Spring Tulips Are A Must, Hit

Each year, spring in Oregon arrives when colorful blooms begin to push up through the newly thawed ground of a frigid and bitter winter. From the hilltops of the Willamette Valley, rolling planes of the Columbia River Gorge, and cliff-side coastlines, blossoms appear in nearly every shade. Fresh flowers blanket open fields, line hiking trails and switchbacks, and bring pops of color back into quaint beach towns, greyed and weathered by the wintry coastal winds.

Wild or farmed, they are sought after by crowds of people annually. This year, fans of florals waited out an unusually long, cold season in anticipation of basking in the vibrancy of their petals under warm sunshine and open skies, a perfect backdrop for their grid.

On a brisk March morning, my family and I visited the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, just before peak bloom. The layout had changed a bit from last year, though, to our delight, it was highly decorated with even more photo-worthy attractions, like interactive signs, a pink-painted tractor, hot air balloons and kites of many shapes, sizes and characters, and train rides from one end of the farm to another.

Extended beyond the fields, an additional parking lot, a petite but largely decorated gift shop, and a boutique wine tasting that guiltlessly beckoned to us, and of course, we obliged. The sparkling pinot was a group favorite.

Wooden Shoe Vineyards Wine Select

It is a spectacle that drives springtime enthusiasts together, making a day of it filled with food and drink, shopping, and of course, the chance to take home your choice of tulip variety or a memento or two from local vendors and craftsmen. Over 40 acres and 100 varieties of tulips encompass the farm, making it one of the most popular flower attractions in the state.

Tulip Fields in Woodburn

Compared to its Dutch-inspired origins and wherever you're visiting from, the vivid scenery and rainbow-stained rows and rows of buds do not disappoint.