Oregon's Quirky, Bountiful Countryside Route Offers A Perfect Summer Road Trip Getaway From Portland

If you're looking for a unique and immersive vacation experience, one option is to connect with the local food supply chain. These days, knowing where and how your food is produced is more important than ever, and many states are creating interactive farm trails for visitors and residents to interact with local growers. In the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is leading the way with the Farmlandia Farm Loop Tour. With around 40 different experiences available (and counting), this loop gives you a behind-the-scenes look at Oregon's food processes while also providing some incredible backdrops.

The loop spans a massive area around Portland, from the largest urban forest with the prettiest trails in the north to Oregon's "friendliest small town" in the heart of serene wine country. Better yet, because there are so many different types of experiences available, you can customize your tour however you see fit.

So, pack your boots, your flannel, and your best picking gloves, and let's discover what the Farmlandia Farm Loop Tour has to offer.

There are far too many individual sites to discuss in the loop tour. Thankfully, they are categorized into unique activities. Broadly speaking, you can choose places to pick your own produce, interact with animals, buy or see flowers, or sip on some locally-grown wine. Also, there are many other farms, markets, and growers not listed on the official Farmlandia website, which means you can incorporate other spots as you see fit, depending on what kind of expedition you're looking for.

If you're looking for farm-fresh produce, you'll encounter bountiful harvests along your journey. Specifically, E.Z. Orchards specializes in a variety of fruit, including a seasonal rotation of fruit-flavored donuts and treats. Or, you can take advantage of its Farm to Fork dinner events during the summer. Similarly, Fiala Farms, located just south of Portland, offers fresh fruit, jams, and preserves. Both spots also offer pumpkin patches and fall activities for all ages.

Alternatively, if you're interested in fresh dairy and meat, you'll want to visit either Lady-Lane Farm or Eola Crest Cattle. If you haven't had milk, cheese, or beef direct from a local farm, it's practically life-changing. Both farms have storefronts where you can browse a wide selection of items made on-site.

The best way to get to the Farmlandia Loop is to fly into Portland International Airport. From there, you'll need to decide where you want to start your excursion. However, since these farms and markets are generally outside of the big cities, you'll first need to plan where to stay overnight and whether you want to move between locations as you make your way through the loop. A great option is to stay at The Tributary Hotel, an upscale hotel tucked into Oregon's wine country, when trying to sip on local wines.

Thankfully, each spot is relatively close to the others. For example, driving from the honey-dipped Flying Bee Ranch outside of Keizer to Plumper Pumpkin Patch in north Portland should only take around an hour to get from point A to point B. If you want to visit every location within the loop, we recommend coming for at least three or four days. Alternatively, you can focus on certain types of experiences and check them all out over the weekend.

Summertime is the best season to experience Farmlandia because most of the farms will be in-season. Whether you're interested in gorgeous fields of flowers or fresh fruits and vegetables, May to August is when you'll find everything you want. That said, as September and October roll around, fall festivals and pumpkin patches become the main attractions. If you love corn mazes, hay rides, and all things pumpkin spice, you might want to push your vacation back until the weather gets a little chillier.