Oregon State Capitol, Salem North Santiam River, Mill City or float on the Willamette Water Trail, and make sure you have a life jacket! A stone’s throw from Historic Downtown Silverton, the 120-acre (49-hectare) Oregon Garden displays the astonishing botanical diversity of the Pacific Northwest in 20 specialty gardens. The garden is also home to the Gordon House, the only Frank Lloyd Wrightdesigned building in the state. The city of Salem is split between Marion and Polk counties, both agricultural wonders that lead the state in productivity. Get a taste of this culinary goodness at the area’s farmers markets—one good reason to explore the picturesque downtowns of Monmouth, Independence and Dallas. For more agricultural bounty, take a self-guided culinary journey on the Great Oaks Food Trail. Along the trail, you’ll find small towns with big hearts, modern makers honoring local history and family farms that work hard to preserve the land, including restoring the native great white oak savanna. These businesses are committed to sustainable practices to last through the next century and beyond. willamettevalley.org | 25 SIP STOPS MEET A FEW OF THE AREA’S CRAFT BEVERAGE PRODUCERS Andante Vineyard West of Salem and just off Highway 99W, Andante Vineyard has earned acclaim for its variety of well-balanced varietals—including estate-grown Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Sauvignon blanc. Sample Andante's lineup around the tasting room's stone fireplace or from its spacious patio, where you might see birds flying to and from the neighboring Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Lady Hill Winery Lady Hill Winery grows its grapes on a fifthgeneration farm that’s been in the family for more than 150 years, imbuing every bottle with a sense of place and time. Enjoy a glass of Cabernet, Pinot noir, Barbera and more on a sun-kissed patio or in a friendly tasting room that routinely hosts dinner pairings, performances by local musicians and other events. Eola Hills Legacy Estate Vineyard Eola Hills Wine Cellars is one of Oregon’s largest wineries—and has garnered praise for using sustainable practices to grow and harvest its estategrown Pinot noir and Chardonnay (among other varietals). Enjoy those selections at the sweeping Eola Hills Legacy Estate Vineyard, which pairs its pours with picturesque patio views, summertime concerts, self-guided hiking trails through vine-covered hillsides and other fun events. La Familia Cider Company The Gonzalez family launched La Familia Cider Company in 2017, crafting hard ciders inspired by fruity aguas frescas—crisp fruit drinks popular in the family’s native Mexico and throughout Latin America. Today La Familia’s flagship taproom is a popular gathering spot in downtown Salem. TopWire Hop Project Want to sip your beer on the farm where some of its ingredients are grown? At the innovative TopWire Hop Project, you can do just that. The bucolic beer garden, open May through October, is surrounded by rows of Centennial hops on Crosby Hops' farm—and pours a lineup of regional beers and ciders infused with those ingredients. Stop by in mid-August to see the hop bines, which can reach 20 feet (6 meters), at their verdant height. Aurora Colony Vineyards
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