gorge White House. They’ve got pear wine and a food cart on site serving locally sourced sandwiches and flatbreads. The pear flatbread is outstanding. I recommend getting a flight here because all of the wine is great. 

Occasionally they have live music and they’ve got u-pick fruit and flowers. Kids can run around while you try wine. The last time we were out there they had several cornhole sets around.

The Gorge White House is located at 2265 Hwy 35, Hood River. 

April and May we are open Friday-Monday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.  June 17th they go to 7 days a week and stay open until 7 p.m.!  In October they go back to Friday – Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

As I find more family-friendly wineries in Hood River I will update this list. For now, this is all I’ve got. Hopefully, it’s enough to ensure you have a great day wine tasting in Hood River!

Where to Stay in Hood River

Wondering where to stay in Hood River? I have two recommendations.

Hood River Hotel

If you want to stay right in the heart of Hood River stay downtown at the historic Hotel River Hotel. They have a family suite that can sleep a large family. You can walk anywhere in Hood River if you stay here. 

The Society Hotel Bingen

If you want something a little more secluded stay across the river near White Salmon, Washington at The Society Hotel Bingen. They’ve got two-bedroom cabins that are also good for families and a gymnasium with cornhole, shuffleboard, and more. 

Where to Eat in Hood River

In between wineries you may want to pop back into Hood River for lunch or dinner. Here are a few places we recommend. 

Wicked Sushi, Burgers, Bowls

This is the best place to eat in Hood River. All their food is so good. They’ve got gourmet burgers, poke bowls and a wide variety of sushi options including deep fried sushi. 

Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom

A favorite at Hood River, the debutant taproom at Double Mountain, this brewery has a menu for kids comprising of pizzas and sandwiches. Also, they have booster seats and high chairs for the kids. There is a restriction of time, all minors are permitted till 9 pm.