Things To Do: Wilsonville

Wilsonville may be a bustling suburban community minutes from Portland, but it has still retained its agricultural roots. Farms all around Wilsonville, both on and off the Farmlandia Farm Loop, offer all sorts of fun experiences. In fact, the first five entries in the following article are all spots along the loop. It's almost as if the travel plans are crafting their very own, personalized itinerary for you! 

Miniature donkeys. If those two words alone somehow aren't enough incentive for you to visit, Tollen Farm has been a popular stop for more than 40 years. The farm actually combines founder Tonie Tollen's passions of art, nature and animals into a one-stop shop where you can have fun animals experiences, find unique home and garden décor, art, antiques and other fascinating finds. 

The Kitchen at Middleground Farms creates "culinary experiences for food enthusiasts." When the Kitchen first opened, chef Jessica Hansen used her considerable talents to create custom cooking classes, giving her "students" the opportunity to learn how to craft incredibly delicious meals that they could then replicate at home to impress friends and family. That model has expanded to include hosting winemaker demonstration dinners, private gatherings, onside meetings and a "Dinners in the Garden" series. Trust us when we tell you this place is a foodie paradise; we're speaking from firsthand experience. 

The story behind this second-generation family run farm is as wonderful as the place is fun. The Frog Pond Farm started out with one llama just for the family, and has since grown to be the longest standing llama breeding farm in the state. The farm first opened to the public in 2008 offering Christmas trees. The offerings have expanded to include a pumpkin patch and other Halloween fun in the fall, to now being a fully year-round destination with the Farm Safari and Farm Walkabouts. You'll see the llamas as well as alpacas, bunnies, camels, pigs and even tortoise, among others. 

Terra Vina's vineyard is open on select days throughout the year, providing wine lovers the chance to sample excellent wines right at the source. They offer numerous varieties that are less common here. Try Syrah, tempranillo, cab franc and many other delicious wines that are as amazing as the views here. Definitely take advantage of the outdoor tasting area when the sun is shining, and you'll be gifted with an absolutely stellar view overlooking the vineyard, the valley and even Mt. Hood on a clear day. 

If you love lavender, this place is for you. Barn Owl Nursery offers nearly 100 different lavender and other culinary herb plants. Not only can you get the plants, but the owners will share their expertise to ensure whatever you choose to take home will not just survive, but thrive. You can also get dried lavender bundles, tea blends, essential oils and more. 

Bullwinkle's is a family fun center located just off of I-5 in Wilsonville. While it's pretty much impossible to miss as you make your way down the interstate, you won't know all that you're missing if you don't stop in. The expansive attractions include a bowling alley that looks like it's straight out out of the future, an incredible arcade, lazer tag, the XD Dark ride which is part ride, part movie part video game. Outside they have the Soaring Eagle Zipline, bumper boats, go karts, mini golf and, believe it or not, there's still more! This is the perfect spot for the family to come for some friendly competition, or for each to do their own thing. They also have an extensive menu of burgers, pizzas and other family-friendly foods, plus some wonderful adult beverages for the parents. 

Graham Oaks Nature Park is a beautiful, biologically diverse park with oak woodland, conifer forests and wetland habitat filled with numerous native birds. The park also boasts three miles of trails, perfect for walking, jogging or biking. Many of the trails are even wheelchair accessible, giving everyone in your group the chance to enjoy the beautiful natural landscape of the region. The area's rich history is also on display here, with stories from the farmers who settled the land to the Kalapuyan tribes that lived off the area's abundant natural resources. 

The Coffee Creek Wetlands are an incredible example of how cataclysmic events starting hundreds of miles away and happening tens of thousands of years ago shaped the landscape here. The Missoula Floods created unique geological formations throughout the Willamette Valley, including here in Wilsonville. The resulting landscape is filled with kolk ponds and rolling basalt hummocks that have become vital habitats to the plants, animals and fish that now inhabit the area. The park is a popular spot with birders, who report 125 different species spotted here over the years. 

Wilsonville Memorial Park as acquired by the city just after it's incorporation back in 1969. It's more than 120 acres provide a myriad of activities, from ball fields, disc golf and play structures to a boat dock and walking trails. This boat dock is on the more than half-mile of Willamette River frontage at the park, making this park one of the stops on the nearly 200 mile long Willamette Water Trail.